Marlene Dietrich Stage Fright - Her Dazzling 1950’s Fashion
This post may contain affiliate links
Marlene Dietrich Stage Fright is a suspenseful Alfred Hitchcock mystery where a glamorous high society entertainer is suspected in the brutal murder of her husband.
The entertainer is the seductive and “exotic” Marlene Dietrich.
Marlene Dietrich’s character in Stage Fright is an incredible inspiration for women’s glamour fashion in the 1950’s. She wears everything from elegant day dresses to dazzling ball gowns and costumes.
Since her career is on stage you’ll notice that her 1950’s fashion centers around glittering costumes, with statement diamond jewelry and over-the-top furs.
Although Marlene Dietrich is famous for pants and her tuxedo look, in Stage Fright she only wears dresses.
Did you know Marlene Dietrich’s costumes are some of the most popular of the 1950’s Hollywood glam for Halloween costume inspiration?
This post is all about Marlene Dietrich Stage Fright and her dazzling 1950’s fashion and costumes.
Stage Fright Plot
Eve Gill (Jane Wyman) is certain the police have wrongly accused her crush Jonathan Cooper (Richard Todd) of killing the husband of the entertainer Charlotte Inwood (Marlene Dietrich).
Eve Gill sets out to prove Jonathan’s innocence.
As a budding actress, she puts her new skills to the test and goes undercover as a maid for the famous performer.
Eve is certain Charlotte Inwood (Marlene Dietrich) murdered her husband to be with her lover.
In seeking to prove Charlotte is the murderer, Eve falls for the real detective on the case, “Ordinary Smith” (Michael Wilding).
In classic Alfred Hitchcock fashion, Stage Fright centers around a suspenseful whodunnit and a number of inter-tangled romances that keeps you guessing until the end.
We love the subtle humor and sarcastic one-liners from the colorful characters, as web of mystery mounts, and everyone appears to be wearing a mask.
Who isn’t on stage?
Marlene Dietrich Stage Fright / Marlene Dietrich Fashion Outfit #1 - White Day Dress
Marlene Dietrich’s character Charlotte Inwood is wearing a beautiful pleated white dress with long billowing sleeves that is cinched at the waist with a black belt. She also has an elegant black overcoat and fur cap. Her jewelry includes diamond earrings, a matching diamond necklace, and an exquisite diamond bracelet.
In the opening scenes of the movie, Jonathan Cooper (Richard Todd) is recounting the events that led to him running for his life.
He asks Eve if he can hide from the Police on her father’s boat.
Jonathan says that Marlene Dietrich’s character Charlotte Inwood suddenly arrived at his apartment that day in a dress covered in blood.
When her husband started to hit her, she reacted out of fear.
She begs Jonathan for help. He insists that she go straight to the theatre and perform as if nothing has happened.
In panic, she says that she only has the bloodied dress to wear. She asks him to sneak back and get her a clean dress.
When he hesitates, she exclaims, “Go, or don’t go, it’s all the same… I thought you loved me. It doesn’t matter now.”
He replies, “I’d do anything for you. You know that.”
He rushes back to her flat, past the dead body of the husband and grabs a clean dress.
He smashes the window and strews objects around to make it look like a robbery!
Jonathan is interrupted by a scream as the maid arrives. She sees him fleeing the crime scene!
Marlene Dietrich Stage Fright / Marlene Dietrich Fashion Outfit #2 - Blue Day Dress
In Jonathan’s flat, Charlotte Inwood changes into the fresh dress.
Charlotte Inwood asks if the maid recognized Jonathan.
He tells her not to worry about the blood stained dress. He will get rid of it.
Marlene Dietrich’s character Charlotte Inwood is wearing a long pleated dress with a light contrast belt. This dress looks almost exactly like the white dress, only it is in a dark blue! She is wearing the same diamond jewelry and fur hat. She pulls on her black overcoat.
Jonathan finishes telling this story to his friend Eve, as she drives him to her father’s rural country home to hide.
Her father, Commodore Gil (Alastair Sim) notices that the blood on the dress is smeared on!
Is Charlotte Inwood, the performer and actress, setting up young Jonathan as the fall guy?
Marlene Dietrich Stage Fright / Marlene Dietrich Fashion Outfit #3 - Black Mourning Gown
Marlene Dietrich’s character Charlotte Inwood is wearing an elegant black fitted dress with sharp black pumps. This is accessorized with a black hat and long dramatic veil.
Determined to get entry into the entertainer’s house, Eve Gil pays off the talkative maid, Nellie Goode (Kay Walsh).
The real maid pretends to be sick for a few days, so that Eve can get into the house as the temporary maid and do some snooping.
She is determined to prove Jonathan’s innocence.
Arriving at Charlotte Inwood’s flat, Eve is sent upstairs to help her dress.
Her outfit looks more like a glamorous costume versus a somber mourning outfit!
Charlotte Inwood exames her reflection in the mirror, thoughtfully puffing on her cigarette. “This is very nice… if you can call mourning nice…”
Then she points to her decollage and adds, “...but isn’t there some way we can make it plunge a little more in front?”
The dressmaker shakes her head.
Charlotte replies, “Yes, I suppose not, but if we could only work in a little color somehow…. “Now get me out of these weeds… I’m beginning to feel sad, and I shouldn’t feel sad, it’s so depressing!”
Marlene Dietrich Stage Fright / Marlene Dietrich Fashion Outfit #4 - Black Negligee and Black Frilly Dress
Charlotte Inwood changes out of the black mourning gown, so the dressmakers can make the final adjustments.
With a wink, she tells them to make sure the front of the dress is let down... just a trifle!
Marlene Dietrich’s character Charlotte Inwood is wearing a black floor length dress, with dramatic ruffles across the bodice and along the skirt. It sits off one perfect shoulder. She has beautiful accent jewelry and clutches a white translucent handkerchief for dramatic effect.
The police and detectives arrive for questioning on the whereabouts of Jonathan Cooper.
She tells them she’s instructed Jonathan not to see her anymore.
She then feigns a fake cough, which is the signal to announce that the doctor was waiting to see her.
As the detectives leave the room, her Producer, Freddy, pulls her into his arms.
He coldly announces that Jonathan better have kept his mouth shut for all of their sakes. She says, “You make me afraid….”
… the plot thickens!
Marlene Dietrich Stage Fright / Marlene Dietrich Costume Outfit #5 - White Ballgown
Eve, still pretending to be the temporary maid, helps Charlotte Inwood get ready for her theatre performance.
Marlene Dietrich’s character Charlotte Inwood is wearing a dazzling off the shoulder white ruffled dress with a white belt. This is accented with sparkling diamond jewelry and a white hair accessory.
Her glitzy costume is perfect for her stage performance. She entertains a captivated audience with a throaty jazz piece and dancing with an entourage of men in tuxedos.
After finishing her number to resounding applause, she retreats backstage to change into her next costume.
Marlene Dietrich Stage Fright / Marlene Dietrich Costume Outfit #6 - Greecian Ballgown With Fur Robe
For her next performance, Eve helps her change into her another glamorous costume.
Marlene Dietrich’s character Charlotte Inwood is wearing a white grecian style dress, with an over-the-top white silk robe with dramatic fur accents. This is accessorized with sparkling diamond jewelry and a white hair accessory.
This time the audience is privy to the entire song and dazzling performance for the “The Laziest Gal In Town.”
The throaty jazz piece, frilly costume and performance is so over-the-top, yet still sexy and hilariously entertaining. It’s a must-watch, if you haven’t seen it!
Charlotte Inwood sees Jonathan Cooper in the audience and is startled and frightened.
Marlene Dietrich Stage Fright / Marlene Dietrich Costume Outfit #7 - Black Ballgown
When Jonathan comes into her dressing room, she asks where he’s been hiding.
Marlene Dietrich’s character Charlotte Inwood is wearing a black floor length ball gown with sheer black throw and black jeweled tiara. She adds a dramatic jeweled necklace and bracelet to take her costume to the next level..
She tells Jonathan that he needs to go away and hide in South America. She will join him for a week or two, once the show is over.
“A week or two..?”
“You don’t want me to give up everything, do you?”
“Well, why not? I have.”
“Now Johnny, I thought you said that my happiness was all that mattered.”
Jonathan announces that he still has the blood stained dress. She asks why he hasn’t destroyed it yet.
He says, “So long as I have that dress, I am the one who decides how long that show will run and everything else… do you understand?”
She is called to stage for her next musical number.
Jonathan barely escapes from the dressing room before the policemen search for him!
Marlene Dietrich Stage Fright / Marlene Dietrich Costume Outfit #8 - Garden Party Performance Costume
Charlotte Inwood is backstage at the garden party getting ready for her performance.
Marlene Dietrich’s character Charlotte Inwood is wearing a long off the shoulder dress with large flower accents and a matching hat. She accessorizes her outfit with dramatic diamond jewelry.
As Charlotte Inwood is singing her number on stage, she sees a boy walking toward her holding out a doll with a blood stained dress--just like her blood stained dress!
She starts stuttering on her words, and then stops in horror, staring at the dress!
The police detective now begins to suspect her in the husband’s murder.
Marlene Dietrich Stage Fright / Marlene Dietrich Fashion Outfit #9 - Skirt Suit
Finishing her performance at the theatre, Charlotte Inwood changes into day clothes.
Marlene Dietrich’s character Charlotte Inwood is wearing a fitted button-up silk top, pencil skirt, and hat with a veil. Her jewelry is a simple two strands of pearls and pearl earrings. This is topped with a matching blazer and white fox stole.
As Charlotte Inwood is about to leave the theatre, Eve dramatically announces that she has the blood stained dress!
Frightened, Charlotte Inwood asks how much money she wants for it.
When asked why she is so afraid of the blood stained dress, Charlotte replies, “I don’t know… Yes, some blood did splash on my dress. I was there in the room when Jonathan killed my husband, but I had nothing to do with it.”
The entire conversation is being broadcasted to the policemen.
The real murderer, Jonathan, shows up at the theatre. Jonathan confesses to Eve that he killed Charlotte Inwood’s husband, and has murdered before. While trying to make a run for it from the police, he is killed in the theatre pit, when the iron curtain drops.
Although an accessory, the glamorous and aloof entertainer Charlotte Inwood was innocent of the murder.
She is free to pursue her passion--entertaining crowds with her performances and over-the-top fashion.
And she can live happily ever after with her Producer…!
This post was all about Marlene Dietrich Stage Fright and her dazzling 1950’s fashion and costumes.
What are your thoughts on the Marlene Dietrich fashion and costumes in Stage Fright?
Are you inspired to recreate one of these looks for your glam date night or most memorable Halloween outfit ever?
Other posts you might like: