If you are so disposed as to be willing to accept it, joy should follow each and every viewing of this excellently bright movie. Do you need an uplifting plot for an uplifting musical? How about several main characters yearning to find their soulmates? Yet there is plenty of plain fun and humor here too. What you also get is an exquisite cast, bright colors, exceptional cinematography, dance that you no longer see, and lots and lots of great music to transfer you out of the doldrums. Yeah, there are quite a few dancers in Go-Go boots. Maybe it's satire; maybe the producers got a good deal. But you know that you are in the 60's. It's French, it's American, and in the end it's just a whole lot of joyful charm. For the first viewing (if you don't already know), I recommend that you turn the subtitles off and subject yourself to the beautiful French language. The actors are obviously having fun, and this is what puts this film over the top. P.S. Is Gene Kelly too old for Francoise Dorleac? One of the main themes here seems to be that with artistic soulmates, the usual rules do not apply. Check out William Henderson's excellent (if a bit difficult) book "The Science of Soulmates". Also check out Francoise's look when she first sees Gene...priceless?...a hint of the eternal? Furthermore, Kelly's performance is nothing short of sublime.
July 24, 2008 |  | Charming, if a little creaky |  |
French director, Jacques Demy, created charming worlds on film that could never really exist. Every film of his I've seen seems absolutely set in the surreal. This film is no exception. While it takes place in modern day (for the time - late 1960s) it has no relationship to any reality I've ever known. Everyone sings constantly and things happen that could not possibly happen but if you go with it, it's a lovely ride. At it's heart, it's the delightful story of two stunningly beautiful sisters (Catherine Deneauve and Francoise Dorleac) and their wish for true love to find them. Add in the unexpected American cast members of George Chakiris and Gene Kelly (of all people!), and you've got a musical unlike any other you have seen. The musical score by Michel Legrand is whimsically seductive and memorable.
April 15, 2008Gene Kelly fans will not be disappointed! He's a little older in this piece and sings in French, but it just as delightful to watch as in his younger days!
- The movie is sung from beginning to end (operetta?)
- All characters sing in French, the subtitles are lovely and poetic
- The music is very light and has a catchy theme throughout
- Like American movies of the era, the movie has beautiful colors and cinematography
- This is a love story that I feel is easy to follow and keeps you interested throughout, highly recommended!
February 14, 2008| | | the young girls of rochefort | |
The Young Girls of Rochefort
A fine film which made me feel like breathing an autumn breeze. A great come-back to the days of innocence. Thank you amazon-com for giving me the chance to watch it again and include it in my collection.
Best regards,
Nikos Papageorgiou
November 5, 2007 | | an overlooked masterpiece | |
I just had to pitch in on this one. I'm a bit of a film geek, and have watched plenty of them. I'd say this movie is one of my personal favorites - definitely in the top five. No kidding. It serves the vital function of reminding me, when I need to be, that life can be a very good thing. I vastly prefer it to "Umbrellas of Cherbourg," whose relentless, weepy tragedy, not to mention its non-stop music, I find a bit much. This one, I think, while admittedly a production that's bit rougher around the edges than "Umbrellas," was truly Demy's masterpiece. Legrand's score is utterly top-notch - again, on par with "Umbrellas," and, like the movie, more upbeat. And it's brimming with lyrics that are jam-packed with first-rate wit and joy. I actually bought the soundtrack. The folks who don't like this movie likely will either find its admittedly low-budget production odd for their tastes, or balk at the overall fruity Frenchiness of it. Inventing other reasons not to like it - it's trying and failing to be American, etc. - I think is also counterproductive. The key is to let yourself go and, indulge in this over-the-top confection. The first number, "We Are a Pair of Twins," is worth the price of admission. Silly? Maybe, but meanwhile surpassingly brilliant and lovely. Catherine Deneuve is, of course, unbelievable. And there's Michel Piccoli! I know this movie has a cult following in France, and is generally well regarded there, but I believe it deserves an international reputation. Maybe the movie is too much itself - too hopelessly and shamelessly French in taking on the American musical genre - to pass the typical dismal critical hurdles that are required. Well, more power to it. Hopefully, history will catch up with it. The sooner, the better. I do wish they'd do one more restoration and improve the digital transfer, but that's just because I'm such a fanatic about this movie. It's a fine DVD, and quite a bargain, although I'm tempted to pony up for the 2-disc special anniversary edition that's available in France...
August 18, 2007More reviews at Amazon.com ...
