Film Review
The film musical has enjoyed an enduring popularity in American cinema, certainly until
the late 1960s, but has been less well represented in European cinema.
This is a shame, because the few film musicals which have been made by European directors are, generally,
on a par with anything produced by Hollywood and, in some cases, offer so much more.
One such film is Jacques Demy's sensational
Les Demoiselles de Rochefort, the French
director's most ambitious project and a film which is regarded by many as the best French
film musical ever made.
Demy's earlier film musical,
Les Parapluies de Cherbourg, made in 1964, broke new
ground in European film making and established Demy's international reputation as a director.
The bittersweet fantasy romance starred a platinum blond teenager, Catherine Deneuve,
who has gone on to become one of the most famous actresses of her generation. Demy
recreates the magic of this earlier film in
Les Demoiselles de Rochefort, which
also starred Deneuve, cast along side her real-life sister, Françoise Dorléac.
(Dorléac's own film career was tragically cut short in June 1967, within
a year of making this film, when she was killed in a car accident in Nice.)
Appearing with the famous Dorléac sisters is the well-known French actress Danielle
Darrieux and the celebrated American song-and-dance man Gene Kelly. Overall, the
film benefits from an impressive and talented cast, although Darrieux was the only actor
in the film to sing her own songs.
Les Demoiselles de Rochefort is a genuinely uplifting, hugely energetic film which
bubbles with the essence of 1960s vitality, captivating the viewer from the very first
scene. It is an unashamed homage to the American film musical, although some of
the dance routines are noticeably less than perfect, something which acutually adds to
the film's charm.
The plot is pure Shakespearen farce, constantly teasing
its audience as it keeps the pairs of lovers from meeting each other. A soupçon
of French poetic realism dowses the hopes of the young girls and their wistful mother,
giving the film a tragic dimension which prevents it from ever becoming smoochy or too
predictable.
Demy's witty and poetic dialogue is in perfect sync with Michel Legrand's magnificent
musical score, and includes some splendid numbers, such as the well-known "Nous sommes
deux soeurs jumelles" duet. Having enjoyed the fruits of their collaboration on
Cerbourg and
Rochefort, you cannot help wishing that the two men had worked
together on many more similar films.
Les Demoiselles de Rochefort is a rare oddity of French cinema which was something
of an anachronism even in its own time. (By 1967, the sixties optimism had already
begun to turn to seventies cynicism, making Demy's film appear somewhat dated.)
Today, the
very 1960s outfits and hairstyles suggest that it might have been unearthed
on another planet (surely hats like
those could never have been in fashion?).
Whilst the film met with a luke warm reception on its first release in France in 1967,
it was almost universally praised when it was re-released in 1996 after some timely restoration
work.
Few films celebrate the joy of life and living with such shameless ebullience and colour.
It transports its audience to a happier world, devoid of grime, cynicism and cruelty (although,
strangely, covert axe murderers are permitted), a world where dreams come true and everyone
lives happily ever after (axe murderers excluded). There will always be a place
for such films in the cinema, but they will succeed only if they are made with the enduring
appeal of Jacques Demy's
Les Demoiselles de Rochefort.
© James Travers 2001
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Next Jacques Demy film:
Peau d'âne (1970)
Film Synopsis
Delphine and Solange are twin sisters living in the French town of Rochefort. Delphine
gives ballet lessons whilst Solange teaches music. Both are tired of their humdrum
existence and hope to make names for themselves in Paris. Their mother, Yvonne,
has ended up running a café after walking out on her boyfriend 10 years ago on
account of his bizarre name, Monsieur Dame. She does no know that the same Monsieur
Dame has recently returned to Rochefort to run a music shop frequented by her daughter
Solagne. Maxence, an artist-poet on his military service, arrives in the town and
paints a portrait of his ideal woman, which turns out to be Delphine. Meanwhile,
Solange meets and instantly falls in love with an old friend of Monsieur Dame, the famous
composer Andy Miller, although the two suddenly lose sight of each other. Will the
happy pairs of lovers be united or will cruel fate keep them apart?
© James Travers
The above content is owned by filmsdefrance.com and must not be copied.