Review of Lola (1961) by Edgar C — 10 Aug 2014

The title... well... the film itself, is an allusion to a number of things. First, it is a "musical without music", description provided by Demy himself, maybe because despite the lack of music, it follows the basic charming conventionalisms of the genre from an aesthetic and structural point of view. More appropriately, it is a musical with music, but with the singing not performing the usual fantasy-like role that it performs in common musicals, where characters suddenly sing and dance out of the blue explaining or complementing a situation. Secondly, the protagonist, passionately played by Anouk Aimée (La Dolce Vita [1960]; 8 1/2 [1963]), nods to Max Opüls' Lola Montès (1955). Thirdly, Lola also references the iconic character from one of the best films ever made: Der Blaue Engel (1930), by Josef von Sternberg, immortalized by the great Marlene Dietrich.

Torn between her first love (Michel) that left her seven years ago promising to come back until he became rich, the American sailor Frankie that reminds her of Michel, and her childhood pre-war friend Roland, Cecile dances a notable adult-oriented number at a cabaret under her stage name "Lola", trying to put her feelings and priorities in order while awaiting for her first love. Confusion and drama ensue, but always filmed spectacularly by Demy's constantly moving camera and smart editing, accompanied by clever gags and Beethoven's 7th Symphony, which seems to have the power to elevate any film to levels never originally ambitioned.

All in all, it is an impressive drama given that it is a debut, probably incorrectly advertised as an American musical (considering the trailers and the posters), because it is a story that, although typical seen with today's eyes, brings solid performances, intense moments, funny situations and an ending which controversy precedes Varda's Le Bonheur (1966).

Lola's concept would belong now to Fassbinder 20 years later.

82/100.