Review of The Umbrellas of Cherbourg (1964) by Tom B — 07 Feb 2012

While re-visiting The Umbrellas of Cherbough the first thing that struck me was just how colorful the entire film is. The set's and costumes are bursting with color creating an atmosphere which really fits the film's style.

For anyone not familiar, the entire film is a musical, with every bit of dialogue sung by the actors making it quite unique for the genre. It's an epic love story of sorts which is split into three parts as we witness a young couple, madly in love, being separated because of a military service obligation.

With this film Jacques Demy seems interested in the way chance and circumstance affect our lives but more in an almost whimsical sense than the esoteric way that Kieslowski's Blind Chance examines life, for example.

The cinematography flows and considering the subject matter, Demy seems to intentionally keep the film rater light. The Umbrellas of Cherbough has some scenes that are a little too sappy for my taste but the ending is excellent and is handled very well.

The plot is nothing new and could be considered by some as almost Banal but it's such an original treatment of the idea that it's such a lively and refreshing film. Random sidenote: I forgot how gorgeous Catherine Deneuve is in this film.