Review of The Umbrellas of Cherbourg (1964) by Midhush I — 15 May 2008
Only heard about this film thanks to Michele Gondry's Be Kind Rewind, and I became curious because it was the only film imitated which I'd never seen. A wonderful musical that manages to subvert many of the stereotypical notions of romance films, with all the music being quite whimsical amongst the backdrop of a tragic storyline, and a very daring achievement since the whole film is sung.
Every word is sung, every scene has music running underneath it. The colours used in the film are at times ravishing and Catherine Deneuve looks beautiful throughout. The only fault is that because the whole film is sung, the narrative seems too heightened and melodramatic to really allow an audience to understand the characters.
However, it is still a very different and unusual piece of cinema.
This review of The Umbrellas of Cherbourg (1964) was written by Midhush I on 15 May 2008.
The Umbrellas of Cherbourg has generally received very positive reviews.
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