Review of The Umbrellas of Cherbourg (1964) by Jeremy G — 10 Mar 2008
Even though there was not a single line in The Umbrellas of Cherbourg that was not sung, somehow the film seemed less contrived than any other movie musical I've seen. Film adaptations of stage shows (such as Sweeney Todd and Joel Shumacher's recent version of Phantom of the Opera) get caught up with making use of the extra scope that the silver screen offers, and in the process end up overblown and melodramatic.
This 1964 film is different - despite not being based on a play, the film is intimate to the point of being stagelike at times. Many scenes are set indoors in confined spaces but the characters move nimbly, and the camera deftly follows them.
The music itself was very cool, often quite jazzy but romantic when the mood called for it. The duet just before the male lead Guy leaves for Algeria was particularly good. A great start to the Auckland Film Society's 2008 calendar - I look forward to another Jacques Demy film next week.
This review of The Umbrellas of Cherbourg (1964) was written by Jeremy G on 10 Mar 2008.
The Umbrellas of Cherbourg has generally received very positive reviews.
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