honestcomments Yeah, I agree with the other review. Gabrielle "Coco" Chanel was a Nazi spy and an opportunist.

spenycjo Apparently Coco Chanel was an unbridled egotist who gave no credit where credit was due and whose sympathy was reserved for herself.Since this was a production of Lifetime, a network not known for its steely-eyed looks at real life, I must assume that was not the impression viewers were meant to carry away with them. Presumably, had there been more sympathetic moments to be portrayed, they would have been included.On the other hand, this production passed over some rather interesting material, such as her cohabitation with a Nazi while Paris was occupied during WWII. I guess there was no way to give *that* the Lifetime treatment.There are other interesting myth-busters in the NY Times review (link under the external reviews)...but I had watched and disliked this movie before I read it. I found the woman who played the young Chanel rather bland, and not even Shirley MacLaine's performance was any fun. Watching Chanel bully her employees and ignore their loyalty isn't my idea of entertainment.

shirley-112 Great film although a bit boring at the start. Evocative, bit predictable the way Boy was driving to his death - could have been less clichéd in the filming. The young Coco was quite magnificent and deserving of an award which I don't think she got but Shirley MacLaine got nominations. Why? In the midst of all those European actors and actresses Shirley MacLaine's accent stuck out like a sore thumb. She played Shirley Maclaine. She could have been Mrs Winterbotham or Meryl Streep's mother in Postcards. I know that they should have all spoken French and the film should have been subtitled but it wasn't and since everyone else spoke with a French or continental accent it was more fitting so why couldn't this great actress have tried to play a character accent and not an American in Paris?

edwagreen A wonderful television film-just like the great television films they made in the 1970s.The film is great due to the presence of the wonderful Shirley MacLaine. The latter portrays Chanel in her later years. There is a wonderful constant use of flashbacks here that convey the image of Chanel as a woman who conquered the world of fashion but whose personal life was quite a heartbreak.My main criticism of the film was what happened to Chanel during World War 11? We see how her life evolved during the 1st World War.In a way, MacLaine reminded me of her performance as the imperious music teacher, Madame Sousatzka, some years back. She still has that commanding domineering performance in her characters.This is an excellent study of social class as Chanel lost two lovers due to the opposition of the mother of the first and the father of the second.Chanel was definitely an eccentric as the film well depicts. She certainly went a long way to change the styles of what women wore during the years.