Boba_Fett1138 Right after "Les parapluies de Cherbourg" delivered yet another fine musical movie. He must had not been ready with the genre yet and this time took a bit of a different approach.It's a more traditional musical, when compared to "Les parapluies de Cherbourg". It's cheerful, colorful, less heavy on the drama and features lots of choreographed dancing sequences and characters that burst into singing, right in the middle of a conversation. It's really a musical done in the trend of '40's and '50's Hollywood musicals.Jacques Demy probably had a big love or admiration for the genre, since it's not like the genre was still very popular or considered to be modern or very profitable at the time. It must had therefore also been a bit of a gamble to create a 1967 musical done in '40's style. But let me just say that it was a gamble that really payed off well!It are not just the characters, or its story, musical numbers or visual style that make this movie. It are all of these things combined! It forms a beautiful and joyful whole that really works on a musical level. The many characters of the movie are all great and likable ones. Its story is also quite original but above all things also cheerful, which can also be said about its bright and colorful visual style.Thing about its buildup and character are that you don't know who will end up with who. Usually this is of course something that is very clear, pretty much from the start on already. This is the beauty of the movie and is also what makes it a quite original one within its genre. It always keeps the story and love angles in it interesting and helps to make the characters and the movie as a whole also quite unpredictable, which is not something you could say about a lot of musicals.Its many songs do tend to make the movie drag a little at points. Maybe it's a bit overlong but every time you think that the movie is starting to take a wrong turn, it actually eventually will be something that works out beautifully and real surprising in the end. And talking about end, things really come together beautifully in the last few minutes of this movie. Every storyline gets wrapped up, which is a real accomplishment, considering the amount of characters this movie follows.It's not just a movie about the Garnier twins but also about their family, close friends and everyone they meet in their quest to find true love. That's what the movie is truly about really; love. Every character in this movie is basically looking for that. The ideas of true love, as presented in this movie, might come across as old fashioned now days but this of course still adds to the overall cheerful nature and charm of the movie. It's a kind of no-worries type of movie, that can make you feel really happy and warm when watching it, also thanks to its cheerful colors and songs.To make it all the more apparent that this is a sort of ode and love-letter to the musical genre of mostly the '40's and '50's, the movie features one of the biggest musical stars of those days; Gene Kelly. Even while he was already well in his 50's, it doesn't stop him to still look as young as ever and he even does some of his characteristic dancing in this one. Yes, he's even speaking French, though in some scene's he still got obviously dubbed, most notably when he's singing. Next to him the movie is also featuring Catherine Deneuve, who also was the main star in Jacques Demy's 'other' well known musical "Les parapluies de Cherbourg".He didn't do all of the directing alone on this one though. This time his wife Agnès Varda joined in, who already was an established director on her own at the time.Even though I'm not the biggest fan of the musical genre, I can still appreciate and enjoy a good genre movie when I see one. And this is really one of those!9/10 http://bobafett1138.blogspot.com/

didi-5 Perhaps because this musical film features Gene Kelly amongst its cast it shines bright and leaves the viewer with a smile on their face - lots of colour, some sub-Robbins choreography featuring George Chakiris and Grover Dale, Demy-Legrand songs and recitative, and bouncy performances by Catherine Deneuve and Francoise Dorleac as the twin sisters, looking for love and opportunity.Include their mother, a cafe owner looking for a love she left behind; a lonely music shop owner; a sailor who loves to paint; and a jealous gallery owner - not to mention an unsolved murder - and you have the recipe for a fun and frothy musical, with hummable tunes and hints of romance.It is Kelly who shines, however (although with someone else's singing and speaking voice). Even in his mid-50s, he's still impish, sexy and hugely talented, and a bonus to any film.Demy's other film 'The Umbrellas of Cherbourg' is often lauded more than 'Les Demoiselles de Rochefort', but I disagree - this is the hit of the two for me.

george7096 We loved this movie so much we went to visit the town of Rochefort. Stars from French and American cinema do wonderful work in the movie - Catherine Deneuve, Francoise Dorleac, Gene Kelly, George Chakiris, Danielle Darrieux, and Michel Piccoli. The version now available from Netflix is beautiful and has fine sound, but we noticed one song had been deleted that was in the version we saw 10 or 15 years ago. As for Rochefort, it's a nice place to visit, on the coast halfway between Bordeaux and Nantes. The remarkable "transbordeur" bridge shown in the opening and closing scenes has been restored for operation as a tourist feature.

Ryan Its not often I feel suitably inspired or even annoyed enough to make any kind of contribution to online forums. However, such has been the effect that this wonderful film "Les Demoiselle de Rochefort" has had on me that I now feel utterly compelled to share my wild enthusiasm for this wonderfully charming musical extravaganza. I think I was finally motivated to make my feelings for "Les Demoiselles" clear given some of the naïve and somewhat misguided criticism of this extraordinary film. I stumbled across this movie only very recently. I must admit to being a little bemused seeing Gene Kelly singing in French and dancing in the main square of a certain provincial French town by the name of Rochefort - where I had myself been only three years before on vacation! It's a little bit like discovering that "American in Paris" had been made in some little local town in some languishing American or British backwater. As a lover of jazz it was Michel Legrand's fantastic and pulsating score that initially drew me to watch more and more of this captivating film. I really have to laugh at criticism of this film as being "too jazzy" or even that the music is "dated". Of course it's a movie "of its time". That's precisely the appeal of the film! What musical isn't in essence dated? Is "Top Hat" or "Gigi" any less wonderful because the music is fifty or even seventy years old? Absolute nonsense. These critics have no idea of the great French jazz tradition of such superb singers as Mimi Perrin and her "Les Double Six" or even of Ward Swingle's innovative vocal group the "Swingle Singers". As for criticism that the plot is silly or contrived and that there are too many songs? I ask you: name me any musical that isn't basically a contrived vehicle for singing and dancing? The fashions are indeed tres retro and tres cool! Certainly, the plot of "Les Demoiselles" is whimsical and eccentric. That again is precisely the charm of the film that attracts and holds the viewer. The music is indeed first class. Who could possibly criticise the dancing of Gene Kelly? I only wish Mr. Kelly had had a bigger dancing role in the film. As for the youthful, effervescent and stunning partnership of George Chakiris and Grover Dale - I utterly fail to see how those who love dance could not be totally charmed by their energetic synergy! I didn't come to this film with any prejudice or preconceptions. That's because I had never even heard of the film before I stumbled on to it last Christmas. I have since purchased the beautifully restored DVD version of "Les Demoiselles" and the sound track with Michel Legrand's superb music. I can understand somewhat how you will either love this film and be drawn mysteriously into its hypnotic Franco/American charms or like some of the misguided souls on this forum - not like it very much. Ouch! As for myself I have watched this film over seven times now and enjoy it more the more often I view it! I thoroughly encourage all readers of this post to savour the film with an open mind and let the charms of "Les Demoiselles" sooth your troubled spirits. If it's "joie de vivre" you are after then this is the complete antidote to grey skies, bad days and black moods. A film - and especially music - that will captivate you and will - as Mr. Sinatra might suggest - get "under your skin". You really can't ask any more of a musical. I must also add that Catherine Deneuve and the late Françoise Dorleac are truly alluring as the tuneful sisters as delightfully performed in the spirited and stylish "Twins Song". So, please go and watch this great film and ignore the critics! I guarantee you it's a film that you won't forget very easily! As the French might just say: "Formidable!"