The Umbrellas of Cherbourg.

After dinner last night, I collapsed in front of the tube and set about looking for nothing in particular, so of course, nothing in particular showed up. Until, by shear luck, I found the Sundance Channel (I didn't know we had the Sundance Channel) and the remastered version of The Umbrellas of Cherbourg, Jacques Demy's stunningly beautiful direction of Michel Legrand's jazz-opera-movie.

Sherry had never seen it, and the last time I saw it was almost twenty years ago at the dearly lamented Pittsburgh Playhouse Movie Repertory. I remembered a slightly pale palette, a washed-out Cherbourg serving as color-commentary to the Algerian war that serves as the movie's backdrop. I know now that my recollection was accurate, though mistaken. In this revitalized print, George Sidney's work pops off the screen and acts as a kaleidoscopic counterpoint to the poignant drama on screen.

The story is a familiar one. Geneviève (played by a 20-year-old Catherine Deneuve, displaying a singular luminosity, a quality of grace that forty years later stands miles above the current stock of screen ingenues. Deneuve is the anti-Paltrow.) lives with her widowed mother, who runs an umbrella shop in Cherbourg and live beyond her means. Geneviève and Guy, a mechanic, are in love, but Mother disapproves because Guy has no money.

Mom hasn't any money, either, and is forced to sell her jewels to meet a delinquent tax bill. Cossard, a wealthy dealer who falls instantly in love with Geneviève comes to the ladies' rescue.

Meanwhile, Guy is called to the Algerian war for two years. The couple, sharing one last night before Guy is deployed, conceive a child. Cossard, still in love, proposes marriage to
Geneviève, who finally accepts after the child is born.

We can predict what happens when Guy returns home after being injured.

The story is simple and archetypal enough, but what sets this as a masterpiece are Remy's direction and Legrand's score. Remy wanders down the streets of Cherbourg with his camera, spying in windows, almost eavesdropping on the city. Legrand's score, in which virtually all dialogue is sung is more tone poem than opera, really, employing a jazzy Wagnerian-like technique where there is only one set piece (the beautiful "I Will Wait For You"-- Sherry was delighted when she realized that she recognized this) and mundane conversations are threaded together rather than in counterpoint or harmony. Again, the exception is the lover's adieu mentioned above.

This is a drama without the usual cliched roles. There is no antagonist, here, as the drama revolves around normal people confronting normal life decisions and living with the consequences. This is an example of the best of French cinema, where the characters are so true, that we not only can imagine ourselves in their shoes, be recall a time, maybe not so long ago, when we found ourselves saying and doing the exact same things. In other words, this is the movie for people who know that life isn't like movies.

This was the movie that launch Deneuve's career, and might surprise many who relate her with Chanel commercials. It also rightly made Legrand an international star. Returned to what is said to be it's original lustre (I don't know--I was three when it came out), it is a delight for the eyes and ears and a masterpiece of cinema.

Comments

[zp_alabasium]

Every now and then your titles draw me from the Pittsburgh Webloggers page. This time I'm moved to add my two cents - love the movie, saw it on a rainy date in Philadelphia. I think it bears some relation to West Side Story and Romeo+Juliet in style and story and, of course, all three are in the "violent musicals" category.

[Chrissy]

While I have not seen this, your synopsis and statement: "Deneuve is the anti-Paltrow" makes it a must-see.

Thanks for the head's up.

; )

[Dave Schuler]

Saw it when it first come out; didn't care much for it then; still don't care much for it. I see it as a not-completely-successful attempt to update the conventions of 19th century French opera. It's visually quite beautiful (Deneuve is indescribably beautiful) but I find it a little too surreal for my tastes.

[Daniel]

zp-

I'm not sure that I agree that Cherbourg is in the "violent musicals" genre. In fact, I see it as going against those conventions. Cossard and Guy are both good men, and I see no violent conflict. Coud you elaborate?

Dave-

Sometimes, you just have to let art flow over you...

Chrissy,

See it with someone you love, or want to.