Themes: Bohemian Life, Pygmalion Stories, Dancer's Life
Main Cast: Jean Gabin, Maria Felix, Françoise Arnoul, Gianni Esposito, Gaston Modot
Release Year: 1955
Country: IT/FR
Run Time: 102 minutes
Plot
Beautifully photographed, this comedy drama from Jean Renoir chronicles the revival of Paris' most notorious dance as it tells the story of a theater producer who turns a humble washerwoman into a star at the Moulin Rouge. The film is also title Only the French Can. ~ Sandra Brennan, All Movie Guide
Review
Jean Renoir's first French film in 15 years, French Cancan is a charming, candy-colored musical-comedy bonbon. Clearly having picked up a trick or two about musicals during his years in Hollywood, Renoir fills the screen with glorious pastels, kicks the energy level up several notches, and never lets more than a few minutes go by without some form of dance making its presence felt. Renoir's screenplay is a trifle skimpy, which is often the case with musicals; perhaps it is more noticeable this time around because one expects more from Renoir. That said, as a director he still includes any number of telling details and knowing glances that help to flesh out both the characters and the story. More importantly, he takes elements that we've seen before (such as a speech about how performers must give so much of themselves for their audience) and makes them feel fresh. And he certainly knows how to build a musical number -- and a film. The sequence that climaxes French Cancan is simply dazzling. Renoir doesn't deserve all the credit, of course, especially with Jean Gabin on hand delivering a commanding performance, and with a crew of designers and technicians whose contributions can't be minimized. If French Cancan ultimately falls a trifle short of being a classic, blame it on the slightness of the script -- then sit back, forget about that minor flaw, and let it wash over you. ~ Craig Butler, All Movie Guide
Annick Morice - Therese, blanchisseuse; Martine Alexis; Jaque Catelain - The Minister; Jean-Roger Caussimon - Baron Walter; Jacques Ciron - 1er gommeux; Max Dalban - Le patron de la Reine Blanche; Sylvine Delannoy - Titine; Hubert Deschamps - Isidore, garcon de cafe; Dora Doll - La Génisse; Jacques Hilling - Le chirurgien; Jacques Jouanneau - Bidon; Jacques Marin; Pierre Moncorbier - L'huissier; Pierre Olaf - Roberto, pierrot siffleur; Mme. Paquerette - Mimi Prunelle; Jean Parédès - Coudrier; Franco Pastorino - Paulo, le boulanger; Patachou - Yvette Guilbert; Mich_le Philippe - Eléonore; Michel Piccoli - Valorgueil; Albert Remy - Barjolin; Jean-Marc Tennberg - Savate; Valentine Tessier - Mme. Olympe, Nini's Mother; Edith Piaf - Eugenie Buffet; Philippe Clay - Casimir; Leo Campion - The Commandant; France Roche - Beatrix; R.J. Chauffard - Police Inspector; Jean Sylvere - The Groom; Bruno Balp
Credit
Max Douy - Art Director, G. Grandjean - Choreography, Rosine Delamare - Costume Designer, Pierre Kast - First Assistant Director, Serge Vallin - First Assistant Director, Jean Renoir - Director, Boris Lewin - Editor, Georges Van Parys - Composer (Music Score), Yvonne Fortuna - Makeup, Michel Kelber - Cinematographer, Louis Wipf - Production Manager, Louis Wipf - Producer, Jean Renoir - Screenwriter
Like Carnival in Coal's first album, Vivalavida, French Cancan is an unlikely and often downright ridiculous mix of extreme death/black metal and '80s dance-pop, only this time the focus is on cover songs. But, though you may well have heard these songs in their original versions, you haven't heard them done like they are here. The duo piles excessive keyboards, growling vocals, and chugging death metal guitars onto the slick dance beats of Genesis' "Mama"; they turn Michael Sembello's Flashdance-spawned hit "Maniac" into a sinister disco-black metal hybrid; and they deflate an otherwise fairly straight version of Morbid Angel's ultra-evil "Fall From Grace" with a perfectly placed circus-polka breakdown. These guys may not be entirely serious, but they're more serious than any sane person could expect them to be -- just listen to the note-perfect guitar solo on "Maniac" or, for that matter, the detail-obsessed arrangements all throughout the album (done with the aid of a drum machine as opposed to live drums). A flawlessly executed piece of work, French Cancan alternately feels like an extremely elaborate joke and a really twisted tribute to the band's musical heroes (apparently it is more the latter). It is sick, depraved, disturbing, funny, stupid, and brilliant, in some cases all at once. ~ William York, All Music Guide
Set in 1890s Paris, Henri Danglard is the owner of a cafe, which features his mistress, Lola, as a belly dancer. Losing money, Henri finds himself in Montmartre and finds that the old-fashioned can-can is still being performed there. Inspired, Henri comes up with a new business scheme that aims to revive the can-can, featuring a new dancer, Nini, a laundress he meets by chance.
