Zouzou (1934)

Zou Zou tries to help her childhood friend prove his innocence after he's accused of murder.

Director:

Marc Allégret

Writers:

G. Abatino (novel), Carlo Rim

Stars:

Josephine Baker, Jean Gabin, Pierre Larquey

Cast

Complete credited cast:
Josephine Baker	...	Zouzou (as Joséphine Baker)
Jean Gabin	...	Jean
Pierre Larquey	...	Papa Melé
Yvette Lebon	...	Claire
Illa Meery	...	Miss Barbara
Palau	...	Saint-Lévy
Madeleine Guitty	...	Josette
Claire Gérard	...	Mme. Vallée
Marcel Vallée	...	M. Trompe

Storyline

As children, Zouzou and Jean are paired in a traveling circus as twins: she's dark, he's light. After they've grown, he treats her as if she were his sister, but she's in love with him. In Paris, he's a music hall electrician, she's a laundress who delivers clean underwear to the hall. She introduces him to Claire, her friend at work, and the couple fall in love. Jean conspires to get the show's star out of town and for the theater manager to see the high-spirited Zouzou perform. When Jean's accused of murder and Zouzou needs money to mount his defense, she pleads to go on stage. Her talents may save the show, but can anything save her dream of life with Jean?

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Plot Keywords:

murder | laundress | circus | seamstress | show producer | 

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Genres:

Crime | Musical | Romance

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Details

Country:

France

Language:

English French

Release Date:

21 December 1934 (France)

Also Known As:

Zou Zou

Filming Locations:

Studios Pathé-Nathan, Joinville-le-pont, Val-de-Marne, France

Company Credits

Production Co:

Les Films H. Roussillon, Productions Arys

Technical Specs

Runtime:

92 min

Sound Mix:

Mono (RCA High Fidelity Recording)

Color:

Black and White

Aspect Ratio:

1.37 : 1

Did You Know?

Connections

Featured in It's Black Entertainment (2002)

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Soundtracks

"Pour Moi Il n'y a q'un Homme a Paris"
(For me there's only one man in Paris)
Sung by Josephine Baker

User Reviews

Skip to the end

Most of this movie is the sort of mindless melodrama Hollywood and Paris produced in abundance in the 1930s. The acting is all fine, but the story is strictly from hunger.

At the end, however, you get to see Josephine Baker in a major production number, the sort of musical extravaganza that made her a star in Paris. There, for five minutes, you understand that she was a lot more than just a woman in a banana skirt.

Watch the rest of the movie if you're into melodrama.

But definitely watch the end. It explains the French reputation of Josephine Baker.