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

Josephine great as usual

I agree the movie is no "Gone with the Wind" but for 1934 and for a black woman it is quite an achievement indeed. The only thing comparable at the time was Halleluja! in the States starring Nina Mae McKinney -- and a stereotypical one at that. La Baker is stunning in the C'est Lui number - for which there still has been no comparison for a black American Actress - Lena Horne never got a white chorus of handsome men. Yes, the quality is poor by today's standards but look at Bette Davis's 1934 turn in Of Human Bondage or even It Happened One Night from the same year. None of them has really great film quality. It was, after all, 1934. So enjoy. If you like Josephine, you won't be disappointed.