Can-Can (1960)

Director:

Walter Lang

Writers:

Dorothy Kingsley (screenplay) and
Charles Lederer (screenplay) ...

Release Date:

9 March 1960 (USA)

Genre:

Musical | Comedy | Romance

Tagline:

The Entertainment Event of the Year!

Plot:

1896, Montmartre: the Can-Can, the dance in which the women lift their skirts, is forbidden. Nevertheless...

Plot Keywords:

Cancan Dance | Paris France | Court | Jail Cell | Knife Throwing

Awards:

Nominated for 2 Oscars. Another 5 wins & 5 nominations

Cast

Frank Sinatra	...	François Durnais
Shirley MacLaine	...	Simone Pistache
Maurice Chevalier	...	Paul Barriere
Louis Jourdan	...	Philipe Forrestier
Juliet Prowse	...	Claudine
Marcel Dalio	...	Andre - the head waiter
Leon Belasco	...	Arturo - orchestra leader
Nestor Paiva	...	Bailiff
John A. Neris	...	Jacques - the Photographer
Jean Del Val	...	Judge Merceaux
Ann Codee	...	League president

Also Known As:

Cole Porter's Can-Can (USA) (complete title)

Runtime:

131 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

2.20 : 1

Sound Mix:

70 mm 6-Track (Westrex Recording System)

Certification:

UK:U (1960) (1988) | Australia:G | Finland:K-12 | Sweden:11

Company:

Suffolk-Cummings Productions

Trivia:

During filming, Nikita Khrushchev visited the set with his wife. He reportedly was shocked by the open sexuality on display, and remarked: "The face of mankind is prettier than its backside."

Quotes:

François Durnais: You look like a broken umbrella.

Soundtrack:

Live and Let Live

Long, Dull & Lifeless

Interminable film version of the hit Broadway musical, Can-Can is as flat as the fake champagne they drink in scene after scene. Even the several Cole Porter standards come off as boring, slow dirges.

Frank Sinatra walks thru his part of the playboy lawyer who at one points opines "Ring a Ding Ding," in 1896 Paris yet. Shirley MacLaine is shrill and gives a lousy performance. Louis Jourdan (a dead fish as usual) and smug Maurice Chevalier sing a dreadful song, "Your Business is Your Business" TWICE. Juliet Prowse is a so-so dancer and lousy actress.

So the question is WHY was this a hit on Broadway? The set designs here are terrible and defeat the good costumes. The direction is bad because this should NOT have been allowed to go on for 131 minutes.

Even the big production number with MacLaine as Eve and Prowse as the serpent is okay at best. MacLaine's outfit was shocking in 1960 but not now. Endless scenes of talking in offices, court rooms, etc. TALK TALK TALK and no humor or wit---just TALK.

And this is the musical that made Gwen Verdon a star? This ranks as one of the WORST film musicals I've ever seen.