Les parapluies de Cherbourg (1964)

Director:

Jacques Demy

Writer:

Jacques Demy (scenario and dialogue)

Release Date:

16 December 1964 (USA)

Genre:

Drama | Musical | Romance

Tagline:

FOR ALL THE YOUNG LOVERS OF THE WIDE, WIDE WORLD...

Plot:

Geneviève, 17, lives with her widowed mother, who owns an umbrella shop in Cherbourg. She and Guy, a twenty-year-old auto mechanic...

Plot Keywords:

Aunt | Shop | Military Service | Umbrella | Mechanic

Awards:

Nominated for 5 Oscars. Another 5 wins & 2 nominations

Cast

  (Cast overview, first billed only)

Catherine Deneuve	...	Geneviève Emery
Nino Castelnuovo	...	Guy Foucher
Anne Vernon	...	Madame Emery
Marc Michel	...	Roland Cassard
Ellen Farner	...	Madeleine
Mireille Perrey	...	Aunt Élise
Jean Champion	...	Aubin (as J. Champion)
Pierre Caden	...	Bernard (as P. Caden)
Jean-Pierre Dorat	...	Jean (as J.P. Dorat)
Bernard Fradet	...	Gas Station Apprentice (as B. Fradet)
Michel Benoist	...	Umbrella Buyer (as M. Benoist)
Philippe Dumat	...	Garage Customer in 1957 (as P. Dumat)
Dorothée Blank	...	Girl in Cafe (as D. Blank)
Jane Carat	...	Ginny (as J. Carat)
Harald Wolff	...	Monsieur Dubourg

Also Known As:

Die Regenschirme von Cherbourg (West Germany)
The Umbrellas of Cherbourg (USA)

Runtime:

91 min

Country:

France | West Germany

Language:

French

Color:

Color (Eastmancolor)

Aspect Ratio:

1.66 : 1

Sound Mix:

Dolby SR (restored version) (1992) | Mono

Certification:

UK:A (original rating) | UK:U (re-rating) (1997) | Singapore:PG | Netherlands:AL (re-rating) (2008) | South Korea:12 | Australia:PG | Chile:TE | Finland:S | France:U | Portugal:M/12 | Sweden:Btl

Filming Locations:

Cherbourg, Manche, France

Company:

Parc Film

Trivia:

In the beginning, a black car rolls into the garage where Guy works, and Guy is asked to assist with the car's problems. This car is actually Roland Cassard's and it can be seen two more times: when Roland visits the umbrella shop to give Ms. Emery the money for her pearl necklace, and again as the wedding car. The license plate is the same and can be seen in this latter scene and in the very first.

Quotes:

Geneviève Emery: Roland Cassart will not want to marry me when he sees I've been knocked-up.
Madame Emery: Watch your language!
Geneviève Emery: Since neither you nor I had the courage to tell him the truth, now at least it will show. Do you believe he'll take me like this? If he refuses me as I am, it shows that he never had deep feelings for me.

Movie Connections:

Referenced in Hellboy (2004)

Soundtrack:

I Will Wait For You

Just simply the most beautiful romantic film ever made

In 1957 France a 17 year old shop girl (Catherine Deneuve) is in love with a gas station worker (Nino Castelnuovo). Her mother is totally against the romance. He's called off to serve in the war for two years. They must part but have sex before he leaves. Then she discovers she's pregnant...

Sounds terrible but it isn't. All the dialogue is sung and the film is done in just breathtaking color--all the sets are decorated to take advantage of this. The colors just leap out at you and some of the scenes are unbelievably beautiful. The musical score is haunting and Deneuve (who became known by this film) and Castelnuovo make a very attractive, sympathetic couple.

The film is just gorgeous--I can't stress enough how beautiful it is and the music (especially the title theme) is so moving. It all leads up to a finale that has me crying every single time I see it. It IS a happy ending (sort of) but the emotions of the two characters really tear you apart.

The acting is good, the film moves quickly (90 minutes) and--quite simply--this is one of the best foreign films ever made. It's not for everybody but if you're a romantic (like me) you'll love it. But be warned--have PLENTY of tissue handy for the end. I've seen it four times and I STILL cry at the end! A definite must see. A 10+.