French Cancan (1955)

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.

Director:

Jean Renoir

Writers:

Jean Renoir (adaptation), André-Paul Antoine (idea)

Stars:

Jean Gabin, Françoise Arnoul, María Félix

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
Jean Gabin	...	Henri Danglard
Françoise Arnoul	...	Nini
María Félix	...	Lola de Castro de la Fuente de Extremadura 'La Belle Abbesse'
Anna Amendola	...	Esther Georges
Jean-Roger Caussimon	...	Baron Walter
Dora Doll	...	La Génisse
Giani Esposito	...	Prince Alexandre
Gaston Gabaroche	...	Oscar, le pianiste
Jacques Jouanneau	...	Bidon
Jean Parédès	...	Coudrier
Franco Pastorino	...	Paulo, le boulanger
Michèle Philippe	...	Eleonore
Michel Piccoli	...	Le Capitaine Valorgueil
Albert Rémy	...	Barjolin
France Roche	...	Beatrix

Storyline

Henri Danglard, proprietor of the fashionable (but bankrupt) cafe 'Le Paravent Chinois' featuring his mistress, belly dancer Lola, goes slumming in Montmarte (circa 1890) where the then-old-fashioned cancan is still danced. There, he conceives the idea of reviving the cancan as the feature of a new, more popular establishment...and meets Nini, a laundress and natural dancer, whom he hopes to star in his new show. But a tangled maze of jealousies intervenes...

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Plot Keywords:

dance | moulin rouge | opening night | can can dancer | paris france | 

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Taglines:

Eclair Lab digital restoration 2010

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Genres:

Comedy | Drama | Musical | Romance

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Certificate:

Not Rated

Details

Country:

France Italy

Language:

French

Release Date:

16 April 1956 (USA)

Also Known As:

Only the French Can

Filming Locations:

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

Box Office

Cumulative Worldwide Gross:

$10,799

Company Credits

Production Co:

Franco London Films, Jolly Film

Technical Specs

Runtime:

102 min 93 min (1956)

Sound Mix:

Mono (Western Electric Sound System)

Color:

Color (Technicolor)

Aspect Ratio:

1.37 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

This film is part of the Criterion Collection, spine #243.

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Quotes

Henri Danglard: I was down in the dumps. But seeing her skip along the street was a revelation. Do you know what I'll give them?
Casimir le Serpentin: No.
Henri Danglard: A taste of the low life for millionaires. Adventure in comfort. Garden tables, the best champagne, great numbers by the finest artistes. The bourgeois will be thrilled to mix with our girls without fear of disease or getting knifed.

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Alternate Versions

Originally released in the US in 1956 at 93 minutes; ten minutes of footage removed from the original French version were reinstated for 1985 reissue.

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Connections

Referenced in Les échos du cinéma: Episode #1.35 (1961)

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Soundtracks

La Complainte de la Butte
Music by Georges Van Parys
Lyrics by Jean Renoir
Performed by Anna Amendola

User Reviews

Wonderful film

I just viewed Jean Renoir's wonderful film, French Can Can. It is a visual delight and a great entertainment. The recently produced Moulin Rouge pales by comparison. I didn't quite get all of the praise that the recent movie received. Now I'm convinced more than ever, that my appraisal was correct after seeing a master film maker like Jean Renoir's version of the same story. He succeeded in getting great performances out of his entire cast, and the great French actor, Jean Gabin was in rare form. The dance sequence near the end was one of the most exciting one I'd ever seen. It was long, but I didn't want it to end. This film deserves to receive more recognition than it's got.