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French Cancan (1955)

Not Rated | | Comedy , Drama , Musical | 16 April 1956 (USA)
French Cancan Poster
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 | See full cast & crew »
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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 Anna Amendola ... Esther Georges
Jean-Roger Caussimon ... Baron Walter
Dora Doll ... La Génisse
Giani Esposito ... Prince Alexandre
Gaston Gabaroche Gaston Gabaroche ... Oscar, le pianiste
Jacques Jouanneau Jacques Jouanneau ... Bidon
Jean Parédès Jean Parédès ... Coudrier
Franco Pastorino Franco Pastorino ... Paulo, le boulanger
Michèle Philippe Michèle Philippe ... Eleonore
Michel Piccoli ... Le Capitaine Valorgueil
Albert Rémy ... Barjolin
France Roche France Roche ... Beatrix
See full cast »
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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... Written by Rod Crawford <puffinus@u.washington.edu>

Plot Summary | Add Synopsis

Plot Keywords:

jealousy | dance | moulin rouge | 1890s | nightclub | See All (44) »

Taglines:

Eclair Lab digital restoration 2010

Genres:

Comedy | Drama | Musical | Romance

Certificate:

Not Rated | See all certifications »

Parents Guide:

Add content advisory for parents »
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Details

Country:

France | Italy

Language:

French

Release Date:

16 April 1956 (USA) See more »

Also Known As:

French Cancan See more »

Filming Locations:

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

Company Credits

Production Co:

Franco London Films,Jolly Film See more »
Show more on IMDbPro »

Technical Specs

Runtime:

| (1956)

Sound Mix:

Mono (Western Electric Sound System)

Color:

Color (Technicolor)

Aspect Ratio:

1.37 : 1
See full technical specs »
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Did You Know?

Trivia

The on-screen singer of "La complainte de la Butte" is not Cora Vaucaire (credited in the titles) as she was deemed not good-looking enough to appear on film, so Italian actress Anna Amendola was put in front of the camera and mimed to the song... See more »

Quotes

Henri Danglard: You want to put me in a cage like a canary? I warn you, it won't last long.
See more »

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. See more »

Connections

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

Soundtracks

La sérénade du pavé
(uncredited)
Written by Jean Varney
Performed by Jean Raymond
See more »

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User Reviews

 
Refreshing French Twist
8 July 2001 | by GHMey – See all my reviews

There are frames in this film that could be Renoir paintings with vivid colors against muted backgrounds. The humorous combination of sexual honesty and innocence is refreshing in this fifties film and makes palatable the old story line of the ingenue that becomes a star. The can-can number at the end seems realistic and exciting but not over the top as in an American dance sequence.
10 of 13 people found this review helpful.  Was this review helpful to you? | Report this
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