Cleo from 5 to 7 (1962)

Cleo, a singer and hypochondriac, becomes increasingly worried that she might have cancer while awaiting test results from her doctor.

Director:

Agnès Varda

Writer:

Agnès Varda

Stars:

Corinne Marchand, Antoine Bourseiller, Dominique Davray

1 win & 1 nomination.

Cast

Credited cast:
Corinne Marchand	...	Florence 'Cléo' Victoire
Antoine Bourseiller	...	Antoine
Dominique Davray	...	Angèle
Dorothée Blanck	...	Dorothée (as Dorothée Blank)
Michel Legrand	...	Bob, the Pianist
José Luis de Vilallonga	...	The Lover
Loye Payen	...	Irma, la cartomancienne
Renée Duchateau
Lucienne Marchand	...	La conductrice du taxi
Serge Korber	...	Plumitif (the lyricist)
Robert Postec	...	Le docteur Valineau
Rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Arthur Brunet

Storyline

Two hours from 17:00 to 19:00h on the longest day of the year in the life of a young Parisienne is presented. Florence Victoire, who is better known by her stage name Cléo Victoire (as in Cleopatra), is a singer with three hit singles to her name, and as such some renown. Two days ago, she went in for some tests for abdominal issues to see if it is cancer. She will be getting the results today at 18:30h. She is certain that it will be a terminal cancer diagnosis, her mind fixated on that outcome and what it actually means. This belief affects how she approaches the day, from her encounters with friends and acquaintances to what she observes in total strangers around her. It could be as simple as how she views the lyrics to new songs presented to her from her songwriting team, to her feelings about a conversation she overhears in a café between a couple having relationship problems, to the typical sweet nothings spoken to her from her lover, José. There are certain things that do ...

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Plot Keywords:

cancer | fear of death | french new wave | color sequence | singer | 

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Genres:

Comedy | Drama | Music

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Certificate:

Not Rated

Details

Official Sites:

Ciné Tamaris [France]

Country:

France Italy

Language:

French

Release Date:

11 April 1962 (France)

Also Known As:

Cleo from 5 to 7

Filming Locations:

Rue du Pont-Neuf, Paris 1, Paris, France

Company Credits

Production Co:

Ciné Tamaris, Rome Paris Films

Technical Specs

Runtime:

90 min

Sound Mix:

Mono

Color:

Black and White Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.66 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

The film is included on Roger Ebert's "Great Movies" list.

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Goofs

The dolly track used in the final shot can be seen as the actors walk away from the hospital. Agnes Varda recounts in the much later documentary 'Anecdotes and Memories' how devastated she was to see the track and convinced the producers to allow a re-shoot at great expense. However none of the retakes matched the emotional quality of the original take so she retained it despite the goof.

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Quotes

Florence, 'Cléo Victoire': I'm suffocating.
Angèle: Do a bit of exercising.
[Cleo lights a cigarette]

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Connections

Featured in Les trajets réels de Cléo dans Paris (2005)

User Reviews

Vive la Vie

While waiting for the result of a biopsy, the French singer Florence "Cleo" (Corinne Marchand) visits the Tarot fortune-teller Irma (Loye Payen); drinks a coffee and buys a new hat with her maid Angèle (Dominique Davray); is visited by her lover (José Luix de Villalonga) and her composers Bob (Michel Legrand) and Plumitif (Serge Kober); visits her model friend Dorothée (Dorothée Blank); and meets and has a brief affair with the military Antoine (Antoinne Bourseiller). Finally she meets Dr. Valineau (Robert Postec), who gives her diagnosis.

This is the first movie I see of the Belgium director Agnès Varda, who is considered the "grandmother" of the French movement Nouvelle Vague. This wonderful original movie actually has the style of the Nouvelle Vague, with the camera following the characters on the streets and common people looking to the camera. I liked the story, developed in real time, a lot, and I believe it is an ode to life, showing along one hour and half, how life is so important although composed by little fragments and feelings. Along this period, you can meet a lover, friends, work or find a new love, be futile or thoughtful, but you are living. This is the message of this great movie: enjoy life, as if it were the last two hours you have. My vote is eight.

Title (Brazil): "Cleo das 5 às 7" ("Cleo from 5 to 7")