The Dancer (2016)

Loïe Fuller was the toast of the Folies Bergères at the turn of the 20th century and an inspiration for Toulouse-Lautrec and the Lumière Brothers. The film revolves around her complicated relationship with protégé and rival Isadora Duncan.

Director:

Stéphanie Di Giusto

Writers:

Thomas Bidegain (collaboration), Giovanni Lista (novel)

Stars:

Soko, Gaspard Ulliel, Mélanie Thierry

1 win & 16 nominations.

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
Soko	...	Marie-Louise Fuller - dite Loïe Fuller
Gaspard Ulliel	...	Le comte Louis d'Orsay
Mélanie Thierry	...	Gabrielle Bloch
Lily-Rose Depp	...	Isadora Duncan
François Damiens	...	Edouard Marchand - le directeur artistique des Folies-Bergère
Louis-Do de Lencquesaing	...	Armand Duponchel - le directeur de l'Opéra
Amanda Plummer	...	Lili - la mère de Loïe
Denis Ménochet	...	Ruben - le père de Loïe
Charlie Morgan	...	Jeff
Tamzin Merchant	...	Kate
William Houston	...	Rud (as Will Houston)
Bert Haelvoet	...	L'acteur qui joue dans Macbeth
Camille Rutherford	...	L'actrice qui joue dans Macbeth
Laurent Manzoni	...	Le médecin
Matilda Kime	...	L'assistante de Louis (as Mathilda Kime)

Storyline

There was nothing in her background to prepare Loïe to become the toast of the Folies Bergères in Paris and stages across the world. Then she created the 'Serpentine Dance'... 1887. After the death of her gold prospector father, 25-year-old Marie-Louise leaves her life in the American West to join her mother in New York and pursue her heart's dream - becoming an actress. One night on stage, becoming tangled in her long dress, she avoids falling by spinning the fabric in a graceful, magical gesture: the "Serpentine Dance" is born. The audience - shocked, then overwhelmed - calls out for more. Marie-Louise has become Loïe Fuller. She embarks on a new, hectic life, leaving New York, where imitators try to steal her radical innovations, for Paris. At the Folies Bergères, she dazzles the capital, and illustrious admirers fall at her feet. Toulouse Lautrec, the Lumière Brothers, Rodin... the Electric Fairy becomes an icon, the blazing symbol of a generation. But fame isn't all. An encounter...

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Plot Keywords:

dancing | love | paris opera | lesbian kiss | lesbian | 

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Taglines:

At the dawn of the Belle Epoque, a rebellious ingenue became a legend.

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Genres:

Biography | Drama | History | Music

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Certificate:

Not Rated

Details

Official Sites:

Official site [Germany] Official site [France]

Country:

France Belgium Czech Republic

Language:

French English

Release Date:

1 December 2017 (USA)

Also Known As:

The Dancer

Filming Locations:

Opéra de Vichy, 1 rue du Casino, Vichy, Allier, France

Company Credits

Production Co:

Les Productions du Trésor, Wild Bunch, Orange Studio

Technical Specs

Runtime:

108 min

Sound Mix:

Dolby Digital

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

2.39 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

French visa # 142.843.

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Goofs

Loie first performed at the Follies Bergere in the early 1890s, but the director of the Follies Bergere is driving an "olde tymey" car from perhaps 2 decades later when Loie ambushes him in his carpark in order to present an impromptu audition.

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Soundtracks

Symphony No. 7 in A Major, Op. 92
Written by Ludwig van Beethoven

User Reviews

I really like this chick, - Soko!'

I've seen her in 'Augustine' and was very impressed, I tried to find her other films and they are nowhere...

But this was very very nice, Despite that I watched it with ill-timed subs that were I think three to four scenes behind - I had to endure most of it, wishing I oh so new French but I don't.. it definitely sounds lovely though.. lol

But in the end, I did see some people dislike, I don't know why, I did see some critics give it rotten fruits , you say tomatoe I say tomato, whatever, they claimed the writing took liberties with facts... And another wanted to see so much more, I'm like lady , do you want to chip in the funds it takes to see way way more in a film?

I mean was it not one of the most beautiful things to see? scene after succeeding scene, we are rapt with surge of euphoria at how beautiful everything is, it was very cool, and if it did not do justice to the dancer protagonist here on earth, I'm sure if she is not here, she is somewhere else, surely saying, 'dang, that was a fine fine piece of beautiful film making!'