Les Films de Jacques Demy

Cinematheque Ontario presents for the first time the films of French New Wave (Nouvelle Vague) Jacques Demy.  Unlike his counterparts Jean-Luc Godard, Alan Resnais or even Francois Truffaut, Demy delved into more commercial fare.  His musicals and tales of true love and love forlorn are closer to American films - and needless to say, very accessible. 

Cinematheque Ontario is screening a fantastic selection of Demy’s films from his debut feature LOLA starring the formidable Anouk Aimee to my personal favourite THE YOUNG GIRLS OF ROCHEFORT.  A number of his films are grandly scored by Michel Legrand.  Included in the series of films is JACQUOT DE NANTES, a most worthy tribute film made by his wife, Agnes Varda while Demy was dying.  I saw this film in London, England where it had a commercial release.
This rare opportunity to experience les films heureuses of Jacques Demy is definitely not to be missed.  If you have never seen a Demy film, you will never know what you are missing. 
For more information of schedule and screening time, click on the link for the Cinematheque Ontario website at: 
http://www.cinemathequeontario.ca
Bon Cinema!

Below are capsule reviews of a number of films to be screened.

LA BAIE DES ANGES
(France 1063) ***
BAY OF ANGELS begins with a stunning shot of Jeanne Moreau (as Jackie) in tight white dress striding along the promenade in the Cóte d’Azur.  The camera pulls back and moves with increasing pace as Michel Legrand’s beautiful score is heard on the soundtrack.  The audience is already drawn into Demy’s movie just as he tells his tale of poor innocent clerk Jean Fournier (Claude Mann) as he is himself drawn into the wicked world of gambling and glamour.  Unlike other Demy’s films, BAY OF ANGELS concentrates the action on just two characters.  They tire of each other occasionally as the audience does of Jean and Jackie.  Demy’s film is a little manipulative and the Hollywood ending is a bit contrived despite excellent performances from both Moreau and Mann.

LES DEMOISELLES DE ROCHEFORT
(France 1967) *****
Imagine young toned Gene Kelly wearing pink and white singing fluently in French and dancing in the streets.  LES DEMOISELLES DE ROCHEFORT is the ultimate happy movie – just as one character in Demy’s other musical LES PARAPLUIES DE CHERBOURG says: “I’m so happy there are tears in my eyes!” Demy and wife Agnes Varda collaborated in this full 2-hour musical about the search and discovery of true love.  Delphine (Catherine Deneuve) and Solange (Francoise Dorleac, sister of Deneuve who died shortly after) are twins looking for love, unaware that their ideal lovers are just around the corner.  In the meantime, mother Yvonne (Danielle Darrieux) has set up a chips and drinks stall in the town square while her lost lover (Michel Piccoli) has done the same with a music shop close by.  The film is coloured primarily in white.  Other favourite colours are pink, blue, green and anything bright and cheerful.  Optimism is in the air.  “He exists and he loves me”, says Delphine of her true love, while he, Maxence (Jacques Perrin) has sailed the seven seas looking for her.  This is the chance to watch French veterans Darrieux, Denueve, Piccoli and others in their prime and beauty.  LES DEMOISELLES DE ROCHEFORT is the kind of film you would pick to take with you to a desert island.  Not only is there singing and dancing in the streets of Rochefort but there is singing and dancing from the heart.

LES DEMOISELLES ONT EU 25ANS (France 1993) ***
Directed by Agnes Varda
This documentary is a tribute to both director Jacques Demy and his musical LES DEMOISELLES DE ROCHEFORT lovingly created by his wife Agnes Varda.  Noted is the passing away of Demy and one of the film’s stars, Francoise Dorleac, sister of Catherine Deneuve.  Included in the doc are interviews by Rochefort’s inhabitants, the people that worked on the set (including Bertrand Tavernier) and especially Catherine Deneuve and composer Michel Legrand who scored many of Demy’s films.  Varda intercuts extracts from the actual film, crosscutting them with what the interviewed has to say.  Denueve has lots of nice things to say about everyone and everything and looks here the most gorgeous in her life.  Rochefort pays tribute by naming sites Place Francois Dorleac and Avenue Jacques Demy after the late celebrities.  I watched the screener sans sous-titres - I know a bit of French but not enough - and still found the film a real pleasure.  Best are the sceners offering the audience a glimpse of the Master at work.

LOLA
(France/Italy 1961) ****
LOLA is Demy’s first full length feature but by no means amateurish.  In fact many directors have loved and paid homage to this particular film, example fellow nouvelle vague Jean-Luc Godard.  Shot in black and white by Raoul Coutard, Demy creates stark beautiful images like the opening scenes where sailors in white prance on the streets as a big white car (driven by Michel) drives by.  The film follows cabaret singer Lola (Anouk Aimee) left with child and unmarried by Michel whom she fell in love with when she was first 14.  She yearns for his return unable to believe that he does not love her and also unable to love another.  Intriguing too, are the other characters in the film that mirror her similar circumstance - another 14-year old who has a fling with an American sailor and Michel’s mother also awaiting the son’s return.  Though a non-musical, Demy injects charming song and dance numbers including the one Aimee performs in lace and top hat Think LILI MARLEEN in Fassbinder’s later 1980 film.  LOLA is the most colourful black and white film I have ever seen and contains the happiest ending I have ever experienced on film.  LOLA establishes Demy as a director of the ‘cinema of joy’.

LES PARAPLUIES DE CHERBOURG
(France 1964) ****
THE UMBRELLAS OF CHERBOURG is perhaps the first film that celebrates teenage pregnancy (cross-reference: the recent JUNO).  Geneviève (Catherine Deneuve) is knocked up by handsome mechanic, Guy (Nino Castelnouvo) who leaves for 2 years to fight in the Algerian war.  She is coerced by her mother (Anne Vernon) to marry another rich beau (Marc Michel) to save her umbrella shop.  Watch for the climatic encounter at the end!  Propelled by the music and songs of Michel Legrand, LES PARAPLUIES DE CHERBOURG is a serious musical that nevertheless has a happy feel for Demy’s influence.  He colours his images brightly, fills dialogue with songs and movements with dances.  Everyone is good looking too.  Delightful too, is the wardrobe that never fails to match the wallpaper of the rooms the actors are in.