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Lola Montes

Play trailer Poster for Lola Montes 1955 1h 50m Drama Play Trailer Watchlist
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82% Tomatometer 34 Reviews 77% Popcornmeter 1,000+ Ratings
Once, Lola Montes (Martine Carol) was a famous cabaret dancer and the lover of many of 19th-century Europe's most prominent men. Now she works in a seedy American circus, where a circus master (Peter Ustinov) tells her life story as the main attraction. After her mother's lover (Ivan Desny) marries Lola instead, she is abducted by Russian cossacks. Her many affairs end in marriage to King Ludwig I of Bavaria (Anton Walbrook). She then flees when revolution threatens his kingdom.
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Lola Montes

Lola Montes

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Critics Consensus

A panoramic opus on celebrity that pops with vivid colors, Lola Montés is a narratively loose and visually splendid swan song for director Max Ophüls.

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Critics Reviews

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Richard Brody New Yorker This exacting and sumptuous restoration of Max Ophls's last film, from 1955, recovers not just the movie's look but also its meaning. Feb 10, 2014 Full Review Ben Kenigsberg Time Out Rated: 4/5 Nov 18, 2011 Full Review Joshua Rothkopf Time Out Rated: 4/5 Nov 17, 2011 Full Review Francois Truffaut La Parisienne The most exciting film of the year. The CinemaScope, the color, the construction of the script, the dialogue here undergoes such a revolutionary treatment that Lola Montes's influence will be visible in many films during the years to come. May 6, 2022 Full Review Richard Whitehall Los Angeles Free Press Lola Montes is a lovely film. One which disappointed me when I first saw it, but to which I've returned time and again with pleasure and a growing respect. Jan 16, 2020 Full Review Manny Farber Artforum A love affair on wheels is a nice idea but this over-decorated vehicle is the hub for eight minor events which are nothing but crazy make-up, improbability, and an ordeal of graceless acting. Jun 18, 2019 Full Review Read all reviews

Audience Reviews

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Thomas V This is one of the most beautiful films I've ever seen. It's use of the circus as a vehicle to chronicle this woman's tragic life is contrived but beautifully executed, and the movie only suffers slightly from the rather wooden performance of the lead. It works because the tragedy is the objectification of her by man after man. Tough to watch in today's woke times. Rated 4 out of 5 stars 02/12/23 Full Review Christopher B With the 2008 restoration that made the film the closest to Ophüls' original concept and vision, Lola Montes is mesmerizing! Shot in beautiful Technicolor and showcasing the wonderful settings and beautiful locations Lola Montes looks just as amazing as Martine Carol does portraying her. Max Ophüls' last film and the only one in color, he uses the Technicolor to great advantage and adds even more depth to his striking compositions. Deep, complex and with extreme emotion and drama throughout there is no way to take your eyes off the screen. Recommended. Rated 4 out of 5 stars 10/20/22 Full Review ashley h Lola Montes is a decent film. It is about the tragic story of Lola Montès, a 19th century dancer and courtesan. Martine Carol and Peter Ustinov give good performances. The screenplay is a little slow in places. Max Ophuls did an alright job directing this movie. I liked this motion picture because of the drama and romance. Rated 3.5 out of 5 stars 03/31/23 Full Review Audience Member Lola Montes is far from being a masterpiece, but nevertheless it showcases Opuls's mastery of colors, long takes, and set design. Rated 4 out of 5 stars 01/14/23 Full Review Audience Member Watching my way through Danny Peary's book Cult Movies. Found the historical flashbacks pretty dull, the weirdo scandal show intriguing, and the whole thing just a little bit confusing. Peary's essay adds two noteworthy points: -that "Ophuls's women...exist in a world of impermanence, of transition", matched my the constant movement of the camera (which called a lot of attention to itself, I thought, and added some interest). -that Lola is revived to make her dive BY the comment that men will be paying to kiss her hand afterward, "her final victory". I didn't pick up on that watching it, but the movie makes a bit more sense that way. Rated 2.5 out of 5 stars 02/15/23 Full Review Audience Member A shockingly beautiful and humanizing film. It's amazing how empathetic the film is to its protagonist Lola- portrayed quite literally to the rest of the world as a man-eating beast, displayed at the circus to pay for her sins. But as we see through flashbacks, Lola is a tragic figure, betrayed by love and simply drifting through life, trying to keep her dignity. She's only ever tried to be truthful both to her men and herself. Beautifully shot film with fantastic color. I love the surreal circus displays and her wonderfully over the top outfits. There's a lull in her last memory of Germany, but for the most part it's a well paced and certainly fantastically (and revolutionarily) structured film. Rated 3.5 out of 5 stars 02/06/23 Full Review Read all reviews
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Movie Info

Synopsis Once, Lola Montes (Martine Carol) was a famous cabaret dancer and the lover of many of 19th-century Europe's most prominent men. Now she works in a seedy American circus, where a circus master (Peter Ustinov) tells her life story as the main attraction. After her mother's lover (Ivan Desny) marries Lola instead, she is abducted by Russian cossacks. Her many affairs end in marriage to King Ludwig I of Bavaria (Anton Walbrook). She then flees when revolution threatens his kingdom.
Director
Max Ophuls
Producer
Albert Caraco, André Haguet, Anton Schelkopf
Screenwriter
Cécil Saint-Laurent, Annette Wademant, Max Ophuls, Jacques Natanson
Production Co
Gamma Film
Genre
Drama
Original Language
English
Rerelease Date (Theaters)
Oct 10, 2008
Release Date (Streaming)
Oct 15, 2020
Box Office (Gross USA)
$107.3K
Runtime
1h 50m
Sound Mix
Mono
Aspect Ratio
35mm
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