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The Umbrellas of Cherbourg

Play trailer Poster for The Umbrellas of Cherbourg Released Feb 19, 1964 1h 32m Musical Romance Play Trailer Watchlist
Watchlist Tomatometer Popcornmeter
97% Tomatometer 71 Reviews 87% Popcornmeter 5,000+ Ratings
Geneviève (Catherine Deneuve), a beautiful young Frenchwoman who works at a small-town boutique selling umbrellas, falls for dashing mechanic Guy (Nino Castelnuovo). Their brief romance is interrupted when Guy is drafted to serve in the Algerian War. Though pregnant by Guy, Geneviève marries an older businessman, Roland (Marc Michel), and begins to move on with her life. Throughout the musical film, all the characters' dialogue is conveyed through song.
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The Umbrellas of Cherbourg

The Umbrellas of Cherbourg

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Critics Consensus

Jacques Demy elevates the basic drama of everyday life into a soaring opera full of bittersweet passion and playful charm, featuring a timeless performance from Catherine Deneuve.

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Critics Reviews

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Adam Nayman The Ringer Charm may be in the eye of the beholder, but if you don't find this movie irresistible, you should get your eyesight checked. Apr 6, 2020 Full Review Kevin Maher Times (UK) Yet the hits, when they come, are immense. Rated: 5/5 Dec 9, 2019 Full Review Peter Bradshaw Guardian Deneuve brings to the film her own subtly erotic discontent and muted sadness. Rated: 4/5 Dec 6, 2019 Full Review Alan Jones Radio Times The stunning design, vivid candy colours and Catherine Deneuve's ethereal performance only add to the fairy-tale qualities of the haunting love story between a teenage shop girl and a garage attendant. Rated: 5/5 Sep 6, 2024 Full Review Cory Woodroof For the Win (USA Today) It’s one of the best movies to come out of the 1960s, a devastating almost romance compete with some of the most gut-wrenching musical numbers you’re ever likely to see. Jul 20, 2023 Full Review Judith Crist New York Herald Tribune It is all so sweet, so sentimental, so artsy, so craftsy, so pretty, so pretentious, so abysmally simple-minded. Aug 15, 2022 Full Review Read all reviews

Audience Reviews

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Blobbo X Sentimental, beautifully colored, nice music fits mood well. (France really so colorful?) Sweet and sad, affecting, unique. (Actress playing her mom still around, over 100.) Rated 5 out of 5 stars 02/10/25 Full Review Merick H It is a good story, but the singing every line didn't work for me, personally. I didn't get the point of that, and I felt like it made it less emotionally impactful than it would have been if I really got absorbed in the moment and saw the characters emotional without the singing. I love a good musical but singing everything was too much in my opinion. It is tiring and I got bored. Rated 2 out of 5 stars 12/12/24 Full Review Papy D "The Umbrellas of Cherbourg": A Gorgeous Journey Blending Emotions and Art "The Umbrellas of Cherbourg" (also known as "The Umbrellas of Cherbourg") is like a unique gem shining in the long river of cinema. With its distinctive charm, it deeply attracts the audience and brings them on a profound journey of insights about love, life, and fate. One of the most remarkable features of the film is its innovative approach of using music to drive the narrative throughout the whole story. This musical-style presentation makes the entire story like a melodious long poem, with the melody and lyrics closely intertwined, presenting the emotional ups and downs and inner thoughts of the characters to the audience without reservation. Each note is like the characters' inner voices pouring out. Whether it's the cheerful and passionate mood during the period of being deeply in love or the sad and melancholy feeling after separation, the music appropriately sets off the atmosphere, making the audience feel as if they are in the emotional world of the characters and can empathize with them. For example, when the male and female protagonists meet on the street by chance, the lively and agile melody instantly ignites the spark of love, and the audience is then immersed in this pure and beautiful sentiment. When facing the dilemma of parting, the low and gentle tune is like weeping and complaining, vividly expressing the helplessness and reluctance, which moves the audience deeply. This musical narrative style not only enhances the appeal of the story but also endows the film with a dreamy quality, making it stand out among numerous films and become an immortal classic example. In terms of the interpretation and in-depth exploration of emotions, "The Umbrellas of Cherbourg" is outstanding. The film focuses on the love story between the young lovers, Guy and Geneviève, and depicts in great detail their sweet and passionate experiences from getting to know each other, understanding each other, and falling in love, to the pain and struggle of being helplessly separated due to the heavy pressures of life and the tricks played by fate. Their love is not a fairy tale that goes smoothly all the way but is full of the helplessness and bitterness of reality. When facing economic difficulties, family responsibilities, and the shadow of war, their love gradually faded away, yet that deep affection once had was always buried deep in their hearts. Especially Geneviève, after experiencing the hardships of life, the tenacity and persistence in love revealed in her eyes are really heart-breaking. And Guy's complex emotions when they reunited after many years also made the audience deeply feel the profound impact of time and fate on love. This in-depth exploration of the multifaceted nature of love is not limited to love itself but extends to life choices, growth, and helplessness, making the audience deeply reflect on and resonate with their own life and emotional experiences while enjoying the love story. From the perspective of visual presentation, the images in the film are like beautiful oil paintings, exuding a strong artistic flavor. The street scenes of the town of Cherbourg are depicted meticulously under the director's lens, and the use of colors is even more ingenious. The film constructs a world full of vitality and emotions with bright and rich colors. The red umbrellas are particularly eye-catching in the rain, symbolizing the passion and hope of love. The blue sky and the ocean create a peaceful and profound atmosphere, reflecting the inner waves of the characters. And the warm yellow lights often appear in warm family scenes or intimate moments between lovers, adding a touch of tenderness and warmth to the pictures. These colors are intertwined and set off each other, which not only enhance the beauty of the pictures but also skillfully set off the emotional tone in different scenes, enabling the audience to more intuitively feel the emotional changes of the characters and the development of the story. The film also deeply reflects the historical background of that time, adding a rich sense of historical weight to the story. The story is set in France in the 1950s - 1960s. At that time, the society was in a period of economic recovery and transformation, and at the same time, it was also facing the trauma and shadow of war. The film truly reflects the living conditions of people in that era by showing the living conditions of the town's residents, economic difficulties, and the pressure on young people in terms of employment and future prospects. For example, Guy had to give up his love for Geneviève for a living and threw himself into the arduous work. This plot deeply reflects the helplessness and compromise of young people in the face of real pressures at that time. And the existence of war also loomed over the whole story like a dark cloud. It not only changed the fates of many people but also further highlighted the uncertainty of life and the insignificance and tenacity of love in the torrent of the times. This accurate capture and presentation of the historical background make the film not just a simple love story but a vivid portrayal of social life and human nature in a specific historical period, allowing the audience to have a deeper understanding and knowledge of that era while enjoying the film. In conclusion, "The Umbrellas of Cherbourg" has become a rare classic in the history of cinema with its unique musical narrative style, delicate emotional interpretation, exquisite picture and color use, and profound reflection of the historical background. It is like a mirror, reflecting both the beauty and fragility of love and the reality and helplessness of life, allowing the audience to experience an emotional baptism and a touch of the soul during the viewing process. It is worthy of repeated appreciation and collection. I usually use these two sites for more free movies and short dramas.If you have a better website, please recommend it to me. Thank you https://omnishort.com/?utm_source=rottentomatoes https://nightgod.tv/?utm_source=rottentomatoes Rated 5 out of 5 stars 12/02/24 Full Review Fredi T One of the most striking aspects of The Umbrellas of Cherbourg is its stunning visual style. The film employs vibrant colors, particularly primary hues like red, yellow, and blue, creating a visual effect that is both dreamlike and grounded in reality. Every frame is carefully composed, almost like a series of vivid paintings, delivering a strong visual impact. The town of Cherbourg itself, through these bold colors and intricate set designs, becomes a reflection of the film's emotional landscape. I usually use these two sites for more free movies and short dramas.If you have a better website, please recommend it to me. Thank you https://omnishort.com/?utm_source=rottentomatoes https://nightgod.tv/?utm_source=rottentomatoes Rated 4.5 out of 5 stars 12/02/24 Full Review Anastasios A. P My all time favourite film. Demy directs, Deneuve stars and the music adds so much more when the cinematography has already left you speechless. There is no time to be pretentious in this film. It’s the 60s. One of the best films ever made and definitely one of the best owls from that decade. Poetry. Rated 5 out of 5 stars 10/11/24 Full Review julie b I can’t get over how gorgeous every single tiny thing looks in this!!!! Right from the first frame, the cinematography, production design, and costumes are beautiful and full of vibrant colours. These aesthetics play up the sweetness in this cute but tragic story, set against an unforgettable orchestral score. Maybe I’m just in a mood but the thing that doesn’t fully work for me is the nonstop singing; while I applaud the creativity and experiment, I think it masks the true emotions which would have been more powerful with spoken dialogue. Rated 4 out of 5 stars 09/24/24 Full Review Read all reviews
The Umbrellas of Cherbourg

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Movie Info

Synopsis Geneviève (Catherine Deneuve), a beautiful young Frenchwoman who works at a small-town boutique selling umbrellas, falls for dashing mechanic Guy (Nino Castelnuovo). Their brief romance is interrupted when Guy is drafted to serve in the Algerian War. Though pregnant by Guy, Geneviève marries an older businessman, Roland (Marc Michel), and begins to move on with her life. Throughout the musical film, all the characters' dialogue is conveyed through song.
Director
Jacques Demy
Producer
Mag Bodard
Screenwriter
Jacques Demy, Jacques Demy
Distributor
Zeitgeist Films, Criterion Collection, Wellspring Media
Production Co
Parc Film, Beta Film GmbH
Genre
Musical, Romance
Original Language
French (France)
Release Date (Theaters)
Feb 19, 1964, Original
Rerelease Date (Theaters)
Dec 6, 2024
Release Date (Streaming)
Nov 21, 2016
Box Office (Gross USA)
$18.4K
Runtime
1h 32m
Sound Mix
Dolby Stereo
Aspect Ratio
16mm, Flat (1.85:1)
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