The Umbrellas of Cherbourg

Play trailer

The Umbrellas of Cherbourg

1964

1h 32m

Musical

Romance

Play Trailer

Watchlist

Watchlist

Tomatometer

Popcornmeter

97%

Tomatometer

73 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.

Watch on Fandango at Home

Stream Now

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.

Read Critics Reviews

Elizabeth Sussex

Sight & Sound

Most exciting of all is perhaps the fact that on turning from the music to the very Parisian colour, one finds exactly the same language being spoken.

Nov 11, 2025

Full Review

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

The Times (UK)

Yet the hits, when they come, are immense.

Rated: 5/5

Dec 9, 2019

Full Review

Joshua Ryan

FandomWire

Overflowing with vibrant colors and angelic lyrical dialogues, Demy crafts a tale of young love that is heartwarming and devastating at the same time.

Rated: 9/10

May 16, 2025

Full Review

Jeff Beck

The Blu Spot

It may feature a story that's a bit melodramatic and music that can seem a little monotonous & repetitive at times, but it remains a beautifully-made, charming, and fascinating musical experience, bolstered by the performances from its wonderful ensemble.

Rated: 3.5/5

May 5, 2025

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

Read all reviews

Stephen C

Success in 1 hour and 32 minutes!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Filmed in 1964 in color!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Dubbed and subtitled in worldwide studios!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! All ages admitted!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

10/30/25

Full Review

Eye C

Now this is a musical... nothing new, nothing bad, nothing spectacular. It's good, and the message is clear the romanticization of the "forever and ever" not always apply.

Rated 3.5 out of 5 stars

09/02/25

Full Review

Will G

A great movie that takes place in France. It’s a musical. It was neat to see Paris. Also it was nice to practice my French. It’s very colorful. There is romance.

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

05/11/25

Full Review

James G P

You've never seen a musical quite like this one. The colors are candy for the eyes, and the story rides along with the continuous recitative. A treat for the eyes and ears ...

Rated 4 out of 5 stars

04/27/25

Full Review

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

Read all reviews

Read More

Read Less

POST RATING

WRITE A REVIEW

EDIT REVIEW

Jacques Demy

Director

Catherine Deneuve

Geneviève Emery

Nino Castelnuovo

Guy Foucher

Anne Vernon

Madame Emery

Marc Michel

Roland Cassard

Ellen Farner

Madeleine

The Young Girls of Rochefort

98%

85%

The Young Girls of Rochefort

Watchlist

Blue Hawaii

22%

67%

Blue Hawaii

Watchlist

Lili

75%

81%

Lili

Watchlist

Young at Heart

89%

77%

Young at Heart

Watchlist

An American in Paris

95%

78%

An American in Paris

Watchlist

Discover more movies and TV shows.

View More

Hirokazu Koreeda’s Five Favorite Films

David Goyer’s Five Favorite Films

Now Streaming: Scream, While We’re Young, Halloween TV Episodes, And More

View more photos

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)

Most Popular at Home Now