Les demoiselles de Rochefort (The Young Girls of Rochefort)
Directed by Jacques Demy
Written by Jacques Demy
1967/France
Parc Film/Madeleine Films
First viewing/Netflix rental
One of 1001 Movies You Must See Before You Die

[box] Delphine: Did he have a camera?

Solange: No.

Delphine: Then how did you know he was an American?[/box]

Jacques Demy takes the classic Hollywood musical to new levels of romance, fanatasy and color.

Twin musical prodigies Solange (Catherine Deneuve) and Delphine (Francois Deloreac) live in the picture postcard seaside town of Rochefort.  They are admired by all the men but are holding out for their romantic ideal.  Somehow they agree to do a show for carnies Etienne (George Chakiris) and Bill (Grover Dale), who lust after them as well.

Solange visits the art gallery owned by her irritating boyfriend and sees her own portrait. She senses at once that the artist must be her dream man, dumps her boyfriend, and spends the rest of the film pining her unknown love.  Delphine bumps into a stranger on the street.  This turns out to be Gene Kelly!  It is love at first sight but they, too, must still locate each other.  Meanwhile, the girls’ mother (Danielle Darrieux) and music store owner Monsieur Dame (Michel Piccoli) inch closer to each other after having been separated by his embarrassing name several years ago.

Demy takes the concept of his The Umbrellas of Cherbourg (1964) one step further.  This time most, but not all, of the dialogue is sung.  The big difference is that characters spontaneously burst into dance at the drop of a hat.  And what dancing!  Also, here, the romantic fantasy is taken to the max, foregoing the realistic denouement of the former film. The Easter egg colors are used masterfully.  Highly recommended to lovers of movie musicals or eye candy.

Jacques Demy and Michel Legrand were nominated for an Oscar for Best Music, Score of a Musical Picture (Original or Adaptation).