French Cancan

1955

1h 42m

IMDb RATING

7.2/10

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1 Video

26 Images

Comedy

Drama

Romance

Music

Nineteenth-century Paris comes vibrantly alive in Jean Renoir’s exhilarating tale of the opening of the world-renowned Moulin Rouge. Jean Gabin plays the wily impresario Danglard, who makes the cancan all the rage while juggling the love of two beautiful women—an Egyptian belly-dancer and a naive working girl turned cancan star.

Directors

Jean Renoir

Writers

Jean Renoir(adaptation by)

André-Paul Antoine(idea by)

Jean Renoir(writer by)

Stars

Jean Gabin

Françoise Arnoul

María Félix

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Videos1

Trailer
Watch French Cancan (1955) Trailer - In Cinemas 5 August 2011

Photos26

Top cast

Henri Danglard

Nini

Lola

Esther Georges

Baron Walter

La Génisse

Prince Alexandre

Oscar

Bidon

Coudrier

Paulo

Eleonore

Le Capitaine Valorgueil

Barjolin

Beatrix

Savate

Mme. Olympe

Casimir le Serpentin

Directors

Jean Renoir

Writers

Jean Renoir(adaptation by)

André-Paul Antoine(idea by)

Jean Renoir(writer by)

All cast & crew

Production, box office & more at IMDbPro

User reviews1

Review

Featured review

7/10

This is quite an entertaining story about monsieur "Danglard" (Jean Gabin) who runs a chic little Parisian café but hasn't two sous to rub together. He's ambitious though, a bit of a dreamer, an so when out on a jaunt with belly-dancing mistress "Lola" (Maria Félix) to the city's seedy Montmatre district he sees the original cancan in full flow and decides that there's still a place for that dance in late 19th century society. How to raise the cash, though? Who is going to lead the dance? Well that latter question is solved when he meets the feisty "Nini" (Françoise Arnoul). She works in a laundry by day, but is a mean dancer and just the person. The first of his problems is fortuitously solved by the kindly intervention of the wealthy young prince "Alexandre" (Giani Esposito) who is so loved up that he donates the dilapidated old "Moulin Rouge" to help make it all happen. As this sumptuously lively drama continues, a love triangle develops between the two girls and the impresario "Danglard" and there's some professional rivalry smouldering too whilst the increasingly sidelined prince must deal with an unwelcome rejection. With opening night looming, tempers fray and "Nini" becomes jealous - but will she go on stage? This is good fun to watch, a colourfully enjoyable romp through a French society full of lust, longing and a fair amount of absinthe before a denouement that is extended and vibrant. It's actually quite reminiscent of a few of the Hollywood films of the mid 1950s with a solid story, strong cast and some quite witty writing to help it tell a story that taps into history, national pride and, of course, a good old fashioned love story (well, quite a few if them, actually).

Geronimo196722 Aug, 2024