Una camera in città

Workers during a strike prepare and perform a demonstration, and two personal relations develop against this background. François (Richard Berry) abandons his pregnant girlfriend Violette (Fabienne Guyon, appropriately dressed in violet), and meets a very beautiful upper class girl, Edith (Dominique Sanda).

This was my first experience with Jacques Demy, and I was immediately smitten. The backdrop recalls something like "Les Miserables", based on Demy's own witnessing of a shipyard strike, though the focus here is much more on the love triangle, and Francois Guilbard is not the tragic character that Jean Valjean is (in fact, Francois is kind of a rat).

Musicals are not my favorite genre, but I think this was done right... every line sounds amazing, and it works to have it done without any speaking. The dark themes even hark back to classic operas more than the saccharine musicals of modern Hollywood. Where the plot may be less than perfect, it is made up for by the mere presence of such striking and talented actors.

Unfortunately for Demy, many consider his best years 1961-1967, with the exception of "Donkey Skin" (1970) and completely disregard this film. Despite being nominated for nine Cesars (basically the French Oscars), it won none of them.

I had thought Jacques Demy had abandoned his movie operas after the 1960s, but no, he hadn't, and here's the proof. He's working with Colombier instead of LeGrand, and there's a lot more recitative, but unlike others who have tried to translate opera onto the screen, he has cinematographer Jean Penzer shoot it like a movie.... although Mme. Darrieux's flat does look like a stage design.

I do wonder if her daughter is wearing only a fur coat, as the dialogue indicates.

I always love Demy, except the one discussing the pregnancy of a male-so called a comedy.. Bias, of course. He always give you classical fairy tales which takes you away from your real world. Then you are carried into another space, and you can fully focus on what you are watching. Please don't pause his movies or you'll definitely find them dull and boring! For me, his music strengthens the story. Females are all beautiful princesses or queens. immersed in love, in a way.. Catherine Denver is, of course, his perfect princess. In fact, no one is bad. Many hate his Donkey Skin but that's it's close to Plato's idea/ideal. Most important of all, his protest of war is so subtle that it goes deep down without any noticing...

How I never saw this movie and when the first line was spoken in singing way, I realize be treat a musical, not a classic musical as we get used to, just sung in every line, well it really weird to watch a movie, I love the ultimate musical "Les Miserables", taking in account the level of the budge they differ each other so much, "Une Chamble en Ville" is a small production a slow pace, sometimes still boring, nevertheless the story is great, the tragic tale took place at Nantes, during shipyard's strike (Which the French people loves to do) a humble worker François (Richard Berry) rent a room from a former Countess Margot (Danielle Darrieux) she has an unsatisfied married daughter Edith (Dominique Sanda in bold nudes scenes) due her husband Edmond (Michel Piccoli) actually is sexually impotent, in other hand François has been dating with Violette, who was pregnancy from him without notice by him, in fact François didn't love her, when he meets Edith the chemistry is overpowering and ends up in love night at cheap hotel, then all these facts are interwoven each other, a tragic tale sang on every line, fine movie, although it wasn't allowed to everyone!!!

Resume:

First watch: 2020 / How many: 1 / Source: DVD / Rating: 7.25

UNE CHAMBRE EN VILLE is much darker and harsher than Demy's more famous films from the 1960s, but it is no less stunning a piece of work. An operatic look at classicism and desire, its peopled by fascinating, layered characters who are sometimes openly unlikable. The music is not at all like Michel Legrand' jazzy, hummable tunes, but this is meant to work within the confines of this grand and melodramatic narrative.