The Umbrellas of Cherbourg [Criterion Collection]

Though not as fresh and spontaneous as it once seemed to be, Jacques Demy's musical romance The Umbrellas of Cherbourg (Les Paraplies de Cherbourg) remains an entertaining experiment--not to mention an ideal "first date" movie. Courtesy of lyricist Demy and composer Michel LeGrand, all dialogue is sung, not spoken, in this tale of Catherine Deneuve, the daughter of umbrella-shop owner Anne Vernon, and her involvement with handsome gas station attendant Nino Castelnuovo. In turn, Deneuve is coveted by wealthy Marc Michel, whom Vernon thinks is a better catch than Castelnuovo. Just before her beau is drafted to fight in Algeria, Deneuve decides to prove her love by losing her virginity to him. As the months pass, it appears as though Castelnuovo will never return; now pregnant, Deneuve reluctantly agrees to marry Michel (shades of Pagnol's Marseilles Trilogy). Meanwhile, Castelnuovo, hardened by his military experiences, returns to open his own gas station with money inherited from his aunt; he also marries Ellen Farmer, who has long carried a torch for him. Four years later, a chance meeting occurs between Deneuve and Castelnuovo. The reunion is bittersweet, concluding on a wistful note. The winner of the Cannes Film Festival Grand Prize Award, The Umbrellas of Cherbourg's most lasting legacy is its popular score, including the now-standard "I Will Wait For You" (English lyrics by Norman Gimbel).