The Young Girls of Rochefort (1967)

 Jacques Demy's "The Young Girls of Rochefort"


Although he would go on to make nine more films in the remaining 23 years of his life, Jacques Demi's final popular statement was his highly beloved musical "The Young Girls of Rochefort." Perhaps not as universally praised and remembered as his previous film, "The Umbrellas of Cherbourg," "The Young Girls of Rocheofort" is still often considered as one of the greatest musicals in history. Its vibrancy, its music, and Demy's usually romanticism are on full display.

Much like with a typical Demy film, his ensemble of characters are all lonely souls desperately searching for connection of a specific love that evades them. They are are intertwined and yet, don't seem to connect throughout the film. His films often comment on the beauty of life and how we are so connected to each other as humans and yet constantly feel so distant. He romanticizes these feelings in the form of film and "The Young Girls of Rochefort" beautifully adheres to his typical thematic styles. 

To me, its almost impossible not to fall in love with a Demy film. His films are so full of love - love for humanity, love for films, love for music, love for color, and love for love. "The Young Girls of Rochefort" is perhaps the most colorful spectacle you've ever laid eyes on and its boundless symmetry, choreography, stark color pallette, and general glee grab the viewer's attention and pulls it deep into its endless joie-de-vivre.

It was certainly bittersweet knowing this would be my last Demy film to review. Although it wasn't as enriching as "Lola" or "The Umbrellas of Cherbourg," I certainly felt the emotional outpouring of Demy's love for cinema. Even seeing Gene Kelly for the first time in this film left me breathless. This, along with the many odes to classic Hollywood musicals, marks a celebration for Demy - of life, of love, and film. Vivre le film!



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