Plot: What’s it about?
Genevieve (Catherine Deneuve) is a beautiful teen who lives with her mother, who operates a small umbrella shop. Her mother, Madame Emery (Anne Verson) is protective of her young daughter, as she already lost her husband. As a widow, she holds Genevieve close to her, as without her, she would be alone in the world. So when Genevieve falls in love and wants to get married, it comes as no surprise that Madame forbids the partnership. The potential husband is Guy (Nino Castelnuovo), who is a solid young man who works as an auto mechanic. Madame is convinced his low income will not be enough for a family, which worries her. After all, she wants Genevieve to be well cared for and money is a prime concern. The debate is put on hold soon however, as Guy is drafted and has to spend two years in military service. At the same time, Genevieve is pregnant and of course, that poses an endless parade of problems. While he is off at war, Guy is unable to send much information back home, which worries both women. As she is hard pressed to raise her child alone, Genevieve begins to think about a new man. So when wealthy gem salesman Roland Cassard (Marc Michel) promises to provide for her and raise the child as his own, Genevieve is faced with perhaps the toughest decision of her life.
This is a wonderful movie, but home video hasn’t been kind, as previous editions have been lackluster at best. The visual transfers have been cropped, worn, and soft, even in high priced releases, such as Criterion’s laserdisc. But now, Koch Lorber has given fans a reason to lay out the cash, as this new treatment is terrific. The supplemental material is slim, but the movie looks and sounds great, which is what counts. This is all good news, as The Umbrellas of Cherbourg is a film that deserves a top notch treatment, as it is a well crafted and pretty unique project in the field of romantic cinema. The movie deals with love, lust, romance, and sex in realistic, yet bold fashion, the kind of strokes Hollywood avoids. When sex is an issue, it is handled as it would be in real life, an act with consequences, but not the be all, end all of life. The broken hearts and hurt feelings featured in The Umbrellas of Cherbourg are the kind we see and experience in life all the time, yet we rarely see in motion pictures. The movie was honored with five Oscar nominations, including one for Michel Legrand’s incredible musical score. All that and some fun musical numbers, plus the enchanting presence of Catherine Deneuve. In short, this is a movie that no film buff will want to be without, so The Umbrellas of Cherbourg is well recommended.
Video: How does it look?
The Umbrellas of Cherbourg is presented in 1.78:1 anamorphic widescreen. This is a most welcome improvement, as previous editions were rather lackluster. Even Criterion’s laserdisc was a disappointment, so a proper version is terrific news. This new transfer eliminates the slight cropping seen on prior releases, while allowing more detail and a more refined visual presence. The result is quite impressive, with a cleaned up print that has more depth than ever before, which means the visuals can shine. The colors are bold and vivid, but never bloom like the old Fox Lorber disc, which is excellent. The enhanced detail means that subtle textures and patterns are more crisp, which helps reduce moire patterns and the like. A few minor quibbles remain, but without a doubt, this is a much better treatment in all respects.
Audio: How does it sound?
The original French soundtrack is preserved here, via a skillful, better than expected Dolby Digital 5.1 option. Unlike previous editions, the audio is smooth and unhindered by time compression and distortion. The result is a welcome pleasure, as the music is now rich and natural, which makes the entire experience more enjoyable. The surround channels don’t have a lot to do here, but there is some depth to be heard, especially during the music driven sequences. So don’t expect a powder keg of dynamic audio, but there is some life here. The dialogue is clean and clear throughout, so no errors in that department to report. In case you need to brush up on French, this release includes English subtitles as well.
Supplements: What are the extras?
The lone supplement is an excerpt from The World of Jacques Demy, which has some solid content. I would have loved the complete piece, but this brief snippet is enough to entice and fans won’t want to miss out.
