The Young Girls Of Rochefort -1967- Criterion -... File

Jacques Demy’s The Young Girls of Rochefort ( Les Demoiselles de Rochefort , 1967) stands as a monument to cinematic joy. While its predecessor, The Umbrellas of Cherbourg (1964), wrapped its operatic romance in heartbreaking realism, Rochefort flings the doors wide open to pure Hollywood-inspired musical ecstasy.

A documentary by Agnès Varda, Demy’s wife and acclaimed filmmaker, which revisits the town of Rochefort 25 years later, exploring the lasting impact of the film on the town and its people.

The inclusion of American dance icons George Chakiris ( West Side Story ) and the legendary Gene Kelly provides a direct link to the golden age of MGM musicals. Kelly, who choreographed his own brief but dazzling numbers, brings his trademark muscular elegance to the screen, serving as Demy’s ultimate homage to films like An American in Paris and Singin' in the Rain . Tragic Real-World Context

The film’s enduring legacy is inseparable from the legendary score by . Legrand’s music fuses classical jazz, big band brass, and traditional French chanson into an infectious, wall-to-wall soundtrack. Numbers like "Chanson des Jumelles" (The Twins' Song) establish the film's breezy, rhythmic heartbeat, while Gene Kelly's jazz-infused street choreography bridges the golden age of MGM with the European avant-garde. The Young Girls of Rochefort -1967- Criterion -...

Set over the course of a single weekend in the picturesque seaside town of Rochefort, the film weaves together the lives of several characters searching for love and artistic fulfillment.

The 4K digital restoration restores the film's original color timing. The pinks are aggressively vibrant, the whites are crisp, and the audio transfer preserves the rich, multi-layered depth of Legrand’s orchestration without the tinny distortion common in older releases.

has influenced countless filmmakers and musicians over the years, including Jacques Demy's own collaborations with composer Michel Legrand. The film's blend of music, dance, and narrative has inspired a range of musicals and films, from The Umbrellas of Cherbourg (1964) to Moulin Rouge! (2001). Jacques Demy’s The Young Girls of Rochefort (

The accompanying essays break down Demy's unique position in French cinema—a director who looked to the optimism of classic Hollywood rather than the cynical deconstruction favored by his contemporaries like Jean-Luc Godard. Conclusion

and a comprehensive suite of historical and retrospective supplements The Criterion Collection Criterion Special Features

: A French television segment featuring director Jacques Demy and composer Michel Legrand discussing their collaboration and the film's jazz-infused score. Jacqueline Moreau & Jean-Pierre Berthomé The inclusion of American dance icons George Chakiris

The narrative architecture of The Young Girls of Rochefort is a brilliant exercise in romantic geometry. The plot takes place over a single weekend during a town fair. Everyone in Rochefort is searching for an idealized, poetic love, and remarkably, their perfect matches are all walking the exact same streets.

Jacques Demy’s The Young Girls of Rochefort (1967) is the ultimate cinematic dessert—a candy-colored, jazz-infused masterpiece that stands as one of the most joyful expressions of the French New Wave. While its predecessor, The Umbrellas of Cherbourg , was a "sung-through" tragedy of lost love, Rochefort is its exuberant, optimistic twin.

The film's cinematography, handled by Raoul Coutard, captures the beauty of Rochefort and its surroundings, turning the town into a character in its own right. The camera work is marked by a sense of freedom and experimentation, reflecting the improvisational spirit of the French New Wave.

The Young Girls of Rochefort serves as a bridge between French New Wave cinema and the Golden Age of Hollywood. The casting of Gene Kelly—a legend of the American musical—opposite rising French stars creates a magical friction. Kelly’s presence grounds the film in the tradition of MGM musicals, while Deneuve and Dorléac represent the chic modernity of swinging sixties Europe.