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Lola (1961, Fr.)
In Jacques Demy's first feature film - a dreamy and
lyrical romantic drama (made in tribute to director Max Ophuls) about
chance encounters and criss-crossing lives, shared or mirrored stories,
and repeated situations for the main protagonists - all enhanced
by Michel Legrand's original music:
- in the opening credits sequence, the introduction
of a driver of a white Cadillac convertible - revealed to be wealthy,
white-suited Michel (Jacques Harden), who had unexpectedly returned
to the French coastal port-city of Nantes - his hometown, hoping
to look up prostitute and Marlene-Dietrich-like cabaret dance-hall
girl and chanteuse (inspired by Sternberg's The Blue Angel (1930,
Germ.)) with a long cigarette holder - who had adopted the
stage name Lola (Anouk Aimée) - she was an alluring and
mysterious single mother named Cecile - and Michel was hoping to
marry her; years earlier as a sailor, he had jilted and deserted
her to seek a fortune, and left her with a son named Yvon (Gérard
Delaroche), now 7 years-old
- the tale of Lola/Cecile - and her acquaintances with
a trio of lovers:
Michel - her true love from years earlier
Roland Cassard (Marc Michel) - a bored drifter, and Lola/Cecile's ex-boyfriend
from 15 years earlier before WWII (who was considering taking a job
as a smuggler) and
white-uniformed blonde American sailor Frankie (Alan Scott) from Chicago
- on shore leave in Nantes, who reminded Lola of her own lost sailor
Michel
Cabaret Dancer and Chanteuse Lola (Anouk Aimée)
- aka Cecile
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"It's me...Lola! The one who laughs at anything
and says Love's a lovely thing! Wins men's hearts without fear,
and gives without a tear!..."
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- the iconic scene of Lola's flirty, top-hatted performance
of her own theme song "Lola" - posing and dancing seductively
for the camera, with a black boa wrapped around her shoulders,
and a top hat: "It's me...Lola! The one who laughs at anything
and says Love's a lovely thing! Wins men's hearts without fear,
and gives without a tear! To older guys or brave young men, Is
always asking Where or When, Likes to please them everyday, Without
going all the way. It's me...Lola! I see a ship tied to a buoy,
Then I meet a sailor boy, We sing and we dance, We play with romance,
We whirl and we spin, Then I say with a grin, That I mean no, It's
time to go! That's enough, Don't get rough, It's me...Lola! I say,
'Oh, please come back!' Then I smile behind your back. But I'm
lost on a dream, One that's not a scheme, It's all peaches and
cream, He'll take me in his arms and show me, That out of thousands
he will know me, You, You! It's true. It's me...Lola!"
- the sequences of Roland meeting up with older and
widowed Mme. Desnoyers (Elina Labourdette) and her 14 year-old teenaged
daughter Cécile Desnoyers (Annie Duperoux), also named Cecile
(a younger version of Lola) -- because of her name, Roland was reminded
of his earlier relationship with Lola/Cecile, his first love
- the teenaged, infatuated 14 year-old Cecile's mirroring
of the life of her counterpart, Lola, who in a delightful and sensual
sequence, spent an afternoon at a fair with older sailor Frankie;
the two shared a few rides (bumper cars and a merry-go-round - during
the ride on the merry-go-round, a smiling and ecstatic Cecile rested
her head on his shoulder) - to the tune of Bach's First Prelude from The
Well-Tempered Clavier
- the magical fair sequence was highlighted by the
magnificent gliding and swirling of seven slow-motion camera shots,
when Frankie jumped off the ride, turned and lifted the emotionally-moved
Cecile into the air and twirled her around, with her hair swinging
and spinning around her face, and then the two joyously ran through
the crowd, before they parted and she told him in broken English: "Goodbye
Frankie"
Sailor Frankie at the Fairgrounds with 14 Year-Old
Cecile
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- in the unrealistic 'Hollywood' ending and final
scene, Michel picked up Lola (and her son), and they drove off
in his white convertible; as they left town, Lola briefly spotted
Roland walking alone on the street in the opposite direction (Lola
glanced back) - Michel asked: "What's wrong?" Lola responded
(the film's final line):
"Nothing"
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White-Suited Michel in His Hometown of Nantes (Under Title
Credits)
The Cabaret Where Lola Performed
Lola with Roland
Lola with Sailor Frankie
Lola With Michel
Final Scene: Michel Picked up Lola and Son and Drove
Off in His White Convertible
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