Despite a reasonably varied output Jacques Demy is destined to be remembered by film buffs as the onlie begetter of The Umbrellas of Cherbourg and by admirers of Cole Porter, Larry Hart, Frank Loesser, Johnny Mercer etc as the William MacGonigall of lyricists, indeed Demy established something of a record in the number of banal lyrics he has committed to celluloid. Defenders will argue that in creating 'sung-through' musicals he was not looking for extractable hit songs (though in English translations two did emerge from Cherbourg). That first musical was bittersweet albeit brightly lit whereas this last entry is much more dark as reflected in the sombre reds and blues. Set against a strike it all ends in tears but along the way Danielle Darrieux, and Richard Berry weigh in with some fine work. Definitely watchable.
Review of A Room in Town
