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).
: A 1993 documentary by Agnès Varda (Demy’s wife and fellow filmmaker) that revisits the town of Rochefort 25 years later, featuring interviews with cast members and locals.
The Young Girls of Rochefort (1967) - The Criterion Collection
Jacques Demy, Michel Legrand, Catherine Deneuve, Françoise Dorléac, Gene Kelly, French musical, Criterion Collection, Technicolor, cinema du look, romantic coincidence.
The Criterion Collection edition of Jacques Demy’s The Young Girls of Rochefort (1967) is available as a standalone Blu-ray/DVD or as part of "The Essential Jacques Demy" box set. This release features 2K digital restoration The Young Girls of Rochefort -1967- Criterion -...
From the wandering sailor and painter Maxence (Jacques Perrin) looking for his "ideal woman," to the breezy arrival of American concert pianist Andy Miller (Gene Kelly), the town becomes a chessboard of romantic destiny. Deconstructing Demy’s Pastel Masterpiece 1. The Hollywood Influence Meet the New Wave
Visually, the film is a masterpiece of deliberate design. Demy famously had thousands of the town's shutters painted in bright pastel colors to create a specific, painterly aesthetic, perfectly complementing the film's mood. Cinematographer Ghislain Cloquet bathes the town of Rochefort in a palette of soft pinks, sky blues, and sunny yellows, transforming the location into a whimsical, dreamlike soundstage. The choreography is fluid and integrated into the town itself, with dancers swirling through open squares and public gardens as if the whole world were breaking into song.
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Demy took over the real seaside town of Rochefort, painting over 40,000 square meters of shutters and facades in vibrant shades of pink, blue, and yellow to match his vivid imagination. The production was an ambitious bridge between continents, uniting French icons like Catherine Deneuve and her real-life sister Françoise Dorléac with Hollywood royalty like Gene Kelly and West Side Story star George Chakiris. The Plot: A Mathematical Dance of Near-Misses has influenced countless filmmakers and musicians over the
Watching the film today, particularly through Criterion’s meticulous restoration, is a bittersweet experience. It captures the luminous Françoise Dorléac (Catherine Deneuve’s older sister) at the height of her talent and beauty. Tragically, Dorléac died in a car accident shortly after completing the film. Her presence adds a layer of haunting poignancy; every smile and every note she sings feels preserved in amber, a testament to a star extinguished too soon.
No discussion of Rochefort is complete without the elephant in the soundstage: Gene Kelly.
In 1967, French New Wave directors Jacques Demy and Philippe de Broca joined forces to create a cinematic masterpiece that would enchant audiences for generations to come: ( Les Demoiselles de Rochefort ). Now, thanks to the Criterion Collection, this beloved musical has been restored and re-released, allowing a new wave of film enthusiasts to experience its magic.
: A booklet containing an essay by renowned film critic Jonathan Rosenbaum , who analyzes the film's unique balance of Hollywood optimism and French melancholy. Availability and Pricing : A 1993 documentary by Agnès Varda (Demy’s
Decades after its release, The Young Girls of Rochefort continues to inspire modern cinema, serving as a direct blueprint for contemporary musicals like Damien Chazelle’s La La Land . Through Criterion’s immaculate preservation, Demy’s pastel dreamscape remains perfectly intact, inviting new generations to step into the sun-drenched streets of Rochefort and fall in love all over again. Share public link
The music by Michel Legrand is nothing short of iconic. The main theme, with its distinctive clavichord hook, is one of the most recognizable melodies in French cinema history. The songs drive the narrative forward, expressing a longing for "the ideal man" or the excitement of "the fair." The choreography, led by Norman Maen, is robust and athletic, utilizing the open spaces of the town square and the traveling fair in a way that feels distinctly un-theatrical yet entirely staged. It captures the 1960s optimism where pop art and jazz collided.
Visually, Demy and cinematographer Ghislain Cloquet transformed Rochefort. Much like the painted streets of Cherbourg , the production design is highly stylized. Shop fronts, buses, and walls were painted in bold primary colors to match the costumes, creating a hyper-real, storybook world. The Criterion restoration captures these pastel blues, pinks, and yellows with breathtaking vibrancy.
: A 1993 documentary by Agnès Varda that revisits the town of Rochefort 25 years after the original production.