Plot Details: This opinion reveals major details about the movie's plot.
Long before there was Baz Luhmann’s 2001 Moulin Rouge starring Nicole Kidman and Ewan McGregor there was a pair of near contemporaneous predecessors – John Huston’s 1952 Moulin Rouge starring Jose Ferrer and Colette Marchand and Jean Renoir’s 1955 French Cancan. All three are outstanding films about the historic and infamous Moulin Rouge of the Montmartre district of Paris and all three feature the famous and spirited dance called the cancan. All three films tell different stories although there’s a few overlapping character names. For my money, the best of the lot is Renoir’s film, though one could build a convincing case for any one of the three. French Cancan was one of the last great classic musical comedies and the only one produced outside of Hollywood. Renoir had to turn to song and dance to make this very special Valentine to Paris. It centers on financial and romantic intrigues, but imbues the romantic ones with a sexual openness not seen in Hollywood musicals.
The Story: The story of French Cancan picks up about a decade-and-a-half earlier than that of Moulin Rouge (2001) and concerns the origins of the great theater. The central character and driving force behind the construction of Moulin Rouge is Henri Danglard (Jean Gabin), a hedonist with a lust for women but a visionary impresario as well. Danglard, the owner of the Chinese Screen, and his sometimes mistress, Lola de Castro “La Belle Abbesse” (María Félix), and their circle of aristocratic friends from Paris have decided to go out “slumming” at the White Queen in the Bohemian neighborhood of Montmartre (where Renoir’s father, the great impressionist painter, lived for a while). There Danglard spots the vivacious and charming Nini (François Arnoul), dancing up a storm with her boyfriend, Paulo (Franco Pastorino). Nini, like most of the others at this lower class dancehall, are commoners. Nini works in a laundry by day and Paulo in a bakery. The lively dancing of the commoners includes the cancan and the chahut and their obvious enthusiasm inspires Danglard with an idea for a new venture. The upper class Parisians would likely flock to see a whole chorus of charming young women performing the spirited and naughty cancan in a safe and respectable setting. Nini, he imagines, could be the star performer in a sensational new act. Nini has also caught the eye of another member of Danglard’s party, the fabulously wealthy Prince Alexandre (Giani Esposito). Danglard's new interest has not gone unnoticed by the jealous Lola, who recognizes the young Nini as a potential rival.
The next day, Danglard makes Nini a startling offer. He will pay for dance lessons for her to see if she has the talent to become a star. Nini, who imagines that any offer from a person in show business has to be a masked seduction, decides she’d better get some experience and promptly enlists her surprised but delighted boyfriend Paulo in divesting herself of her virginity. The idealistic Paulo interprets this unexpected delight as evidence that they are virtually married.
Meanwhile, Danglard, whose finances are always precarious, purchases the old White Queen with promissory notes and razes it to replace it with a brand new theater – to be called “The Moulin Rouge.” During the celebration of the launching of the construction, a cat fight breaks out between Lola and Nini and soon catapults into an outright brawl – though more slapstick than anything else. Danglard gets financial backing, loses it, and is later blackmailed by the jealous and vindictive Lola (who has purchased the deeds to the site). Finally, Nini bails Danglard out by promising herself (falsely) to the love-struck but shy Prince Alexandre. When the Prince discovers that Nini is continuing to see Danglard, he shoots himself in a suicide attempt, but is so inept that he receives only minor injuries. Nini agrees to one last night on the town with the Prince and acquires the deeds to Moulin Rouge in return. The opening nears for the spectacular Moulin Rouge, but Danglard still has to deal with high-strung, temperamental performers and last minute preparations.
There are all sorts of entertaining secondary characters who add to the spice and absurdity of it all. There’s the long-legged, rubber-faced Casimir (Philippe Clay), who sings silly ditties and introduces acts. There’s Captain Valorgueil played by the soon-to-be-famous Michel Piccoli (Contempt and Belle de Jour). There’s Bidon (Jacques Jouanneau), the pimp, who carries a flower between his teeth.
All of this plot, however, is really quite incidental. It serves as no more than an excuse to get to know these characters, to observe their struggles and tribulations, and to become invested in their success. All of it is mere foreplay, leading up to the highlight and grand finale of the film, the magnificent and ebullient closing set piece. We’ve been teased and tantalized with bits and pieces of the dance. We’ve been shown glances of the wenches thighs, up-lifted legs, and their frilly pantaloons. In short, we’ve been titillated and inflamed into a frenzy of anticipation. Suddenly, girls in costume emerge onto the floor of the Moulin Rouge from every conceivable angle – bursting through walls, over railings, under tables, and behind poles. Overly excited men of the audience have to be waved off the floor with a flick of the vixens’ flailing arms. Soon the entire platoon of perky, high-stepping choristers have formed up and begin to move furiously. Gaudy, silken skirts uplifted, the lively ladies strut and kick to a primal rhythm – teasing, flashing thighs and frilly undergarments. The men and women of the audience clap and cheer, laugh and shout. Every man in the audience wants to make love to one of these beauties and every woman wants to be one. Backstage, Danglard sits alone. He does not have to watch his creation – which is as clear in his minds eye as in reality. He sits and listens and kicks one lonely leg in satisfaction, if not nearly so high as the girls.
Themes:French Cancan is mostly just delightful entertainment with little thematic business to accomplish, but it does manage a few interesting, if clichéd, bits of commentary. Perhaps its foremost observation is that love may conquer all but, in show business, the importance of the show trumps the vicissitudes of love. When Nini balks at performing because she has caught Danglard initiating his latest infidelity, he offers an impassioned speech about the lot of theater folks. He openly acknowledges that he only cares about his creations: great acts, great performers. The audience comes first.
Renoir also works in a few of his usual half-hearted swipes at class foibles – the suave but clumsy prince and the aristocrats for whom appearances are everything; the lack of sophistication of the working class stiffs plugging away in a bakery or laundry; and the sleazy activities of the Montmartre lowlife pickpockets and pimps. None escape Renoir's light brush of satire.
Production Values: The sets and costumes are colorful and gorgeous, creating great Parisian ambiance. Renoir’s framing and shot design is as impeccable as always. The music is delightful and spirited. More than anything else, French Cancan is a frenzy of color and motion. There's a song by the great Edith Piaf and a beautiful theme song written by Renoir himself entitled Compalinte de la Butte. It was even used by reference in the 2001 Moulin Rouge.
Renoir’s legendary skill as a storyteller is in full flower in the film’s second scene at the White Queen. Virtually all of the significant characters and plot elements have been skillfully introduced by the time the scene is over. Danglard’s vision for the Moulin Rouge has begun to form, he discovers the beautiful Nini, we observe Lola’s jealousy, we see the Prince infatuated with Nini, and we observe Paulo jealous possessiveness. It’s a remarkable bit of efficient script construction.
Some clichés Renoir studiously avoids. You’ll find no love triangles here in French Cancan – only love quadrangles! Danglard is successively involved with Lola, Nini, and a young songbird. Nini is wooed by Paulo, Danglard, and Prince Alexandre. Lola has three lovers on the string as well.
Jean Gabin was a friend and longtime colleague of Renoir, having performed in both Grand Illusion (1937) and La Bete Humaine (1939). He also appeared in Pépé le Moko (1937) and Le Jour se lève (Daybreak) (1939). François Arnaul was as cute a leading lady as you’ll ever encounter. She practically purrs. María Félix was outstanding as the sometimes fulsome but always full-bodied Lola. All of the performances are very good, in both the lead and secondary roles.
Bottom-Line:French Cancan is an almost unique kind of film – a classic musical comedy not made in Hollywood. Its distinct French flavor shows. Nobody else can can like the French cancan! Looking for a delightful evening of song and dance? Then give this Renoir minor masterpiece a go. It makes a great complement to a viewing of either version of Moulin Rouge. French Cancan is in French with English subtitles and has a running time of 105 minutes for the Criterion DVD (apparently 12 minutes longer than for the old VHS version released in America). The Criterion DVD is loaded with extras including a couple of interviews with Renoir himself.
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