Les parapluies de Cherbourg 1964

Bosley Crowther, New York Times: Not only has he resurrected the quaint and artificial device of having the dialogue set to music and unrealistically sung, but he uses this operatic method to tell a story that is so banal... it wouldn't get beyond a reader in Hollywood. Read more

Roger Ebert, Chicago Sun-Times: A surprisingly effective film, touching and knowing and, like Deneuve, ageless. Read more

A.O. Scott, New York Times: Read more

Mark Feeney, Boston Globe: As spun-sugar holiday treats go, "Umbrellas" is hard to resist. Read more

Kevin Thomas, Los Angeles Times: The Umbrellas of Cherbourg has stood the test of time as beautifully as Deneuve and seems likely to enchant future generations as fully as it has audiences over the past four decades. Read more

Michael Phillips, Chicago Tribune: It is a small picture, a boutique musical. But it's lovely. Read more

Jonathan Rosenbaum, Chicago Reader: It's a glorious sight to behold -- though don't forget to listen as well. Read more

Kenneth Turan, Los Angeles Times: It continues to charm and delight for the same reasons it did back in 1964. Read more

Andrew Sarris, New York Observer: Delicately bittersweet. Read more

James Berardinelli, ReelViews: Far more powerful than one would initially suppose. Read more

Ben Walters, Time Out: Umbrellas makes escapist play with the stuff of kitchen-sink social realism. Read more

Variety: Seemingly banal and sentimental on the surface, [director Jacques] Demy has avoided these aspects by tasteful handling and the right balance in emotion, compassion and narrative. Read more

Jessica Winter, Village Voice: A choreography of the everyday timed to Demy's floating long takes and Michel Legrand's at turns jaunty and lachrymose score. Read more

Desson Thomson, Washington Post: An operatic masterpiece of romanticism. Read more