| Photos (see all 11 | slideshow) |
| Catherine Deneuve | ... | Delphine Garnier | |
| George Chakiris | ... | Etienne | |
| Françoise Dorléac | ... | Solange Garnier (as Françoise Dorleac) | |
| Jacques Perrin | ... | Maxence | |
| Michel Piccoli | ... | Simon Dame | |
| Jacques Riberolles | ... | Guillaume Lancien | |
| Grover Dale | ... | Bill | |
| Geneviève Thénier | ... | Josette (as Geneviève Thenier) | |
| Henri Crémieux | ... | Subtil Dutrouz (as Henri Cremieux) | |
| Pamela Hart | ... | Judith | |
| Leslie North | ... | Esther | |
| Patrick Jeantet | ... | Boubou Garnier | |
| Gene Kelly | ... | Andy Miller | |
| Danielle Darrieux | ... | Yvonne Garnier | |
| René Bazart | ... | Pépé | |
| Dorothée Blank | ... | Passerby | |
| Daniel Moquay | ... | First Sailor | |
| Daniel Gall | ... | Second Sailor | |
| Bernard Fradet | ... | Second Agent | |
| Remy Brozek | ... | Third Agent | |
| Véronique Duval | ... | A Woman | |
| Pierre Caden | ... | First Man | |
| Peter Ardran | ... | Dancer | |
| Wendy Barry | ... | Dancer | |
| Sarah Butler | ... | Dancer | |
| Anne Chapman | ... | Dancer (as Ann Chapman) | |
| Jane Darling | ... | Dancer | |
| Tudor Davies | ... | Dancer | |
| Lindsay Dolan | ... | Dancer | |
| John McDonald | ... | Dancer (as John Mac Donald) | |
| Keith Drummond | ... | Dancer | |
| Maureen Evans | ... | Dancer | |
| Tara Fernando | ... | Dancer (as Taira Fernando) | |
| Sarah Flemington | ... | Dancer | |
| Johnny Greenland | ... | Dancer (as Johny Greenland) | |
| Leo Guerard | ... | Dancer | |
| David Hepburn | ... | Dancer | |
| Bob Howe | ... | Dancer | |
| Alix Kirsta | ... | Dancer | |
| Jerry Manley | ... | Dancer | |
| Tony Manning | ... | Dancer | |
| Tom Merrifield | ... | Dancer | |
| Connel Miles | ... | Dancer | |
| Albin Pahernik | ... | Dancer | |
| Nicky Temperton | ... | Dancer | |
| Barrie Wilkinson | ... | Dancer | |
| Maureen Willsher | ... | Dancer | |
| Anne Germain | ... | Delphine Garnier (singing voice) | |
| Claude Parent | ... | Solange Garnier (singing voice) | |
| Christiane Legrand | ... | Judith (singing voice) | |
| Claudine Meunier | ... | Esther (singing voice) | |
| Alice Herald | ... | Josette (singing voice) | |
| José Bartel | ... | Bill (singing voice) (as Jose Bartel) | |
| Romuald | ... | Etienne (singing voice) | |
| Donald Burke | ... | Andy Miller (singing voice) | |
| Olivier Bonnet | ... | Boubou (singing voice) | |
| Georges Blaness | ... | Simon Dame (singing voice) (as Georges Blanes) | |
| Jacques Revaux | ... | Maxence (singing voice) | |
| rest of cast listed alphabetically: | |||
| Jacques Barratier | ... | Second Man (uncredited) | |
| Alain Franchet | ... | First Agent (uncredited) | |
| Liliane de Kermadec | ... | Nun (uncredited) | |
| Florence Malraux | ... | Nun (uncredited) | |
| Michèle Manceaux | ... | Nun (uncredited) | |
| Annie Maurel | ... | Nun (uncredited) | |
| Jean Stout | ... | Guillaume Lancien (singing voice) (uncredited) | |
| Jacques Thébault | ... | Etienne (voice) (uncredited) | |
| Dominique Tirmont | ... | Bill (voice) (uncredited) | |
| Agnès Varda | ... | Music-Loving Nun (uncredited) | |
Directed by | |||
| Jacques Demy | |||
| Agnès Varda | (1996 restoration) | ||
Writing credits | ||
| Jacques Demy | (written by) | |
| Julian More | adaptation: English version (uncredited) | |
Produced by | |||
| Perrine Bauduin | .... | producer (1996 restoration) | |
| Mag Bodard | .... | delegate producer | |
| Gilbert de Goldschmidt | .... | producer (as Gilbert De Goldschmidt) | |
Original Music by | |||
| Michel Legrand | |||
Cinematography by | |||
| Ghislain Cloquet | |||
Film Editing by | |||
| Jean Hamon | |||
Production Design by | |||
| Bernard Evein | |||
Set Decoration by | |||
| Louis Seuret | |||
Costume Design by | |||
| Marie-Claude Fouquet | |||
| Jacqueline Moreau | |||
Makeup Department | |||
| Aïda Carange | .... | makeup artist | |
| Carita | .... | hair stylist | |
| Luc Durand | .... | makeup artist | |
| Edina Habib | .... | hair stylist | |
| Janine Jarreau | .... | makeup artist (as Jeanine Jarreau) | |
| Christiane Sauvage | .... | makeup artist | |
Production Management | |||
| Philippe Dussart | .... | production manager | |
| René Pascal | .... | unit manager | |
Art Department | |||
| Roger Fresca | .... | tapestry | |
| Joseph Gerhard | .... | props | |
| Georges Glon | .... | assistant set decorator | |
| Josette Jover | .... | tapestry | |
| Claude Pignot | .... | assistant set decorator | |
| Angelo Rizzi | .... | props | |
Sound Department | |||
| Jean Gaudelet | .... | boom operator | |
| Jacques Maumont | .... | sound | |
Camera and Electrical Department | |||
| Pierre Cornier | .... | chief electrician | |
| Hélène Jeanbrau | .... | still photographer | |
| Bernard Largemain | .... | key grip (as Bernard Largemains) | |
| Jean-Paul Lemaître | .... | assistant camera | |
| Emmanuel Machuel | .... | assistant camera | |
Costume and Wardrobe Department | |||
| Jean-Marie Armand | .... | wardrobe | |
| Laurence Clairval | .... | costumer | |
| Christiane Fageol | .... | costumer | |
| Odette Le Barbenchon | .... | costumer | |
Editorial Department | |||
| Claudio Ventura | .... | assistant editor | |
Music Department | |||
| Michel Legrand | .... | music publisher | |
| Michel Legrand | .... | musical director | |
| Francis Lemarque | .... | music publisher | |
Other crew | |||
| Jean Barthet | .... | hat maker | |
| Maureen Bright | .... | assistant choreographer | |
| Michel Choquet | .... | general manager | |
| Jean-Marc Garrouste | .... | accountant | |
| Pamela Hart | .... | assistant choreographer | |
| Norman Maen | .... | choreographer | |
| Annie Maurel | .... | script | |
Thanks | |||
| Roland Moreno | .... | thanks (1996 restoration) | |
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| Across the Universe | Big Fish | Cry-Baby | On the Town | Edvard Munch |
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| Full cast and crew | Company credits | External reviews |
| IMDb Comedy section | IMDb France section | Add this title to MyMovies |
(with apologies to Jonathan Rosenbaum...)
Watching the Hollywood musicals of Astaire and Kelly, one can't help but marvel at the skill and precision of the dancing and the mise en scene, and be buoyed by the very idea that the world could be so perfect, if only in a movie. "Rochefort" isn't perfect in the same way, but in pushing the musical to a different plane it achieves a kind of perfection, one dependent not on the talents of its cast or, as the popular Broadway musicals were, on the book & lyrics.
(Which is not to say that there isn't great music! Themes are repeated, to be sure, but Legrand's melodies delight, and there's more musical variance here than in "Umbrellas of Cherbourg".)
Musicals, like most popular entertainment, usually serve to reinforce our ideals. The 30 years since its release may have been kind, but "The Young Girls of Rochefort" is a rare thing, an entertainment that challenges, flies in the face of convention.
Of special note are the colors, delightfully absurd; the English subtitles, much of which read in perfect sync (including rhymes) with the music (a coinciding English-language verson was shot but never released); the macabre- this is probably the only musical with a song about an ax-murder.
The world in which this movie exists hasn't been seen on the screen before or since. Of course, all musicals are fantasy of a kind, but Demy takes it somewhere else. It is one of film's truly unique experiences.