Folies Bergère de Paris: Chevalier Being Chevalier

Is it worth your time?

If you like old-school musical comedies where the plot is mostly an excuse to get people to wear tuxedos and sing in French accents, you’ll probably have a good time here. It’s light, it’s fluffy, and it doesn't try to solve the world's problems. If you need your movies to be gritty or realistic, or if you can't stand seeing someone play two roles that clearly have a mustache glued on differently, you're gonna hate it.

Maurice Chevalier is in full-on charm mode. He’s playing both the entertainer and the banker, and honestly, the only way you can tell them apart is by how much he’s smirking at the camera. It’s silly, but it works because he’s just so committed to the bit. He makes you believe that a man in a fancy suit wouldn't notice he’s being impersonated by a stage performer.

The Absurdity of It All

There’s this one sequence in the theater that just goes on forever. It’s got all the feathers and bright lights you’d expect from the Folies Bergère. It reminded me a bit of the chaotic energy in Hotel Variety, though with way more budget for the costumes. The music is catchy, even if the lyrics get a little repetitive after the third chorus.

The pacing is a bit weird, though. The movie zooms through the setup, and then suddenly we’re just stuck in a series of doors opening and closing. It feels like a stage play that got lost on its way to a movie set. Every time someone almost finds out the truth, they get interrupted by someone else walking in with a tray of drinks or a sudden song. It’s almost exhausting just watching them try to talk.

• The mustaches are definitely their own characters in this movie.
• The way everyone just accepts that the banker acts weird all of a sudden is hilarious.
• Chevalier’s hat tilt is a scientific marvel of the 1930s.

Is it a masterpiece? No. Is it charming? Absolutely. Sometimes you don't need a deep message. You just need a guy in a tuxedo winking at the audience while the world falls apart around him. It feels a lot more grounded than some of the stuff I watched like The Blue Pearl, which was just trying way too hard to be mysterious.

I found myself zoning out during the long dialogue scenes, but then the music starts back up and you’re back in it. It’s a very uneven ride. But hey, that’s show business, right? 🎩✨