Can-Can (1960)
Directed by Walter Lang

Film Review

Despite its stellar cast, impressive production values and generous offering of jaunty little numbers from Cole Porter, Can-Can fails to make it into the first division of American musicals, mainly on account of its lumbering plot and lacklustre direction.  The film is based on a musical play by Abe Burrows, although several of the songs in the original play were replaced with better known numbers from Cole Porter's back catalogue to give it more appeal.

Frank Sinatra and Shirley MacLaine work surprisingly well together and are effectively joined up with two equally classy performers, Louis Jourdan and Maurice Chevalier (last seen together in Vincente Minnelli's Gigi).  Sinatra lacks his usual sparkle, perhaps because he was forced to make the film whilst under contract with 20th Century Fox, but MacLaine is on cracking form, and her scenes with Jourdan have a deliciously sensual frisson.

In addition to old favourites such as Let's Do It and You Do Something to Me, the songs include I Love Paris and C'est Magnifique.  Can-can is definitely not one of Sinatra's best musicals but it is a pleasing enough divertissement all the same, although the film could probably have done without the two extended (and rather pointless) ballet sequences.  Anyone hoping to catch a glimpse of Offenbach's Can-can will be disappointed - better check out Jean Renoir's French Cancan (1954) instead.

Film Synopsis

Paris, 1896.  In Montmartre, Simone Pistache runs one of the hottest nightspots in town, a dancehall where the outlawed can-can is frequently performed.  A pious young judge, Philipe Forrestier, is determined to have the establishment closed down as he considers it an affront to decency.  He is thwarted in his efforts by a rival judge, François Durnais, who is romantically attached to Simone.  When Philipe declares his love for Simone, the dancehall owner is torn, but she finally makes up her mind to marry him.  François is understandably not pleased by this turn of events and sets out to wreck the engagement...