Les Parapluies de Cherbourg (The Umbrellas of Cherbourg)
“The Umbrellas of Cherbourg” (1964) is a romantic musical film starring Catherine Deneuve as Genevieve and Nino Castelnovo as Guy. It was directed by Jacques Demy with music and lyrics by Michel Legrand and won the Palme d’Or at the Cannes Film Festival. Genevieve and Guy are in love but her mother objects and Guy goes to fight in Algeria. Over time, Guy seldom writes and, although she is pregnant by Guy, wealthy Roland wins her hand in marriage. Guy returns and is despondent, but finds a wife and has a son. Guy and Genevieve meet unexpectedly on XMAS eve at Guy’s new gas station and then go their separate ways.
The dialogue in the film was entirely sung and the untrained actors were dubbed and lip-synced by a team of vocalists. Danielle Licari and Jose Bartel sang in the film for Deneuve and Castelnovo, respectively. Selections from the large number of songs in the film have been covered by numerous artists. Michel Legrand invited Nana Mouskouri to sing “Les Parapluies de Cherbourg” as a composite piece that does not actually appear in the film.
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Depuis quelques jours je vis dans le silence Des quatres murs de mon amour. Depuis ton départ l'ombre de ton absence Me poursuit chaque nuit et me fuit chaque jour. Je ne vois plus personne, j'ai fait le vide autour de moi. Je ne comprends plus rien parce que je ne suis rien sans toi. J'ai renoncé à tout parce que je n'ai plus d'illusions, De notre amour écoute la chanson: Non je ne pourrai jamais vivre sans toi, Je ne pourrai pas, ne pars pas, j'en mourrai. Un instant sans toi et je n'existe pas. Mais mon amour ne me quitte pas! Mon amour je t'attendrai toute ma vie, Reste près de moi, reviens, je t'en supplie. J'ai besoin de toi, je veux vivre pour toi. Oh mon amour ne me quitte pas! Ils se sont séparés sur le quai d'un gare. Ils se sont éloignés dans un dernier regard. Oh je t'aime, ne me quitte pas! |
For several days I live in the silence Of the four walls of my love. Since you left, the shadow of your absence Pursues me each night and flees each day. I never see anyone, I’ve created a void around me I understand nothing anymore because I am nothing without you. I abandoned everything because I have no more illusions, Listen to the song of our love Non, I can never live without you, I cannot, don’t leave, I will die. An instant without you and I no longer exist. But my love, don’t leave me! My love, I will wait for you all my life, Stay near me, come back, I beg you. I need you, I want to live for you. Oh, my love, don’t leave me! They separated on a train station quai. They parted with a last glance. Oh, I love you, don’t leave me! |
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