All Ettore Scola's films are impressing in one way or another but especially for all being totally different from each other: the diversity of his themes is always extreme. Here he has chosen to make a film of not one spoken word throughout the film but only music and dancing, and still he manages to capture the entire French 20th century from the 30s to the 80s (1936-83) in just dancing stages from different epochs but all in one and the same dancing hall. The music shifts according to the times, while some tunes reoccur now and then in different arrangements, especially "J'attendrai", and if you are familiar with higher levels of entertainment music of these times you will recognize every one of them. As a friend, who watched the film with me, said: "I danced to every one of all those melodies."
So this rare feature, reminding of nothing else, totally unique in its brillant idea and concept, is a kind of universal documentary of dance music and style during 50 years. There are some very touching and sensitive moments, as when a sole trumpet suddenly starts playing one of the most common Paris songs in overwhelming beauty, or when a missing war invalid makes his entrance on crutches and starts dancing on one leg, perhaps the finest scene in the entire film, but it is replenished with such. This is a film you will look forward to seeing again some time.
So this rare feature, reminding of nothing else, totally unique in its brillant idea and concept, is a kind of universal documentary of dance music and style during 50 years. There are some very touching and sensitive moments, as when a sole trumpet suddenly starts playing one of the most common Paris songs in overwhelming beauty, or when a missing war invalid makes his entrance on crutches and starts dancing on one leg, perhaps the finest scene in the entire film, but it is replenished with such. This is a film you will look forward to seeing again some time.