Reviews

It must be nearly 20 years ago that I saw this film on a VHS rental and fell in love with it. I agree with other reviewers that it's a solid 10, one of the best movies ever made. I don't agree that it requires a love for dancing, or even a great interest in music, although the music, songs and dancing are great. While the movie is set in a French dance hall, which contributes a very special kind of atmosphere, it really isn't just a movie about dancing by any means. The fact that it hasn't a single word of spoken dialogue may be seen by some as a gimmick, and perhaps one that's made DVD producers shy away from it. The only available DVD seems to be the very expensive version in European format. What a pity.

I think this movie is pure Eastwood: not trying for the spectacular or flashy, not aiming for any Oscars, but honest, well-crafted, original in theme, touching and memorable. It deserves more attention than it's gotten and is deeper than it's been given credit for. Eastwood himself has said that if he ever had anything to say as a director it's in this film. It's a great addition to Eastwood's large and impressive body of work, and shows yet again that he is never afraid to take chances.

This was incomparably better than the glitzy, overhyped, award-winning movie of the same title that came out the following year. It's unfortunate that a first-class piece of work like this is virtually overlooked, while another movie that has nothing to offer but multimillion-dollar special effects and a silly, inaccurate, unrealistic story received so much attention and praise.