La vie en rose

Friday night, I went to the movie with some friends to see “La vie en rose” (or “La môme”, the kid, as it is called in French). It is the story of French icon Edith Piaf whose life was as complex and filled with misfortunes as her talent and successes were spellbinding. She is considered Frances’ greatest popular singer and her songs are still being sung decades after her death. I don’t know of any other French singer who has reached the same level of international success and notoriety since then. Canada has Celine Dion but she mostly sings in English now outside of her own country. Edith Piaf touched people all over the world with her voice whether she sang in French or not.

I had heard some reviews and although everyone agreed that Marion Cotillard who plays Edith, was absolutely amazing, the movie itself did not seem to gather the same enthusiasm. It is true that Marion’s performance from the very first time she is on screen to the last frame, is incredible. She personifies the character completely. The voice, the mannerism, the way she articulates when she “sings”, it is all there.

I enjoyed the movie a lot although there are a few elements I wished would have made it in. She wrote quite a few of her songs herself (including “La vie en rose” which became an international hit) but in the movie we only see her write the lyrics for “L’hymne à l’amour”. It is said that she wrote about 80 songs throughout her career.

The movie focuses on her love affair with Marcel Cerdan who himself became a national hero in France after he won the world middleweight championship. Although he was clearly the love of her life, she also had a long list of husbands and lovers.

They show the moment when she meets Marlene Dietrich but we don’t learn that they became friends and remained close.

Piaf also helped many Jews during WWII by hiring them in her orchestra.

I guess in a 2 hour film you have to choose what you put in and what you leave out. Overall, I loved the cinematography. I loved the way the movie was crafted with flashbacks not necessarily following a timeline.

Marion Cotillard who is a beautiful actress in her 30s (she’s been making movies since 1993), must have dazzled the director when she auditioned because I don’t see Piaf in her at all. And still she BECAME piaf.