French Cancan (1955)

Now this is more like it! I didn't like Elena and Her Men, but French Cancan is, thankfully, another success for Renoir. Like all Renoir films, upon first viewing, it's hard to explain why I love the film. It's just got a very friendly, easygoing vibe that casts a spell on you. But, that's Renoir's awesomeness for you.

The driving force behind the story is the conception of the famed Moulin Rouge, and, for me, the dancers' preparations for their show. In the tradition of many a sports film, you get to see them start as novices, and through the inevitable montage, you see them progress, and it's hard not to get swept up in their story and be won over by their cheerful determination. Heck, that interested me far more than the romance/jealousy part of the plot.

It's fun. It's really, really fun. Awesome.