Bolero: Dance of Life (1981)
The film follows four families, with different nationalities (French, German, Russian and American) but with the same passion for music, from the 1930s to the 1960s. The various story lines cross each other time and again in different places and times, with their own theme scores that evolve as time passes. The main event in the film is the Second World War, which throws the stories of the four musical families together and mixes their fates. Although all characters are fictional, many of them are loosely based on historical musical icons (Édith Piaf, Josephine Baker, Herbert von Karajan, Glenn Miller, Rudolf Nureyev, etc.) The Boléro dance sequence at the end brings all the threads together.
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I don't have all the words right now but this film is a work of art.
Tells a fascinating and unsettling true story, and does so well, without pretending to have all the answers.
Unshakable, witty and deeply felt, the film will be paying emotional dividends for a long, long time.
The film's masterful storytelling did its job. The message was clear. No need to overdo.
One of the Best Epic Films from France. The Film tells the stories of 4 families, from Paris, NY, Berlin and Moscow, since the beginning of WWII to the 80's, their lives and their tragedies, overcome these difficulties to finally all being reunited in a spectacular show at the Eiffel tower's feet listening Ravel's Bolero performed directed, danced and sung by the main characters.You will enjoy the film If not for the ploy for the music and choreographies. This film could be confusing when some actor plays the part of their own decedents, which is required by the plot to establish that he/she is a next of kin.it's still one of those rare films that you will love to watch from time to time, to remember us that we are all humans, life always ends in a full circle, the music is all around us and there is always hope that better times are coming.
One of the greatest classic films; saw it several times in the eighties on VHS video with an English soundtrack. It appears there is no DVD version available with an English soundtrack which seems strange and annoying as I would like to have a copy to keep. Along with Gone With The Wind and Dr Zhivago it is one of the best of its type. A complicated entwined WWII story or stories of various people brought together for a single purpose, a Unicef concert in Paris that may take a couple of viewings to piece it together but well worth it. The ballet performance to Bolero at the end is spine tingling,and from someone who does not really like ballet.....
Just viewed this movie on a DVD from Netflix. This movie is what a motion picture can be in the hands of an intelligent and talented director.The photography was wonderful, the use of color was spectacular, the sound was excellent, and the music and performances were top notch. I especially liked the full symphony orchestra segments and the American big band segments. The Folies-type musical numbers were also done with flair, and Geraldine Chaplin proved herself to be a classy cabaret singer (assuming her voice wasn't dubbed). Michel Legrand I believe was responsible for the music, which was first rate throughout.All production values were of the highest order.The final dance sequence, which lasted far longer than anything Hollywood would permit, was phenomenal; the late Jorge Donn was not Nureyev, but spectacular all the same. The robustness and uncompromisingly balletic style of the finale put the ballet sequences in a couple of American movies--American In Paris and Carousel-- in the shade. Released in the U.S. as Bolero, apparently. Without car chases, explosions, etc., I doubt if it did very well at the box office over here.
I saw that movie when it came out, and it is a great movie. I have the music for it and I still listen to it after all these year. I had the music on a record then on a cassette and now on a CD. I am looking very hard to find this film on DVD. I want to share that movie with my friends.