4. 4. – 6. 4. 2025

Can-Can

In 1896 Paris, a female nightclub proprietor fights against the forces of public morality for the right to feature her performers doing the risqué dance, the Can-Can.

Original title: Can-Can
Director: Walter Lang
Production: 1960, USA
Length: 126 min. + intermission

Screened:

KRRR! 2025: 70mm 2.2:1, Colours faded, MG 6ch, Spoken language: English, Subtitles: Czech, Swedish

Annotation for KRRR! 2025 by Veronika Bičíková

Paris at the end of the 19th century, the golden era of the can-can, bohemian parties and seductive dancers in the Parisian cabarets. This is one of the attractions of the film, which combines romance, humor and social satire.

Simone Pistache (Shirley MacLaine) owns a cabaret where the can-can is danced despite the ban, which repeatedly leads to police raids. However, Simone is not afraid to break the rules and relies on her lawyer François Durnais (Frank Sinatra), who protects her from prison and faces a moral dilemma between the law and his feelings for Simone. The situation is further complicated by judge Philippe Forrestier (Louis Jourdan), who orders the raid and tries to put an end to the dance, when he himself eventually succumbs to Simone's charms.

The 1960 can-can, while boasting a stellar cast and set design, is a significant departure from the original Broadway version, which led to negative reviews when it was first released. Critics said the original musical score had been reduced to fragments, the story had been altered, and the dance numbers had become dull and tired. This departure from the original – both in choreography and musical concept – they said undermined the dynamism and energy that the musical had brought to Broadway.

The film also became widely known for somewhat less aesthetic reasons. It was controversial during its production, when then-Soviet leader Nikita Khrushchev called the film “immoral” while visiting the set. Khrushchev's statement that "the face of humanity is more beautiful than its ass" attracted media attention and directed another wave of public interest towards Can-Can.

Although Can-Can was not received positively at the time of its premiere, it is now considered one of the classic Hollywood musicals, enchanting with its atmosphere and iconic musical numbers, where it is difficult to resist the rhythm and let yourself be carried away into a world where passion and freedom reign - and where conservative values collude with the joy of life. We can look forward to plenty of dancing, colorful costumes, energy and musical numbers, which are worth seeing on the big screen in a 70mm projection.