Les Demoiselles de Rochefort

http://sensesofcinema.com/2010/cteq/les-demoiselles-de-rochefort/

This article talks about how Les Demoiselles de Rochefort is both a clear nod to the American Musical Cinema of the time and "Tradition of Quality". In the film, it takes its happy, upbeat, and hopeful tone from American cinema, drawing from movies like singin' in the rain. Meanwhile, stylistically it takes its inspiration from "Tradition of Quality". "Tradition of Quality" was a French film movement that was characterized by its polishedness and Frenchness, two things which are in great abundance in this film. We can see this polishedness mainly in the color scheme of the film. Although many of the shots are films outside in the street, there is never a lack of bright colors. Furthermore, upon closer look, one will notice that it is often the case that both the background and the foreground match, colorwise. "This strategy recurs throughout the film, contributing to a constant, distancing interplay between the realism of the locations and the stylisation of the colour schemes."(Hill). However, while Demy makes clear nods to American musical theater he isn't making an American musical, instead as the author of the article writes, "he made the first true french musical", making sure to add uniquely French qualities to it.