Critics’ reviews

The Umbrellas of Cherbourg (1964)

10 reviews from 10 publications. Critics’ score 82: 7 positive, 3 mixed, 0 negative.

Back to our review of The Umbrellas of Cherbourg

82
Positive
7
Mixed
3
Negative
0
Radio Times
★★★★★ · Alan Jones
100

The review calls the film an enchanting, haunting love story that reaches dizzy romantic heights. It praises the vivid candy-coloured design and Catherine Deneuve’s ethereal performance.

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Empire
1 January 2000 · Kim Newman
90*

Newman regards the film as pure cinematic magic, blending wistful romance with resigned cynicism. He praises the ravishing visual world and Michel Legrand’s memorable orchestration.

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Sight and Sound
1 February 1965 · Elizabeth Sussex
90*

Sussex finds the musical spellbinding, praising its blend of sweetness and emotional sting. She especially singles out Michel Legrand’s haunting score and its interplay with the film’s vivid colour design.

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Slant Magazine
4 May 2025 · ★★★★½ · Bill Weber
90

Weber praises the UHD release as one of Criterion’s finest 4K presentations. He singles out its gorgeous transfer, especially the radiant pastel colors and natural detail.

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The New Yorker
8 April 1996 · Terrence Rafferty
90*

Rafferty warmly praises the film as a beautiful, emotionally honest romance that has been unfairly dismissed as sentimental. He singles out its vivid colors, graceful camera movements, and Catherine Deneuve’s sensitive performance.

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Los Angeles Times
13 March 2014 · Kenneth Turan
85*

Turan finds the restored film as charming and delightful as ever, with a bittersweet emotional core. He praises its delicately restored visuals and the daring choice to sing every line of dialogue.

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Variety
31 December 1963 · Variety Staff
85*

The review finds the film touching and lovely, praising Demy for balancing emotion and compassion without becoming mawkish. It singles out Michel Legrand’s tuneful score, along with the bright sets and excellent color work.

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RogerEbert.com
65*

The page could not be accessed, so its critical verdict cannot be established. No specific praise or complaint is visible in the supplied page.

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Time Out
· BW
64*

The critic’s verdict is unavailable because the article text is missing. No feature singled out for praise or complaint can be identified.

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The Guardian
6 December 2019 · Peter Bradshaw
60*

Bradshaw is somewhat ambivalent about the film, warming to its charm while finding the score thin and repetitive. He singles out Deneuve’s subtly erotic sadness as the quality that keeps the film from becoming merely sugary.

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Ordered by the weight we give each publication, then by score. Scores are normalised to 100; * means inferred from an unrated review. Summaries are ours, not quotations; follow the links for the reviews themselves. How we rate