I have actually already seen this movie but it was a very long time ago and, this time, I went to see it on the big screen with my beloved film club so it was a really different experience. Eventually, I thought it was pretty good but it is definitely an acquired taste, a taste obviously shared by Wes Anderson who was definitely inspired by this movie, especially when he made his last flick ‘The Grand Budapest Hotel’. Still, you have to admit it, for a movie which was made almost 60 years, it was quite bold and, unsurprisingly, it was a flop when it was released but it has become since then a French classic. By the way, it was pretty neat to see for the first time a French movie with the club. Eventually, it looked all great and there were even some funny bits but, eventually, you never really got to know Lola Montès. Exactly like Wes Anderson, it seems that Ophuls didn’t care much for the character(s) and above all focused on the impressive scenes, full of colors, daft costumes and once again, it was all about the mood but not really about the substance. Still, to conclude, it was an intriguing flick and it is definitely worth a look, especially if you like the genre.
7/10