1955 / 116m - France
Drama, Romance
1.5*/5.0*
Lola Montès poster

Watches

May 06, 2022

1.5*/5.0*

My third Ophüls turns out to be his final film. Apparently, the production of Lola Montès was a terrible mess, with studios coming in and changing the film behind his back. It's no surprise then the director called it quits, at least history did him right and his final film got reinstated in its original form.

The plot revolves around the titular character, a famous woman who ends up as a literal circus attraction after having led an eventful and prosperous life. While working at the circus, she thinks back of all the lovers she's had and the drama she's been through. A pretty typical structure for a biography.

The circus bits are surprisingly fun and moody, the flashbacks (which make up most of the film) are not on the same level. The colors are a bit garish and the acting isn't really that great, but I was expecting worse. I'm not a big biography fan and Lola Montès certainly won't change my mind, but there are some minor highlights.