Faubourg 36 (Paris 36) poster & wallpaper
Get movie widget Recommend it Add to Favorites

Gérard Jugnot, Clovis Cornillac, Kad Merad, Nora Arnezeder, Pierre Richard ... see more see more... , Bernard-Pierre Donnadieu , Maxence Perrin , François Morel , Élisabeth Vitali , Christophe Kourotchkine , Eric Naggar , Eric Prat , Julien Courbey , Philippe Du Janerand , Marc Citti , Christian Bouillette , Thiery Nenez

A star is born in a time of both celebration and instability in this historical drama with music from director Christophe Barratier. In the spring of 1936, Paris is in a state of uncertainty; while th... read more read more...e rise of the Third Reich in Germany worries many, a leftist union-oriented candidate, Léon Blum, has been voted into power, and organized labor is feeling its new power by standing up to management. While such matters might normally seem unimportant to Germain Pigoil (Gérard Jugnot), who runs a small vaudeville house in the Faubourg district, the chaos of the city seems to be impacting his life and his work -- his wife, Viviane (Elisabeth Vitali), has run off with her lover, she demands custody of their son, Jojo (Maxence Perrin), and unscrupulous local entrepreneur Galapiat (Bernard-Pierre Donnadieu) threatens to put Germain's theater out of business. With the help of a local political organizer, Milou (Clovis Cornillac), and veteran entertainer Jacky Jacquet (Kad Merad), Germain strikes a deal with Galapiat to reopen the theater, but business is slow until a lovely young woman with a remarkable voice, Douce (Nora Arnezeder), comes looking for a spot in Germain's show. Faubourg 36 (aka Paris 36) received its North American premiere at the 2008 Montreal World Film Festival. ~ Mark Deming, Rovi

Flixster Users

58% liked it

3,607 ratings

Critics

61% liked it

80 critics

PG-13, 1 hr. 42 min.

Directed by: Christophe Barratier

Release Date: April 3, 2009

Invite friends to see

DVD Release Date: August 11, 2009

Get It:

Stats: 267 reviews

report incorrect info

Photos

None yet... Got one?

Your Rating


clear rating

Flixster Reviews (267)

  • fernandorafael
    April 23, 2010
    fernandorafael
    Oniric fantasy set in 1936 Paris. Costume design, cinematography and music are top-notch. Borrows themes from "Cinema Paradiso" and "Moulin Rouge!" and is indelibly and undeniably influenced by THE French film of the last 20 years, "Le Fabuleux Destin d'Amélie Poulain".

    FAUBOU... read moreRG 36, or Paris 36 (as it's known outside of France), is evidently clichéd, but beautiful nonetheless. Gérard Jugnot, Clovis Cornillac, Kad Merad and Nora Arzeneder are outstanding in the four most prominent roles in the Christophe Barratier (Les Choristes)-directed film.

    The rushed, and unnecessarily tragic ending is a dark spot on an otherwise bright film.
  • aliceinpunderland
    February 8, 2010
    aliceinpunderland
    Simply delightful! The relationships are so multi-faceted and uplifting: Pigoil and JoJo (estranged father and son), Pigoil and Milou (resentful friends), Milou and Douce (distanced lovers), Galapiat and Douce (tyrannic benefactor and unwilling protege). Smaller parts like Rad... read moreio Man and Jacky provide the glue that holds the Chansonia together.

    Everyone has their falls from grace and their subsequent redemptions. The music is perky fun, and the frame story starts and stops at reasonable places. It's just a nice, happy movie :~)
  • neverteaseaweasel
    November 30, 2009
    neverteaseaweasel
    This is honestly one of the most entertaining things I have seen recently. Granted, its predictable, and there is certainly a sense of "I've seen this before...". Still, its incredible fun and charastmatic. It has a historical setting and tone, but its not overtly historical. Its... read more distintively French, but also reminisant of classic Hollywood. I'm kind of curious as too if the songs were created for the film, or if they are traditional French songs... If they are original, they are really pretty impressive. I also really liked how the whole thing revolved around the Chansonia- sort of like how the Moulin Rouge is the backdrop of Moulin Rouge! or Hogarts in Harry Potter. There is a certain audience that will absolutely love this movie, and just as many that will hate it. Its certainly not for everyone; but its visual and entertaining, and, personally, I liked it quite a lot. Its definately a movie I will watch again and again. =]
  • gator681
    July 9, 2010
    gator681
    "Paris 36" starts as Germain Pigoil(Gerard Jugnot) tells a police detective(Marc Citti) why he murdered someone. Previously, Germain was the stage manager at the Chansonia, a music hall, until Galapiat(Bernard-Pierre Donnadieu), an evil capitalist, forces out Dorfeuil(Jean Lesco... read moret), the owner, in the waning moments of 1935 and closes the joint. In the first months of 1936, Germain's wife Viviane(Elisabeth Vitali) leaves him and his young son Jojo(Maxence Perrin) supports his drinking anonymously with his accordion playing. Things change radically when Leon Blum and his Popular Front get elected, as strikes are declared and the Chansonia is occupied, waking Germain from his drunken slumber.

    "Paris 36" is a total victory for production design over content and depth, creating a beautiful looking world while forgetting to fill it with anything meaningful. In the process, it gives short shrift to politics at a point in history when anything was possible. As it is, the movie is simply about people wanting to put on a show, which has been done plenty of times before, with little magic to show for its efforts. It eventually does come together in the end but it is a long way to go for so little.
  • panta2
    July 7, 2011
    panta2
    I was wondering how to write a review for this one... One wants very much to like French filmmaker Christophe Barratier's Paris 36. You can find musical numbers which are very enjoyable and actress Nora Arnezeder is a pleasure to watch. The music of the predominantly accordion sc... read moreores and the cartoonish Parisian setting is precisely what majority of people could imagine when talking about the city of love and romance... but there's something which seems so ingenuine about the whole thing. The style of the film is uncomfortably detached from much of the subject matter.

    The stoey is set against the backdrop of workers fighting for the right to unionize and the rising anti-Semitic sentiments of 1936, and the film had the potential to be a powerful and frightening historical account, but all this is glossed over with nostalgia. No intensity at all in the situations of social horrors of the period and the film sometimes switches from the children performing in the streets to brutal violence with no change in atmosphere. Imagine someone beat to death with a club after "Edelweise" number from Sound of Music - it's just out of place.

    It wasn't a bad movie and it is unfortunate that the film suffers from a grievous duality of focus.
  • DocHalister
    December 5, 2011
    DocHalister
    This film has great strengths, but also some very lame moments. The music is winning. And then there is this completely ENCHANTING young actress/singer, Nora Arnezeder. What a debut! The cinematography (Tom Stern) and art direction is superb. Amazing tracking and elevator bo... read moreom shots! Great composition! It's a beautiful film visually.
    Oh, but then there's the rather weak script and a few scenes that are painfully bad to watch. Eventually I just switched off the DVD's English subtitles. No reason to follow the dialogue, and trying was distracting me from the visuals.
    Now, how to review the film overall then? I'll give it 60%. Addendum re: Nora Arnezeder: In a featurette included in the DVD we learn she was only 17 when she auditioned for this role! Now, barely four years later, (late 2011), a search shows she has five major motion pictures currently in production or post-production. If she chose those projects wisely she will be Europe's biggest superstar in short order. And just for the guys: a little Google Image searching turns up topless pix of this barely-legal Mademoiselle, apparently taken at the Riviera. Perfection!
  • Tecnoandre
    October 29, 2011
    Tecnoandre
    French film directed by Christophe Barratier. This film is set in 1930s Paris.When a neighborhood music hall closes down, a trio of unemployed friends vow to bring the business back from the dead by staging a musical they hope will be a hit. If their gamble pays off, they'll have... read more the money to buy the theater for themselves and the power to control their own destinies.Well made film with precise era reconstruction.Great musical numbers in a good french movie.
  • SunilJawahir
    November 11, 2009
    SunilJawahir
    I liked this for the most part but can't recommend it. It's kinda Moulin Rouge-y and mostly a blah movie with good intentions but lacks any serious passion. It takes a good 30 minutes to get into it and the ending makes you feel like you wasted your time. It's a great looking mov... read moreie though.
  • jjb3332003
    October 22, 2010
    jjb3332003
    A wonderful blend of comedy, drama, music, and love. Nora Arnezeder truly deserved her French film awards, she was utterly adorable.
  • filmguy450
    November 20, 2009
    filmguy450
    A surprisingly goofy good time comedy about a revival of a music hall in Paris 1936 and how it affects everyone. Very entertaing and funny. Some of the subtitles went by too quickly though, which sucked.

View All Faubourg 36 (Paris 36) Reviews

Critic Reviews

Andrea Gronvall
April 24, 2009
Andrea Gronvall, Chicago Reader

Essentially a pastiche, as musty as a flea market. Full Review

Mike Mayo
April 23, 2009
Mike Mayo, Washington Post

Paris 36 is a handsomely made French musical that never really soars. Full Review

Roger Moore
April 22, 2009
Roger Moore, Orlando Sentinel

An utterly charming and sentimental French melodrama with music, a nostalgic look backstage and back in history. Full Review

Carrie Rickey
April 16, 2009
Carrie Rickey, Philadelphia Inquirer

The nicest that can be said of this unapologetically schmaltzy, and not unenjoyable, affair is that it is the best 1936 musical made in 2009. Full Review

Colin Covert
April 16, 2009
Colin Covert, Minneapolis Star Tribune

It's an overstuffed homage to a bygone style of show business rather than a vigorous piece of entertainment on its own. Full Review

Mick LaSalle
April 10, 2009
Mick LaSalle, Houston Chronicle

Somehow its value is never communicated to the audience in a felt way. Or maybe that's simply the crucial aspect of Paris 36 that didn't make it safely across the Atlantic. Full Review

Ethan Gilsdorf
April 9, 2009
Ethan Gilsdorf, Boston Globe

In the clumsy hands of Barratier, whose last film, The Chorus, irked many as maudlin, Paris 36 becomes a mostly pointless exercise in nostalgia. Full Review

Roger Ebert
April 9, 2009
Roger Ebert, Chicago Sun-Times

The movie otherwise lacks a certain energy, advances somewhat creakily through its plot and contains mostly obligatory surprises. Still, it's pleasant and amusing. Full Review

Peter Rainer
April 6, 2009
Peter Rainer, Christian Science Monitor

The film is deliberately old-fashioned in its approach; the story line is resolutely linear and the production values are deluxe. It all makes for a fairly enjoyable, if schematic, backstage extravaga... Full Review

Kevin Thomas
April 3, 2009
Kevin Thomas, Los Angeles Times

An irresistible and impeccable period musical set against the political and economic turmoil of France in the mid-'30s. Full Review

Critic ratings and reviews powered by RottenTomatoes.com

Fresh (60% or more critics rated the movie positively)

Rotten (59% or fewer critics rated the movie positively)

Cast

More Like This

This list looks lonely.
Add a suggestion!

Facts

No facts approved yet. Be the first

Faubourg 36 (Pari... : Watch Free on TV

Movie Quizzes

No quizzes for Faubourg 36 (Paris 36). Want to create one?

Video Clips

Upload a Video |

All Faubourg 36 (Paris 36) Videos

Meet Other Fans

Add Faubourg 36 (Paris 36) to favorites

Recent News

No recent headlines. Got one?

Recent Lists

Make a List |

View All Lists

Most Popular Skin

No skins yet. Interested in creating one?