no regrets

Rating: 9/10 (16 June 2007)

Not an easy picture to find, especially in a theater that offers quality sound. That having been said, this film bio is at or near the top of the list of this genre. For those not familiar with Piaf, she was a chanteuse most popular in the late 1930's thru the 1950's. She was French personified in her temperament, behavior and personality. Not the French as we know them today, but of a period of economic depression and war. Her life was one of continuous sadness and that is reflected in her choice of songs and her inflective interpretations. There are many remarkable scenes, flashbacks interspersed with the current periods. Notable was her 'fling' with Marcel Cerdan, a French boxer who won the middle weight title of the world from Tony Zale. Her life was permeated with sadness, therefore, the film is much the same.
The performance of Marion Cotillard is beyond description, so wonderful was she in adapting to the role. That was the highlight of the film, but the content and other supporting roles were equally well researched and were joyous, although intrinsically sad, to perceive.
A must for bio fans, especially of that era, and of European flavor.