Bolero

Original title: Les uns et les autres

1981
2h 53m

IMDb RATING

YOUR RATING

Through fabulous music, this movie tracks three generations of musicians and dancers from Russia, Germany, France and the U.S., from before World War II through the war and the Holocaust, to... Read allThrough fabulous music, this movie tracks three generations of musicians and dancers from Russia, Germany, France and the U.S., from before World War II through the war and the Holocaust, to the 1980s. Their lives become intertwined through historical circumstances, and the culmi... Read allThrough fabulous music, this movie tracks three generations of musicians and dancers from Russia, Germany, France and the U.S., from before World War II through the war and the Holocaust, to the 1980s. Their lives become intertwined through historical circumstances, and the culmination is the presence of several of them, including a former Nazi pianist and a French Je... Read all

See production info at IMDbPro

IMDb RATING

7.3/10

2.8K

YOUR RATING

See production info at IMDbPro

Awards
- 1 win & 6 nominations

Photos24

+ 18

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Storyline

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Did you know

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Trivia
Francis Lai: The composer appears as the blind accordion player.

Goofs
(at around 1h 21 mins) The soldiers are playing cards on the train and the game they are playing changes between shots.

Crazy credits
The grand majority of the opening credits are spoken by the narrator. The narrator stops after crediting the choreographer. Only the film's production company, title and the name Claude Lelouch appear in writing before the Bolero dance at the opening (when the writing is onscreen, the orchestra is warming up). Also, a quote by Willa Cather appears at the very beginning.

Alternate versions
Presented on French television in a 6 hours version quite clearer then the shortened American release. Richard Bohringer and Fanny Ardant's characters, for example, are better developed.

Connections
Edited into Les uns et les autres (1981)

Soundtracks
Folies Bergère
Music by Francis Lai
Lyrics by Boris Bergman
Performed by Catherine Russell and Ginette Garcin

User reviews35

Review

Featured review

10/10

23 years later I still remember this film.

I may not remember everything, but this film has been on my mind since I saw it 23 years ago. I was in high school in a small town in Iowa. One of our band directors had a large collection of film on tape and laser disc. He would have movie parties for kids he taught. I showed an interest in film and he would screen some films I would have otherwise never have seen. I remember watching Bolero. (I do not think I knew it was known by any other name) I was in absolute awe of this film. The music, the story, the pacing - everything you couldn't get from popular American films.

I have avoided seeing it again in the intervening time because I did not want my more grown up sensibilities to have a different opinion of the film. After reading some of the comments here I can feel safe to view it again.