English Language Version?

No, never heard of it. No offense, but I think I'm just going to let sleeping dogs lie. It's so perfect the way it is. I think it's the most fantastic musical ever made.

"I've made a huge mistake"

YES!!!! I have it on video, recorded from tv almost 15 years ago. I'm desperate to find this version on DVD. For many years it was the only version I'd ever seen. They've used the same take for the dialogue scenes, it's only the musical numbers that have been re shot. Its a bit of a jolt to see them dubbed into english when they speak, and have it suddnely sync up when they sing, but then again the lip sync-ing isn't that great to begin with... but lets face it, most of the actors are miming in, to them, what is essentially a foreign language...eg: You can see Deneuve mouth the 'b' in the word 'debt'. (Catherine, if you're reading this... I love you, all is forgiven!!!). The voice actors are great. Deneuve is breathy and sound a bit like Monroe while Dorleac is a bit more husky like a young Bacall. Kelly, Chakiris and (I think) Dale all use their real voices..... except in one strange moment when Gene Kelly's voice changes mid song for just a verse, then swaps back.

(FYI.. the "quotes" listed on IMDB are song lyrics from the english version of the film, which is a completely different translation to the english subtitles that appear on the US DVD release. I can only assume the lyrics etc on the French release of the DVD is this same US translation. Personally, I would have preffered a literal translation of the french, instead of another attempt to provide something that rhymes. Whadda they ACTUALLY SINGING?????) Anyways......

Some things are a little different in this version. Eg:
1) Simon Dame has been renamed Simon Guillotine. Apparently Yvonne didn't marry him becasue:
"She had this funny feeling that if she went to bed,
She'd suddenly wake up one day without her head." (As you would!!)
2) Instead of Maxence the sailor telling Solange that he is from Nantes and saying his leave is perm' a Nantes or immi-Nantes, in this version he is from Toulouse and tells her that he's
"..just a loser from Toulouse." Ya Geddit?.... Cute.

Although it's great to have the original on DVD, in Widescreen and digitally remasterd, for me there is one beautiful moment in the english version that isn't in the french.... In the begining of the second half of the film, when Maxence meets Solange outside the house of the dead Lola Lola and they sing as she shrugs him off, in the english version Dolreac shrugs him off, looks back, and smiles back over her shoulder in a moment that seems so natural and playful. Although I'm a big fan of Catherine, I can't help but wonder what sort of carreer Francoise would have had too.

Here is a clip...

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fJfBK8uFYHU

[deleted]