Donkey Skin

1970 [FRENCH]

Action / Comedy / Drama / Fantasy / Musical / Romance

15
Rotten Tomatoes Critics - Rotten 77% · 19 reviews
Rotten Tomatoes Audience - Upright 77% · 5K ratings
IMDb Rating 7.0/10 10 7460 7.5K

princess loss of loved one cake donkey prince surrealism

Plot summary

A fairy godmother helps a princess disguise herself so she won't have to marry her father.

Director

Jacques Demy Photo
Jacques Demy

Top cast

Catherine Deneuve Photo
Catherine Deneuve as La princesse / La reine bleue
Micheline Presle Photo
Micheline Presle as La reine rouge, la seconde reine
Jacques Perrin Photo
Jacques Perrin as Le prince charmant
Jean Daniel Photo
Jean Daniel as Le troisième médecin
720p.BluRay 1080p.BluRay
829.16 MB
1204*720
French 2.0
NR
Subtitles us  
23.976 fps
1 hr 30 min
Seeds 1
1.67 GB
1792*1072
French 5.1
NR
Subtitles us  
23.976 fps
1 hr 30 min
Seeds 28

Movie Reviews

Reviewed by Oriel

Charming, light-hearted fun

The fairy tale on which this colorful musical is based might not seem the most promising story for a light-hearted movie: as the story begins, a dying queen makes her husband promise that his next wife will be as beautiful as she, and his solution is to marry his own daughter. Fortunately, our heroine has a savvy confidante, the marcel-waved fairy godmother, whose worldly advice allows the girl to keep putting off the marriage. Finally, however, the princess has to flee her kingdom and, in a Cinderella twist, disguise herself as a lowly scullion. Fortunately, even covered in a donkey's skin, she manages to win the heart of a prince.An enjoyably tongue-in-cheek combination of music, humor, and romance, this film features some of the most splendidly over-the-top costumes I've ever seen, and an adorable soft-focus, slow-motion duet between the two young lovers (with hilariously anachronistic lyrics). Actor Jean Marais, who distinguished himself in a very different fairy tale film --Cocteau's -La Belle et la Bete- --makes a distinguished if warped king, and Catherine Deneuve charms as she bakes a cake while singing the recipe--and daintily keeping her ruffled sleeves out of the batter. The fairy godmother is probably the most enjoyable character, a modish lady in high heels who has her own ideas about the king's proper romantic destiny. A plus for tourists is that much of the film takes place in actual French castles, including the one with the famous double-helix staircase.Those who prefer a darker slant to fairy tales may enjoy reading Robin McKinley's novel -Deerskin-, based on the same story. But if -The Slipper and the Rose- is more your speed, or if you want something appropriate for all ages, track down -Donkey Skin-. Just be prepared if your daughter demands a dress the color of the moon next Halloween.
Reviewed by fclacher 7 / 10

Classic French story

Weird, yes and off-putting to some, but this is a classic French "conte de fée" (fairy tale) by Charles Perrault.This man was also responsible for Little Red Riding Hood, Puss in Boots, Sleeping Beauty and Cinderella.The stories in Mother Goose also stemmed from his work.If you think about it, many of these stories contain weird or gruesome elements but are now all considered classics which we read to our children, albeit in somewhat doctored form.So, weird to Americans, but normal to the French.One cannot deny that the picture is beautifully filmed, and that the color is truly outstanding. We should note that Jacques Demy also directed the Umbrellas of Cherbourg and the Young Girls of Rochefort. There is a great similarity in attitude and art if one compares these three films of his.
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