Coco Chanel

A biographic film basically loyal to the true history of the pioneering French fashion designer who created the word " Haute Couture" and spread the spiritual Chanel Numero 5 to the whole world is bound to be arresting to movie lovers no matter they are fond of pursuing vogue in beau monde. And the truth is that it's inspiring and engaging. For one thing, Coco Chanel gave women a sense of freedom; gave them back their bodies that were drenched in sweat due to fashion's finery, lace, corsets, underclothes and padding. For another, she insists on woman's independence which may be achieved via true career. Also the two actresses gave the excellent rendition of this legendary woman.

Christian Duguay's "Coco Chanel" is a lavishly produced biopic that attempts to trace the iconic designer's rise from humble beginnings to fashion legend. The film boasts impressive period detail, with exquisite costumes and sets that transport the viewer to early 20th-century France. Shirley MacLaine delivers a compelling performance as the older Chanel, embodying the designer's steely resolve and sharp wit. However, beneath its stylish exterior, the film offers a surprisingly superficial portrayal of its complex subject.

The narrative, while chronologically following Chanel's life, often feels like a series of disconnected vignettes rather than a cohesive story. Key relationships and pivotal moments are touched upon but rarely explored with the depth they deserve. The film struggles to truly delve into Chanel's motivations, her revolutionary vision, or the darker aspects of her later life. It's a film that prioritizes aesthetic over insight, leaving the audience with a beautiful but ultimately hollow portrait of a groundbreaking figure.

Is it worth watching? Yes, if you're interested in fashion history and appreciate strong production design, but don't expect a deep character study.

tho I will not deny the qualities as the rag to riches movie, it is not really true to make it a real bio pic CoCo never really had such hard times to get ahead- tho the collectors was a nice touch..she had lovers and used her sexuality from the start, so the "hard beginnings" were not that hard. omitted is the part when in the war times she was a mistress of a nazi officer and accused of collaboration. damaging her reputation in native France, recovered and ignored in the States othrewise quite a pleasant movie..p-ity it ignored real facts..not a fairy tale but a woman who succeeded all the means she had available and survived...a bit of truth would make this movie generally stronger and would not hurt Co cO's rise to success as a strong woman, a survivor at all costs, in the end a rich but lonely woman

Shirley Maclaine is wonderful as the late older version of Coco Chanel who sets out again to prove her art as one of the finest fashion designers of ladies' fashions and perfume in the world. Barbara Borovona is also wonderful as the younger version of Coco Chanel who rises despite tragedy, hardship, and success. In this film, there are flashbacks and wonderfully done to show Coco's rise from a seamstress assistant to her own visionary. Malcolm McDowell (he deserves knighthood or something) is fine as Coco's business partner. I don't recall the names of the other cast members but they were all fine. I could see why Coco Chanel succeeded even in a male dominated business field at the time of ladies' fashion. Coco understood women being one herself and how clothes should be expressed and comfortable as well. It should be the men who get to be comfortable, women should be too.

Lifetime's 2008 film "Coco Chanel" brings back the miniseries of the 1980s, many of which were based on novels by Judith Krantz or her ilk and starred people like Jane Seymour or Stefanie Powers. When the networks ran out of money and their viewerships dropped, they stopped making them.

Lifetime can't do the work of three networks, but it can occasionally bring us something like the entertaining "Coco Chanel" and a star like Shirley MacLaine in the lead as the older, reminiscing Chanel and Barbora Bobulova as the young Chanel.

The fascinating queen of haute couture has been the subject of a Broadway show, a movie starring Audrey Tatou, and several other films, two of which are about her relationship with Igor Stravinsky.

The film does a good job of showing Chanel's poor background, love life, and rise to fame, including her beginnings as a hat maker, the introduction of Chanel No. 5, the Chanel suit, and the little black dress, but eliminates much of probably the most fascinating period of her life, World War II.

During that time. She was arrested for war crimes but never tried due to the intervention of the Royal Family. I suppose that's a movie in itself.

Coco Chanel changed the way women dressed and also introduced a new philosophy of fashion - women should dress for themselves and not their men, and true fashion comes from the streets, or it isn't fashion. She also emphasized the use of accessories.

Chanel was a powerful woman from a humble background in a class-conscious society and depended upon alliances with the wealthy to get her where she needed to go.

In showing this, the movie does a very good job and could not have picked anyone better to play the icon than Shirley MacLaine, who does a fantastic job. One complaint I have is that, as much as I liked Barbora Bobulova, there wasn't enough of the older Chanel. MacLaine's performance really dominates the movie, even when she's not in a scene!

I also liked her suggestion of an accent rather than a full-out French accent. The French accents weren't really necessary because the characters weren't really speaking English with a French accent, they were speaking French. In that case, no accent is necessary. MacLaine gave Chanel more of a cosmopolitan accent.

All in all, a strong portrait of a fascinating woman.