Zaza

Director: George Cukor George Cukor

Overview

In this drama, a sexy French cabaret singer falls passionately in love with a married man.

Product Details

Release Date:	05/15/2018
UPC:	0191329054987
Original Release:	1939
Source:	Universal
Language:	English
Time:	1:23:00
Sales rank:	42,915

Cast & Crew

Performance Credits

Claudette Colbert	Zaza
Herbert Marshall	Dufresne
Bert Lahr	Cascart
Helen Westley	Anais
Constance Collier	Nathalie
Genevieve Tobin	Florianne
Walter Catlett	Marlardot
Ann Todd	Toto,Toto
Rex O'Malley	Bussey
Ernest Cossart	Marchand
Rex Evans	Michelin
Robert C. Fischer	Pierre
Janet Waldo	Simone
Dorothy Tree	Mme. Dufresne
Duncan Renaldo	Animal Trainer
Olive Tell	Jeanne Liseron
John Sutton	Dandy
Michael Brooke	Dandy
Phil Warren	Dandy,Dandy
Alexander Leftwich	Larou
Frederika Brown	Pierre's Wife
Clarence Harvey	Conductor
John Power	Conductor
Maude Hume	Woman
Olaf Hytten	Waiter
Tom Ricketts	Old Gentleman
Frank Puglia	Rug Merchant
Monty Woolley	Fouget/Interviewer
Dorothy Dayton	Dancer
Billie Beurne	Tiller Girl
Darlyn Heckley	Tiller Girl
Virginia Larsen	Tiller Girl
Grace Richey	Tiller Girl
Virginia Rooney	Tiller Girl
Lillian Ross	Tiller Girl
Peggy Russell	Tiller Girl
Harriette Haddon	Dancer
Helaine Moler	Dancer
Dorothy White	Dancer
Louise Seidel	Dancer
Dorothy Hamburg	French Girl
Emily LaRue	French Girl
Mae Packer	French Girl
Colleen Ward	French Girl
Jeanne Blanche	French Girl
Penny Gill	French Girl
Jacqueline Dax	French Girl
Alice Keating	Maid
Helen Mack	Actor
Frank Loesser	Composer
Friedrich Hollaender	Composer

Technical Credits

Zoë Akins

George Cukor	Director
Albert Lewin	Producer
Zoë Akins	Screenwriter

Editorial Reviews

Even in 1939, it was clear that Zaza, the stage origins of which date back to 1899, had become more than a trifle outdated. Modern audiences are therefore likely to find its melodramatics rather on the unconvincing side. Screenwriter Zoe Akins demonstrates her skill in molding the material, but it's still a rather stilted and excessively manipulative film. Director George Cukor does help things by emphasizing the backstage aspects and helping to create an atmospheric world of theatrical sawdust that's still glamorous and terribly elegant. More importantly, Zaza has the incomparable Claudette Colbert on hand in the title role. She's not giving one of her greatest performances, but her sheer star persona goes a long way to making Zaza watchable. Colbert knows how to suffer in the grand cine-theatrical manner, and she makes much of the ripeness of the script palatable. Also invaluable is Bert Lahr, given the opportunity to be both amusing and somewhat melancholy. On the debit side is Herbert Marshall, a fine actor giving an uninspired, uninvolved performance here.