The Umbrellas of Cherbourg

Madame Émery and her 17-year-old daughter Geneviève run a tiny, struggling umbrella boutique in the coastal town of Cherbourg, Normandy. Guy is a young auto mechanic who lives with and cares for his sickly aunt and godmother Élise. The boutique is saved from bankruptcy when Roland Cassard, a kind, young, very wealthy Parisian jeweler, agrees to buy some of Madame Émery's jewelry. Though Madame Émery disapproves, Guy and Geneviève are deeply in love; they plan to marry and name their first child Françoise. At the same time, Madeleine, a quiet young woman who looks after Élise, is secretly in love with Guy. Guy is drafted to serve in the Algerian War. The night before he leaves, he and Geneviève pledge their undying love and have sex. Geneviève learns she is pregnant and writes to Guy, but his replies are sporadic. Her mother tells her that Guy has forgotten her and she should move on. Geneviève is courted by Roland, who wants to marry her despite her pregnancy. In one of the connections among Demy's trilogy of films, Roland had previously unsuccessfully wooed the title character in the earlier Lola (1961); now he relates a version of this story to Madame Émery. Madame Émery urges Geneviève to choose a secure future with Roland. Roland announces that he will be going to Amsterdam for three months, and will wait for Geneviève's answer until his return. Upon his return Geneviève marries him in a great cathedral, but she appears ambivalent about her decision. Returning injured from the war, Guy learns that Geneviève has married and left Cherbourg. He has a difficult time readjusting to civilian life. After an argument with his boss at the garage, he quits his job, goes drinking in a seedy bar, and spends the night with a prostitute. When he returns to his apartment, Madeleine tells him that Élise has died. Guy sees that Madeleine loves him, and he rebuilds his life with her help. Using his inheritance, he opens a new American-style gas station. Madeleine agrees to marry him, though she wonders whether he is merely on the rebound after losing Geneviève. Four years later, on a snowy Christmas Eve, Guy and Madeleine are in the office of their gas station with their small son François. As Madeleine and François leave to visit Santa Claus, a now wealthy Geneviève and her daughter Françoise arrive. Guy invites Geneviève into the station's office, where she reveals this is her first time in Cherbourg since her marriage. When asked if he wants to meet his daughter, Guy declines. On her way out, Geneviève looks back at Guy one last time before driving off. Madeleine returns with François, and Guy greets her with a kiss.