ImageIt is inevitable that the Lifetime TV miniseries Coco Chanel will be compared with its big screen sibling Coco Avant Chanel. And unfortunately it may well suffer for it. However Christian Duguay’s insightful and elegant look into the beginnings of the French fashion icon has the added drawcard of acting icon Shirley MacLaine in top billing.
Opening with Chanel’s attempted revival in the 1970s, MacLaine sits on the famous mirrored staircase, and at once exudes the wry melancholia of a flagging idol. Cutting backwards and forwards through time, MacLaine is matched by Barbora Bobulova as the young Coco Chanel, who well conveys the wit and gumption of the upwardly mobile orphan.
In the picturesque French countryside, Chanel finds a lover in wealthy socialite Etienne Balsan (Sagamore Stévenin), a kindred spirit in English expat Boy Capel (Olivier Sitruk), and inspiration to follow her creative spirit.
Full of passion, social politics and a lusty love triangle tango, Coco Chanel imbues the beginnings of its icon with the stuff of legend. And while the trappings of fame and the prospect of failure face an older Chanel, the miniseries ends where every woman’s wardrobe begins: the little black dress.
Opening with Chanel’s attempted revival in the 1970s, MacLaine sits on the famous mirrored staircase, and at once exudes the wry melancholia of a flagging idol. Cutting backwards and forwards through time, MacLaine is matched by Barbora Bobulova as the young Coco Chanel, who well conveys the wit and gumption of the upwardly mobile orphan.
In the picturesque French countryside, Chanel finds a lover in wealthy socialite Etienne Balsan (Sagamore Stévenin), a kindred spirit in English expat Boy Capel (Olivier Sitruk), and inspiration to follow her creative spirit.
Full of passion, social politics and a lusty love triangle tango, Coco Chanel imbues the beginnings of its icon with the stuff of legend. And while the trappings of fame and the prospect of failure face an older Chanel, the miniseries ends where every woman’s wardrobe begins: the little black dress.
Published in the November issue of Filmink.
Coco Chanel is available to rent or purchase on DVD.
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