French Cancan (Blu-ray+DVD) BFI

The legendary Jean Gabin plays Danglard, mentor and lover of the stage stars of 1890s Paris. When he discovers a naive young laundress (Françoise Arnoul) dancing in a nightclub he is inspired by her talent to revive the long-forgotten cancan in a show that the whole of Paris, rich and poor, will never forget.

Based on the true story of Moulin Rouge founder Charles Zidler, Jean Renoir’s exuberant tale of an impresario’s commitment to his art is a masterpiece of Technicolor brilliance, which features luminaries of the 1950s Parisian cafe-concert scene, Edith Piaf and Patachou, as period artistes.