Peau d'Ane

Let's talk French cinema!

I recently saw a French cult classic, Peau d'Ane. This fairytale was made into a film in 1970,  directed by Jacques Demy and starring the ever fabulous Catherine Deneuve.

It was filmed at Chateau de Chambord, which I have had the great pleasure to visit and have yet to blog about. Here is a little glimpse of the marvelous castle. (Not my photo, too big to get in camera frame.)

Translated as "Donkey Skin" in English, this tale spins a marvelous yarn about a king whose wife dies. The King promised his wife upon her deathbed that he would only remarry a woman as beautiful and talented as herself. Eventually the king decided to marry his own daughter.

Horrified, his daughter (Catherine Deneuve) runs to her fairy godmother for advice. The fairy godmother suggests that she make impossible demands. She asked for a dress the color of the sky, the moon and as bright as the sun. He granted all her wishes. Finally she asked for the hide to his donkey whose droppings were gold. He granted this as well.

The Princess fled with a magical chest in which to keep her magical dresses and disguised herself in the donkey skin. She found a job in the kitchen of a royal farm, despite the fact that she was hideously ugly in her donkey skin. On holidays, In the privacy of her poor dwelling, she would put on her magical dresses.

One day the Prince came by and peeped through a window. He saw the beautiful Princess in her gown and instantly fell in love. He became ill with his longing for the Princess and refused to listen to the harsh words others said about the Donkey Skin Girl. He declared that nothing could cure him except a cake baked by Donkey Skin.

The Princess baked him a cake and one of her rings fell into the batter. The Prince found the ring and declared that he would only marry the woman whose finger fit the ring.

Every woman in the kingdom failed to fit into the ring. He finally insisted that Donkey Skin try. She did and the ring fit perfectly. Her Donkey Skin fell away and she was revealed to be the the beautiful Princess that she was, dressed in one of her magic gowns.

Her father married a widow his own age and everyone lived happily ever after.

Voila a little clip. The famous scene of the Princess baking the cake.



Gros bisous et a demain!

Love, Charley