The Umbrellas of Cherbourg

1h 33m · 1964 · Directed by Jacques Demy · 4.1 / 5 on Letterboxd

The Umbrellas of Cherbourg (1964) runs 1h 33m, directed by Jacques Demy. It is one of 3,647 films in the 100 Minute Movies catalog — every one rated 3.0 or higher by Letterboxd members and short enough to finish in an evening.

This simple romantic tragedy begins in 1957. Guy Foucher, a 20-year-old French auto mechanic, has fallen in love with 17-year-old Geneviève Emery, an employee in her widowed mother's chic but financially embattled umbrella shop. On the evening before Guy is to leave for a two-year tour of combat in Algeria, he and Geneviève make love. She becomes pregnant and must choose between waiting for Guy's return or accepting an offer of marriage from a wealthy diamond merchant.

Genres: Drama, Romance

Where to watch: HBO Max (US, checked 9 July 2026)