Lola; Jacques Demy’s first feature film observes a stunning cabaret dancer Lola (Anouk Aimée) and an unemployed daydreaming Roland (partly autobiographical to Demy’s own life played by Marc Michel) as they struggle to find passion in a 10 year old romance. Like Truffaut, Demy idealizes the Hollywood Golden Age for their whimsical tales and professionalism, but bites harder into the psychological impact of his characters. Lola and Roland both long for their first feelings of true love, but unfortunately only Roland feels this for Lola. Lola’s emotional hardship stems from the 7-year absence of her lover Michael (Jacques Harden), for whom she desperately waits for through emotionless sex from American sailors. Though the story here is a fine tale, the seductiveness of the characters quest to regain the feelings of their first true love allows more for the viewer. Demy seduces an internal interest from the viewer in each of the character’s longing so honestly that our very own nostalgia comes pouring out of our eyes. Because essentially that’s all that we want, a relative character to project our own despair upon. While the theme may seem somber, don’t be fooled, this musical (without the music) will have you smiling till it hurts.