Synopses

This two-part documentary lays bare the history of revue - from its earliest beginnings as an entertainment reserved for the rich and beautiful. We encounter a world bridging "respectable society" with the notorious "demimonde," its elements glitzy and glamorous, exotic and erotic. Its greatest and most glorious careers are considered - as are the more numerous failed careers and theaters, caught up in the daily battle for survival, often in politically gloomy times. Part One introduces the current stars of the historically important revue theaters of Europe and the US - among them the starlets of the Moulin Rouge. A century ago, in this very Parisian theater, the legendary dancer Mistinguett was acclaimed Queen of the Variétés - that was, until one day when a young woman named Josephine Baker appeared.