Donkey Skin (Peau d'âne)

1971

Donkey Skin (Peau d'âne)

Critics Consensus

No consensus yet.

88%

TOMATOMETER

Total Count: 17

77%

Audience Score

User Ratings: 2,947
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Movie Info

A charming fairy tale from musical innovator Jacques Demy and musical collaborator Michel Legrand. Odd but utterly endearing.

Cast

Catherine Deneuve
as Peau D'Ane
Jean Marais
as King
Jacques Perrin
as Prince
Delphine Seyrig
as Fairy
Fernand Ledoux
as Le Roi Rouge
Micheline Presle
as Queen
Pierre Repp
as Thibaud
Sacha Pitoëff
as Minister
Henri Crémieux
as Doctor
Mara Cruz
Peter Martel
Georges Adet
Paul Bonifas
Louise Chevalier
Jean Degrave
Michel Delahaye
Lucien Frégis
Gabriel Jabbour
Marion Loran
Bernard Musson
Patrick Préjean
Annie Savarin
Jean Servais
Andree Tainsy
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Critic Reviews for Donkey Skin (Peau d'âne)

All Critics (17) | Top Critics (6) | Fresh (15) | Rotten (2)

  • Even on paper this couldn't have seemed such a terrific idea.

    Feb 9, 2006 | Full Review…

    Geoff Andrew

    Time Out
    Top Critic

  • Donkey Skin is told with the simplicity and beauty of a child's fairy tale, but with emotional undertones and a surrealistic style that adults are more likely to appreciate.

    Aug 11, 2005 | Rating: 3/4 | Full Review…

    Roger Ebert

    Chicago Sun-Times
    Top Critic

  • Even if the restoration doesn't make Donkey Skin this New Wave icon's best effort, it's now that much more worthy of keeping company with The Umbrellas of Cherbourg and The Young Girls of Rochefort.

    Jan 14, 2005 | Rating: 3.5/4 | Full Review…

    Janice Page

    Boston Globe
    Top Critic

  • An ironically enchanting entertainment for grown-ups.

    Dec 23, 2004 | Full Review…

    Andrew Sarris

    Observer
    Top Critic

  • Demy loved romantic naïveté, but he loved the wreckage of human whim just as much, and for him this chestnut harbored both in its shell.

    Dec 21, 2004

    Michael Atkinson

    Village Voice
    Top Critic

  • It doesn't come off, despite a dazzling color design and imaginative sets, perhaps because Demy's extremely rarefied talent for fantasy needs to be anchored by a touch of the real.

    Jan 1, 2000 | Full Review…

    Dave Kehr

    Chicago Reader
    Top Critic
View All Critic Reviews (17)

Audience Reviews for Donkey Skin (Peau d'âne)

  • Mar 23, 2006
    [font=Century Gothic]Once upon a time, in "Donkey Skin", there was a king(Jean Marais) and queen who lived happily with their daughter(Catherine Deneuve) until the queen lay dying. On her deathbed, she makes her husband promise that he should only remarry if he can find someone who is more beautiful than she is. After a long and fruitless search, the king realizes that the only person who fits that description is his daughter and asks for her hand in marriage. Naturally, she is not crazy about the idea and goes to her fairy godmother(Delphine Seyrig) for advice. As a stalling tactic, the princess as a condition of accepting the proposal is to ask her father for dresses the colors of weather, the moon and the sun, thinking each request impossible. On each count, the king is successful, each dress more glorious than the previous one. In desperation, she is to ask for the skin of the donkey who magically defecates gems and gold. Again, he accedes. After which the fairy godmother puts the princess into the Princess Protection Program...[/font] [font=Century Gothic]"Donkey Skin" is a delightful musical fairytale brought forth by the unique vision of Jacques Demy. The movie is about all of the different varieties of love and the many varied ways people can show their affection.[/font]
    Walter M Super Reviewer
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