French Cancan is a 1955 French musical film written and directed by Jean Renoir and starring Jean Gabin and Francoise Arnoul. Where Renoir’s previous film Le Carosse d’or had celebrated the 18th-century Italian commedia dell’arte, this work is a homage to the Parisian café-concert of the 19th century with its popular singers and dancers. Visually, the film evokes the paintings of Edgar Degas and the Impressionists, including his own father, Pierre-Auguste Renoir.[2] It also marked his return to France and to French cinema after an exile that began in 1940 Directed by Jean Renoir Produced by Louis Wipf Written by Jean Renoir André-Paul Antoine Starring Jean Gabin Françoise Arnoul María Félix Music by Georges Van Parys Cinematography Michel Kelber Edited by Borys Lewin Distributed by Gaumont Film Company Criterion Collection Release date 9 April 1955 Running time 104 minutes Country France Italy Language French Box office 4,075,306 admissions (France)