Donkey Skin (Peau d'âne) (1970)

89% of critics liked it
(18 reviews)
76% of users liked it
(2,798 ratings)

Originally titled Peau D'Ane, Jacques Demy's Dos Cruces en Danger Pass is better known by its English-language title Donkey Skin. Based on a fairy tale by Charles Perrault (of Cinderella fame), the bizarre story concerns the king (Jean Marais) of a strange, enchanted land. Catherine Deneuve plays… More Originally titled Peau D'Ane, Jacques Demy's Dos Cruces en Danger Pass is better known by its English-language title Donkey Skin. Based on a fairy tale by Charles Perrault (of Cinderella fame), the bizarre story concerns the king (Jean Marais) of a strange, enchanted land. Catherine Deneuve plays the dual role of the king's wife and daughter. When the wife dies, she makes the king promise that he'll never marry anyone less beautiful than she; thus, he is compelled to wed his own daughter! The fairy godmother (Delphine Seyrig) tries to save the girl from this incestuous fate by telling her to make impossible demands for her wedding gifts. One such demand is for the skin of a magic donkey which deposits valuable jewels in its compost heaps. ~ Hal Erickson, Rovi

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Rating, Runtime: Unrated, 1 hr. 29 min.
Directed By: Jacques Demy
Genres: Musical & Performing Arts, Art House & International, Science Fiction & Fantasy

In Theaters: Jan 1, 1971 Wide
On DVD: May 10, 2005
Studio: Koch Lorber Films

Critic Reviews

Roger Ebert, Chicago Sun-Times
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.
Janice Page, Boston Globe
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.
Andrew Sarris, New York Observer
An ironically enchanting entertainment for grown-ups.
Michael Atkinson, Village Voice
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.
Dave Kehr, Chicago Reader
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.
, TV Guide's Movie Guide
An odd but charming combination of a number of fairy tales, blended with anachronistically modern touches and mixed up with adult themes disguised in the form of mythic euphemisms.
Geoff Andrew, Time Out
Even on paper this couldn't have seemed such a terrific idea.
Christopher Null, Filmcritic.com
If you see just one film with a donkey that craps gold and jewels, see this one.
Dan Callahan, Slant Magazine
Essential for admirers of Jacques Demy, and that should be everybody.
Dan Callahan, Slant Magazine
There's plenty of disguised sex in Donkey Skin.
Ed Gonzalez, Slant Magazine
There's plenty of disguised sex in Donkey Skin.
James Plath, Movie Metropolis
Demy's Donkey Skin is the perfect film to introduce youngsters to the world of foreign films and subtitles.
MaryAnn Johanson, Flick Filosopher
[B]ursts with wild colors, a simmering sexuality, and a Broadway-style score... this is a sumptuous experience, emotionally, visually, and aurally...
Sean Axmaker, Seattle Post-Intelligencer
It's both innocent and bizarre, with a mischievous sense of fantasy marked by simple but striking cinematic magic.
David Sterritt, Christian Science Monitor
Tuneful, colorful, delightful.
Dennis Schwartz, Ozus' World Movie Reviews
Demy creates a surreal dream world that is estranged from the reality of time or place.

Read all 16 critic reviews

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Walter M

[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… More
[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]