The Best Music Movies set in France & the American West
Getting in the mood for your next trip or vacation?
Call me a nerd, but I love watching films set in the location I’m traveling to. Before the trip, during the trip, after the trip… taking in a movie about your particular destination enhances the experience and drags it out (in the best way possible), don’t you think?
As a travel designer, editor, & guide, I’m often giving clients recommendations on where to shop, eat, stay, visit, etc. while they’re in Paris, California, or other areas in France & the Western US (my areas of expertise). They don’t usually ask me for a list of movies to watch (or books to read, etc.) in preparation for their trip, but it wouldn’t be a bad idea. I feel like this is an often overlooked step that can add so much depth and fun to the whole experience. And I don’t want anyone to miss out!
Also, when we’re not in a place to travel for whatever reason (health, budget, work, family responsibilities, etc.) I can think of no better way to feel transported to the other side of the world than by watching a good movie.
So for today, I put together a list of some fantastic films to watch if you’re traveling to France or the American West. And we’re all about art and design focused travel around here, so I took it upon myself to hone in even further, curating a list of all music-related movies.
If that sounds like your jam, here are 12 music-related movies set in France or the American West that I love (and I think you might, too).
(Links are to justwatch.com so you can see where they’re available to stream. Movies synopsis are from justwatch.com as well.)
Music Movies set in France:
La Vie en Rose : From the mean streets of the Belleville district of Paris to the dazzling limelight of New York's most famous concert halls, Edith Piaf's life was a constant battle to sing and survive, to live and love. Raised in her grandmother's brothel, Piaf was discovered in 1935 by nightclub owner Louis Leplee, who persuaded her to sing despite her extreme nervousness. Piaf became one of France's immortal icons, her voice one of the indelible signatures of the 20th century.
What Happened, Miss Simone? : The film chronicles Nina Simone's journey from child piano prodigy to iconic musician and passionate activist, told in her own words.
The Umbrellas of Cherbourg : This simple romantic tragedy begins in 1957. Guy Foucher, a 20-year-old French auto mechanic, has fallen in love with 17-year-old Geneviève Emery, an employee in her widowed mother's chic but financially embattled umbrella shop. On the evening before Guy is to leave for a two-year tour of combat in Algeria, he and Geneviève make love. She becomes pregnant and must choose between waiting for Guy's return or accepting an offer of marriage from a wealthy diamond merchant.
Les Demoiselles de Rochefort : Delphine and Solange are two sisters living in Rochefort. Delphine is a dancing teacher and Solange composes and teaches the piano. Maxence is a poet and a painter. He is doing his military service. Simon owns a music shop, he left Paris one month ago to come back where he fell in love 10 years ago. They are looking for love, looking for each other, without being aware that their ideal partner is very close...
My Way: A biopic of French pop star Claude Francois, most famous for co-writing the song 'My Way'. Tracing his life from his childhood in Egypt through his success in France to his untimely death in Paris in 1978.
Les Misérables (2012) : An adaptation of the successful stage musical based on Victor Hugo's classic novel set in 19th-century France, in which a paroled prisoner named Jean Valjean seeks redemption.
The Chorus : Set in 1940s France, a new teacher at a school for disruptive boys gives hope and inspiration.
An American in Paris : Jerry Mulligan is an exuberant American expatriate in Paris trying to make a reputation as a painter. His friend Adam is a struggling concert pianist who's a long time associate of a famous French singer, Henri Baurel. A lonely society woman, Milo Roberts, takes Jerry under her wing and supports him, but is interested in more than his art.
Gainsbourg : A glimpse at the life of French singer Serge Gainsbourg, from growing up in 1940s Nazi-occupied Paris through his successful song-writing years in the 1960s to his death in 1991 at the age of 62.
Funny Face: A shy Greenwich Village book clerk is discovered by a fashion photographer and whisked off to Paris where she becomes a reluctant model.
Marie Antoinette : A retelling of France's iconic but ill-fated queen, Marie Antoinette, from her betrothal and marriage to Louis XVI at 15 to her reign as queen at 19 and ultimately the fall of Versailles.
Music Movies set in the Western US:
Love & Mercy : In the late 1960s, the Beach Boys' Brian Wilson stops touring, produces "Pet Sounds" and begins to lose his grip on reality. By the 1980s, Wilson, under the sway of a controlling therapist, finds a savior in Melinda Ledbetter.
Almost Famous : In 1973, 15-year-old William Miller's unabashed love of music and aspiration to become a rock journalist lands him an assignment from Rolling Stone magazine to interview and tour with the up-and-coming band, Stillwater.
Straight Outta Compton : In 1987, five young men, using brutally honest rhymes and hardcore beats, put their frustration and anger about life in the most dangerous place in America into the most powerful weapon they had: their music. Taking us back to where it all began, Straight Outta Compton tells the true story of how these cultural rebels—armed only with their lyrics, swagger, bravado and raw talent—stood up to the authorities that meant to keep them down and formed the world’s most dangerous group, N.W.A. And as they spoke the truth that no one had before and exposed life in the hood, their voice ignited a social revolution that is still reverberating today.
The Last Waltz : Martin Scorsese's documentary intertwines footage from "The Band's" incredible farewell tour with probing backstage interviews and featured performances by Eric Clapton, Bob Dylan, Joni Mitchell, Van Morrison, and other rock legends.
Lala Land : Sebastian and Mia are both struggling to achieve their dreams in Los Angeles. While Sebastian wants to indulge in his love of music, Mia is determined to become a successful actress. They form an unlikely bond and passionately push each other to reach their goals. Set in a colorful reality inspired by classic cinema, La La Land was written and directed by Damien Chazelle.
Seven Brides for Seven Brothers : In 1850 Oregon, when a backwoodsman brings a wife home to his farm, his six brothers decide that they want to get married too.
Cobain: Montage of Heck : Hailed as one of the most innovative and intimate documentaries of all time, experience Kurt Cobain like never before in the only ever fully authorized portrait of the famed music icon. Academy Award nominated filmmaker Brett Morgen expertly blends Cobain's personal archive of art, music, never seen before movies, animation and revelatory interviews from his family and closest friends.
A Star is Born (2019) : A seasoned rockstar, Jackson Maine, falls in love with a struggling but brilliant talented singer, Ally. She is on the verge of giving up her dreams when Jackson helps her claim the spotlight she deserves. But their relationship becomes more complicated as their careers go in opposite directions and Jackson struggles to cope with addiction. A Star is Born (2018) is the fourth version of the story to be told on film, following in the footsteps of versions from 1937, 1954 and 1976.
This is Spinal Tap : "This Is Spinal Tap" shines a light on the self-contained universe of a metal band struggling to get back on the charts, including everything from its complicated history of ups and downs, gold albums, name changes and undersold concert dates, along with the full host of requisite groupies, promoters, hangers-on and historians, sessions, release events and those special behind-the-scenes moments that keep it all real.
The Unsinkable Molly Brown : The buoyant Molly Brown has survived the first crisis of her life—a flood. Sixteen years later she sets out to make her way in the world. She assures the Leadville saloon keeper that she can sing and play the piano, and learns quickly. Soon she marries Johnny Brown, who in a few years will be able to replace the original cigar wrapper wedding ring with a replica in gold and gemstones. The Browns head for Europe and bring a few crowned heads back to Denver for a party that turns into a ballroom brawl. Molly goes to Europe alone, returning on the Titanic. She didn't survive a flood as a baby for the story to end here.
Homecoming (2019) : This intimate, in-depth look at Beyoncé's celebrated 2018 Coachella performance reveals the emotional road from creative concept to cultural movement.
Walk the Line : A chronicle of country music legend Johnny Cash's life, from his early days on an Arkansas cotton farm to his rise to fame with Sun Records in Memphis, where he recorded alongside Elvis Presley, Jerry Lee Lewis and Carl Perkins.
Billie Eilish: The World’s a Little Blurry : This documentary offers a deeply intimate look at extraordinary teenager Billie Eilish. Award-winning filmmaker R.J. Cutler follows her journey on the road, onstage, and at home with her family as the writing and recording of her debut album changes her life.
MORE ART/DEsIGN FOCUSED FRANCE TRAVEL RESOURCES:
Paris by Design: An Inspired Guide to the City’s Creative Side
Paris by Design Top 20 for 2022
MORE ART/DESIGN FOCUSED WESTERN US RESOURCES:
L.A. by Design Top 20 for 2022
Utah Inspiration Board on Pinterest
Now it’s your turn… Do you have a favorite among the movies listed above? Or do you have any favorite music-related films set in France or the West that I left off the list? Let me know in the comments below!
If you’d like more armchair travel inspo for Paris (books, songs, movies, art, etc), check out the “In the Mood” section (written by contributor Kira Cook) in my book, Paris by Design.
And/or if you’d like weekly travel/art/design intel and inspiration sent straight to your inbox, sign up to get Letters from Eva here (or above).
If you think you might be interested in going on a small, thoughtfully guided trip to Paris, Provence, elsewhere in France, or a creative retreat in the Western US, sign up for our special contact list here. (I only email it when I have specific intel about the trips to share.)
And finally, don’t forget to check out my travel design services if you are taking a trip to France or the West and would love to hand over the heavy lifting to someone who spends countless hours researching and exploring every year on the ground in France, online, in books, and everywhere in between. I’ll tailor your trip to your specific needs and interests, hook you up with my local insider intel and contacts, and save you incredible amounts of time.
x Eva
This post was originally a Letter from Eva, published on March 11, 2021. It was updated and expanded on June 28, 2022.