Vaudeville is dead. French filmmaker Christophe Barratier knows that as well as anyone. But in the tradition of using the past to interpret the present he attempts to bring the vivacity of the Parisian version of Vaudeville-variety shows-back to life in his latest film "Paris 36."

Colorful, accompanied by accordions and indelibly French, "Paris 36" unfolds in the imagined Parisian suburb called the Faubourg, a working class neighborhood. As the title suggests, the year is 1936: just after the promising election of the left-wing French Prime Minister Leon Blum and with Europe on the brink of WWII. Set against this context, the film deals with conflicting ideologies in a world where people are just struggling to survive.

In the film, the Faubourg is being seized by a fascist real estate tycoon, Galapiat. In his quest to monopolize, he takes over the

Chansonia, an old music hall, and evicts its employees. Among those deposed are down-on-his-luck stage manager Pigoil, would-be-actor Jacky and stagehand-turned-communist Milou. Out of work and rebellious, the three lead an occupation of the Chansonia and vow to put on a blockbuster show that will save the theater. Galapiat-a soft-eyed, self-satisfying mob-boss who is creepy but not as menacing as he be could be-grudgingly agrees.

The community among this rag-tag bunch of theater people is endearing to be sure. Actor Gerard Jugnot's Pigoil is likable, and the characters look interesting and evocative among their fanciful trappings. Nora Arnezeder's performance as Douce, a budding starlet and singing sensation, is bright and seductive but seems unevenly matched with her love interest, Milou. And there are some sweet moments between Pigoil and his son Jojo (Maxence Perrin), who learns to play the accordion to support his family.

What the main story fails to avoid is predictability-the heroes must put on a show, save the theater, get the girl and fight the fascists with art. The story is accompanied by numerous subplots, which tend to overcomplicate rather than enrich the central story arc. Because of this, it is difficult to become deeply invested in the powerful historical and emotional themes that fade in and out of the film.

This tendency also distracts from the strong point of the movie: the music. The enchanting musical numbers are vibrantly choreographed and performed. The songs do more to accentuate the emotional turmoil of the characters and the French populace than all of the subplots combined.

"Paris 36" moves at a snappy pace-the crisp editing and camera work only enhance the pleasantries. The city scenes are beautifully constructed, providing a stark contrast to the brilliantly fanciful scenes inside the theater. The scenes are awash in warm colors, evocative of a time gone by. As for the English subtitles, they did not always feel entirely natural, as if whoever translated the film sometimes resorted to the dictionary.

"Paris 36" is an enjoyable and aesthetically pleasing work, but it is hardly exceptional. It can be easily categorized as melodrama. There is the typical romance, tragedy and intrigue, and there are plenty of twisted side stories to go around. The heroes are likable but not really novel to the extent that they make a lasting impression. The film succeeds in recreating the fantasy-like atmosphere of 1930s French theater. While the main story could have been explored on a deeper level, it is instead offset by unremarkable subplots-as opposed to focusing on a story that is truly engaging. "Paris 36" is ultimately an average film punctuated by standout moments of visual and musical genius.

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