# A "Triplets of Belleville" question **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [January 5, 2004, 5:39am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-triplets-of-belleville-question/222761 "2004-01-05T05:39:46Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 10\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Little\_Nemo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/little_nemo/32/3120_2.png) [@Little\_Nemo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Little_Nemo)\ **Post date:** [January 5, 2004, 5:39am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-triplets-of-belleville-question/222761/1 "2004-01-05T05:39:46Z")
Is Belleville supposed to be in America? The movie had almost no dialogue but it seemed the triplets spoke snatchs of English and the acts they performed with in the opening seemed to be American. The boat appeared to cross an ocean traveling from France and passed what appeared to the Statue of Liberty as it entered the harbor. ---
**Author:** ![Geek\_Mecha](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/ecae2f/32.png) [@Geek\_Mecha](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Geek_Mecha)\ **Post date:** [January 5, 2004, 8:28am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-triplets-of-belleville-question/222761/2 "2004-01-05T08:28:42Z")
[The site](http://www.bellevillerendezvous.com/) (requires Flash, sound on by default) says they journey to “a giant megalopolis called Belleville.” It doesn’t say where the triplets are from or where they performed. The impression I got was that Belleville was a ficticious American town or area in New York City. It translates to “good city”, and I interpreted that as commentary on the city. ---
**Author:** ![raizok](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/4491bb/32.png) [@raizok](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/raizok)\ **Post date:** [January 5, 2004, 1:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-triplets-of-belleville-question/222761/3 "2004-01-05T13:14:34Z")
Is anyone actually looking forward to seeing this film? And why? I just saw the trailer attached to 21 Grams and despite its not revealing what the general plot is about, it looks pretty bad. ---
**Author:** ![Caprese](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/a9a28c/32.png) [@Caprese](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Caprese)\ **Post date:** [January 5, 2004, 1:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-triplets-of-belleville-question/222761/4 "2004-01-05T13:26:15Z")
Supposedly I was looking forward to seeing it…but I dunno. Over at the Internet Movie Database, a reviewer said “If you liked Delicatessan, you’ll love this.” I have no problem with the macabre, but admit that I was one of the ones who simply did not get too excited about Delicatessan. ---
**Author:** ![Short\_Guy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ee7513/32.png) [@Short\_Guy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Short_Guy)\ **Post date:** [January 5, 2004, 2:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-triplets-of-belleville-question/222761/5 "2004-01-05T14:36:01Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by raizok \* > \*\*Is anyone actually looking forward to seeing this film? And why? I just saw the trailer attached to 21 Grams and despite its not revealing what the general plot is about, it looks pretty bad. \*\* It is, quite simply, one of the greatest animated films ever made. As for the OP: I have a feeling it’s “supposed” to be America, but it really doesn’t matter. Any big city will do, as the movie takes place in another universe anyway. ---
**Author:** ![HPL](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/3da27b/32.png) [@HPL](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/HPL)\ **Post date:** [January 5, 2004, 4:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-triplets-of-belleville-question/222761/6 "2004-01-05T16:41:35Z")
I got the idea that Belville is supposed to be the US, or at least a parallel universe version of the US, though the Triplets seemed like they were french(THe french newspaper in the apartment, the frogs they seem to live off of, and the fact the song they love to sing is mostly french). Then again, everything is a twisted version of the real world in “Triplets”(I’ve never heard of the “French Maifa” nor see 150 foot tall ships). I saw it a couple days ago, and I’m still thinking about it. I tend to like things that are a little offbeat and I thoughly enjoyed “triplets”, a lot more then every other film I’ve seen in the last few months except for ROTK. ---
**Author:** ![CyberPundit](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/76d3ee/32.png) [@CyberPundit](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CyberPundit)\ **Post date:** [January 5, 2004, 5:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-triplets-of-belleville-question/222761/7 "2004-01-05T17:11:32Z")
I got the same impression as well; that Belleville was in the US but the Triplets themselves were French. I loved the film and thought it was the best one I saw in 2003. ---
**Author:** ![Judith\_Prietht](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/b19c9b/32.png) [@Judith\_Prietht](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Judith_Prietht)\ **Post date:** [January 5, 2004, 5:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-triplets-of-belleville-question/222761/8 "2004-01-05T17:33:09Z")
I saw the trailer before _Bubba Ho-Tep_ and although I knew nothing about it decided I had to see it based mainly on the music. I need this soundtrack. I really thought the grandmother was going to annoy me (the whistle-blowing, pushing up her glasses), but I was totally moved by her single-mindedness and her desire to go to all lengths to find her grandson. Belleville itself looked fantastic. ---
**Author:** ![Yookeroo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/yookeroo/32/323_2.png) [@Yookeroo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Yookeroo)\ **Post date:** [January 5, 2004, 7:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-triplets-of-belleville-question/222761/9 "2004-01-05T19:06:10Z")
But why did they have real French locations and fictitious U.S. locations? ---
**Author:** ![Little\_Nemo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/little_nemo/32/3120_2.png) [@Little\_Nemo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Little_Nemo)\ **Post date:** [January 5, 2004, 9:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-triplets-of-belleville-question/222761/10 "2004-01-05T21:07:19Z")
So I guess _The Triplets of Belleville_ is set in New York in the same way _The Aristocats_ is set in Paris.