Outremont Theatre

The Outremont Theatre is a fine example of a late 1920s deluxe movie theatre for its Art Deco exterior and the richness of its interior, combining atmospheric influences and elements of Art Deco style. 

When the Outremont Theatre was built in 1928-1929, Montréal was experiencing a period of rapid growth and new municipalities were being created around the city. Among them was Outremont, which quickly came to symbolize the French-Canadian upper class. During this period, the cinema became a genuine entertainment that appealed to all levels of society. Feature films were introduced, and theatres became larger and more and more comfortable and luxurious. It was the era of the great movie palaces, when some of these movie theatres had up to 3,000 seats, and deluxe movie theatres had a capacity of 1,000 to 2,000. Between 1915 and 1930, about 20 deluxe theatres were constructed in new Montréal districts and in the developing suburbs. At first, they resembled traditional theatres, but from 1925, they developed more of a focus on film screenings, while continuing to accommodate variety shows.

Located on Bernard Street in the heart of Outremont, where residential and commercial buildings come together, the Outremont Theatre officially opened on October 4, 1929, as part of the Confederation Amusements chain. The building was designed by architect René Charbonneau, and the interior décor was the work of painter and decorator Emmanuel Briffa.  The plan of the theatre (39.62 metres long, 26.82 metres deep and 16.15 metres high) is made up of two separate volumes used for different purposes, reflecting new ideas emerging in architecture at the time. The front section, made of almost white, artificial stone, has many features reminiscent of the Art Deco style: carved banding, decorative friezes, fluted pilasters and medallions. It houses the main entrance, the box office, shops and, on the upper level, box seats and offices. The larger rear section, finished in yellow brick, is decorated with big   vertical rectangles, also inspired by the Art Deco, and with tiny openings.  It houses the main and secondary lobbies and the auditorium, including the orchestra, the balcony, the projection booth and the stage.

The rich interior décor reflects both the Art Deco style and the atmospheric movement which was extremely popular in the late 1920s. The rectangular proscenium arch is decorated with gold and silver plant motifs surmounted by a frieze with alternating flowers and stylized human figures. The lower part of the walls is fairly plain, while the upper part has much more refined ornamentation, with alternating fluted pilasters, blind windows and rectangular panels featuring stylized motifs finished mostly in gold or silver, in an overall design that is an excellent expression of the Art Deco style. Above these motifs are pastoral wall paintings in pastel shades reminiscent of the atmospheric movement, a design which was to give theatre goers the impression that they were out in the country. The ceiling, made up of beams decorated with stylized motifs and vaulted silver coffers, also reflects Art Deco influence.      

The Outremont Theatre served as a movie theatre from 1929 until it closed in 1987. It was well known as a repertory theatre from 1971 to 1987. Renovated and reopened in 2001, the theatre now offers the public a range of live performances and a line-up of high quality films. Through the years, this theatre, with its finely worked architecture and refined interior decoration, has displayed the essence of late 1920s deluxe movie theatres.