Mary

I'm talking about movies about Paris, set in Paris to set the mood for the trip. This will be my first trip to Paris and I am soooo excited! Some of my obvious choices are: The Last Time I saw Paris, Gigi, An American in Paris, Grand Hotel, Funny Face (that's set in Paris, right?). Heck, I'm even considering The Aristocats, and Rugrats in Paris. Any suggestions? Foreign film titles are also welcome. Thanks!!!

elaine

Hi Mary <BR>I love that you mentioned "Funny Face"--I can never look at my beloved "Winged Victory" in the Louvre without thinking of that movie. <BR>I think there have been previous suggestions on this subject here; you might want to do a search on Paris Films or Paris Movies and see if anything comes up. <BR>I'd also suggest <BR>"Everybody Says I Love You", (Woody Allen, Goldie Hawn, Alan Alda, et al, and also wonderful for Venice) <BR>"Forget Paris" (Billy Crystal and Debra Winger)

Quicksilver

Definitely "Ronin". <BR> <BR>It's set both in Paris and the south of France. Not only do I love it for its scenes of Montmartre, the Metro, the Pont Alexandre III etc., but because it adds (another) layer of mystery to Paris for me. I find myself wondering what kind of covert meetings and cloak-and-dagger operations could be taking place around me right now, as I walk through the city! <BR> <BR>The film's also notable for what I think are great performances from every actor, including Robert de Niro, Stellan Skarsgård, and Jean Réno... and for what's arguably the best car chase of all time. <BR> <BR>Enjoy your movies, and enjoy your trip! <BR> <BR> - Quicksilver -

Mary

French Kiss (part of it in Paris; try to forget Kevin Kline's French accent); Rendevouz in Paris (dir. Eric Rohmer); Love in the Afternoon (dir. Billy Wilder, with Gary Cooper and Audrey Hepburn); Is Paris Burning? (not as good as the book, but ...); Funny Face (great Paris scenery); Charade (Cary Grant and Audrey Hepburn; Metro scenes are neat); How to Steal a Million (Peter O'Toole and Audrey Hepburn), Diva (great film), and a personal favorite, Window to Paris (about some Russians in St. Petersburg who find what is literally a window to Paris in their rundown apartment house; a nice little foreign-film gem, really funny in places). I know there are more. Lots more. These are the ones that come to mind at the moment. Happy viewing!

Ben Haines

Fodors <BR> <BR>Dear Ms Connolly, <BR> <BR>You might revisit "Casablanca". The Paris sequence there is central to the film, and the people in the film are Paris people, there to escape Hitler, and also, the real point, it's a great film. <BR> <BR>A footnote. When the people in Rick's cafe break into the Marseillaise, they song with huge fervour. The reason is that Hollywood gathered the extras for the film from real central Europeans who were real refugees from Hitler. <BR> <BR>From France, Jacques Tati's "Mon Oncle" <BR> <BR>Ben Haines, London <BR>

Lynne

I, too, am looking for such films, especially those I can share with my kids before we take our first trip to Paris later this month. We have already watched An American in Paris. I believe there is a film about Toulouse-Lautrec called Moulin Rouge which is supposed to be set in Paris but may have been filmed entirely in HOllywood. There is also a children's movie called the Red Balloon which, if my memory serves me correctly, takes place in Paris. Please post any other ideas.

Judy

Mary and Lynne: "Madeleine" a great little movie I watched with my niece not too long ago....very nice scenes of Paris. Quicksilver: I already agree with "Ronin" being a great vehicle for some Paris scenes....loved it! I loved The Red Balloon too! It has been a while since I saw it... a very long while, hmmm part of a college project if I remember correctly. Judy

catherine

Irma la Douce with Shirley MacClaine and Jack Lemmon. For kids the Madeleine movie. I'm not a kid but saw it anyway and loved the shots of Paris in it. <BR>Also Frantic, with Harrison Ford is good. Mary had some good suggestions and I think I've seen all of those movies.

Quicksilver

A quick note to Lynn: You may already know this, but "Ronin" is pretty violent. Not enough to bother me--or most adults, I imagine--but I was worried about it getting mixed in with recommendations for things like "Madeleine" and "The Red Balloon" elsewhere in this thread. <BR> <BR>Cheers! <BR> <BR> - Quicksilver -

Ger

I would 'second" FRANTIC ... <BR> <BR>Others that may not have been mentioned (and that I remember) are: <BR> <BR>DIVA (THE best movie EVER, if you love both Paris and Opera) <BR>The Lodger (or perhaps, renter - it's Polanski, and probably not for the kiddies) <BR>An American Werewolf in Paris (not as good as the London one but a bit of fun and good special effects and the kids will like it) <BR>Valmont (the European version of Dangerous Liasons - far funnier, more entertaining and the characters are more likable) <BR> <BR>Two movies that I have not yet seen but may be worth catching are: <BR> <BR>Quills (about the Marquis de Sade - very highly rated by the critiques but I would imagine that kiddies should not see it) <BR>Chocolate ((not set in Paris - small village in France) read the book, have not seen the movie - it would be a wonderful book to bring with you to read while you are there. <BR> <BR>Also, other books about France to bring with you - The Pleasing Hour (Lilly King - Young U.S. girl takes a job as au-pair in paris and lives on a house-boat on the Seine)WHen the World was Steady - Clair Messud (Set in Nice area, young girl coming of age, family ex pat colonists from North Afica). <BR> <BR>Have a lovely trip....Ger <BR>

Mary

How could I forget these? Breathless (dir. Goddard); Children of Paradise (dir. Carne); The Last Metro (dir. Truffaut). Like others have noted, Frantic is great. So is The Red Balloon, but it's very short (about a half-hour long). There is also some Paris scenes later in L'Atalante (dir. Vigo), but you really don't see a lot of the physical Paris. Still, the movie was made in 1934, and it's interesting to see the canal docks and such at that time, and how people from the French "sticks" thought of Paris. You could also see the video "One Against the Wind," with Judy Davis, which was a Hallmark presentation about Mary Liddell, a British woman living in Paris who gets involved with Resistance in WWII. <BR> <BR>Also, this movie isn't set in Paris but it's a great mood-setting piece: The Umbrellas of Cherbourg (dir. Demy). The whole thing is sung, like an operetta. It made Catherine Deneuve's career. <BR> <BR>I know there are lots more Paris movies out there! I've never seen Ronin, but if it's got Jean Reno, it's on my to-see list. I hope more people add to this thread.

Ger

Yes, Mary, <BR> <BR>I had forgogotten "Breathless" - it is a classic as is ... "Belle de Jour" with Catherine Deneuve. <BR> <BR>How about "Too Beautiful for You" with Gerard Depardieu - I loved that one. <BR> <BR>Also, recently available on video is "The Dinner Game" - an absolute delight! <BR> <BR>

Capo

I second the mentions of Ronin, Frantic, and Rendezvous in Paris. Also, Lovers on the Bridge, with Juliette Binoche.

Mary

Wow! You guys are great! Thanks for all the wonderful suggestions! I will definitely watch Ronin, Diva, Frantic, Everybody Says I Love You, Window to Paris (a Parisian version of Being John Malkovich, no?) and will try to see all the others, too. Except that I've already seen French Kiss. I agree with Ger, Valmont is a great movie. Although, my opinion is to watch both Valmont and Dangerous Liasions to get both sides of the coin. Thanks Mary, I just rented Breathless a few days ago and plan to watch it tonight! Quicksilver, you seem so interesting. I like the other postings I've seen from you sprinkled thoughout this website. Elaine, thanks for all your help, too. I will most welcome and treasure your Paris file. You guys are great! (e-pat on the back for everyone)

Mary C.

and other Mary, I like your taste in movies. I love Audrey Hepburn flicks. In a way, she personifies my perceptions of Paris.

Capo

Ah, I completely forgot about Window to Paris, a wonderful movie! Thanks for the reminder.

Sarah

Mary, Don't forget Trois Couleurs: Blanc (Three Colours: White) with Julie Delphy directed by the late Polish director Krzysztof Kieslowski. <BR>There are some great street,court and metro scenes of Paris before it moves to Poland and it really is a very favourite movie of mine. <BR>(If somone could tell me what actually happened to Dominique in the end I would be grateful! Like many of these wonderful European movies, endings can be a little obscure!)

Yvonne

Start the revolution without me, with Gene Wilder and Donald Sutherland is a good choice. TCM has the 31 days of Oscar and Moulin Rouge shows the day bfore I leave for Paris, unfortunately Gigi will air while I'm there. Frantic, as mentioned before is good. Also Pret a Porter has good views of Paris, and is entertaining. Of course The three Musketers (I can't spell), I like the old one with Gene Kelly and the 70s version with Faye Dunaway and Charleton Heston. Also the TV version of the Man in the Iron Mask with Richard Chamberlain.

Sue

One of my favorites is Subway, a Luc Besson movie with Christophe Lambert and Isabelle Adjani, very stylistic/punk about people living in the Metro station Chatelet (which proves my point about avoiding that stop for transfers--not because of the people living there, but because of the size). Most of it is underground, but it starts with a great scene of a car hurtling through the streets of Paris (and into the Metro station). Not for kids--the language in parts is raunchy.

wes fowler

Seberg and Belmondo in "Breathless"; Depardieu in "Danton" are both worthwhile.