….Or Midnight In Barry, as interpreted by our sous-titres bananes. There were some subtitle related giggles throughout from those in the front rows. However, I’m sure any Welsh person in the audience would have been happy to be connected with Woody Allen’s sparkling 2011 fantasy comedy.
We all were delighted with this film. It certainly is one you can watch again and again, even if you don’t know exactly who all the historical characters are. The beautiful depiction of 1920s Paris, with its gorgeous costumes, drew us all in. “I wanted to be there!” exclaimed one member of the group.
We praised the cinematography, with its luscious warm ambiance, thanks to the talented Darius Khondji. A few of us noticed the carefully chosen colourful umbrellas in the rainy Parisian street in Woody Allen’s classic opening sequence.
Adrien Brody’s portrayal of a rhinoceros fixated Salvador Dali particularly amused us. Inez’s unpleasant and unappreciative parents, who value everything in monetary terms, were two characters you loved to hate.
We did talk about nostalgia, the key theme of the film. Adriana yearns for the Belle Epoque (subtitle translation: bellybox) in the same way that Gil is drawn to the 1920s Paris. We now see nostalgia as being sentimental about the past, but it was originally used in the seventeenth century to convey the pain of soldiers’ homecoming.
There were some elements of the past we did yearn for – such as no ugly Amazon lockers in the street. A move to using natural products in interior design showed a “kickback” to simpler times. However, we also accepted that the past also came with poverty, disease and addiction.
One member of the group alluded to Henry James’ 1903 novel The Ambassadors, with an American becoming revitalised by experiencing Paris.
We did feel that we’d like to “pop over to Paris on the Eurostar” after watching this film, although some of us seemed to be working for the Brussels tourist agency, promoting Bruges instead.
The film was ‘superbe.’
Anne
So little left to add to this, it was charming, it was satisfiying and sweet. Uplifting and funny, just that little bit odd, quirky and could not get enough. Paris was beautiful, the rain, oh that rain, and we know that Gil lives happily ever after in that capsule of time, in love with life, Paris and...the rest is up to us. Thank you Rusthall Cinema Club