Paris nous appartient (1960)

User Rating:

7.2/10   

Director:

Jacques Rivette

Writers:

Jacques Rivette (scenario and dialogue) &
Jean Gruault (scenario and dialogue)

Release Date:

21 June 1964 (UK)

Genre:

Mystery

Plot:

Anne Goupil is a literature student in Paris in 1957. Her elder brother, Pierre, takes her to a friend's party where the guests include Philip Kaufman...

Plot Keywords:

Shakespeare's Pericles | Suicide | Cult Director | Drunkenness | Critically Acclaimed

Awards:

1 win

Cast

Betty Schneider	...	Anne Goupil
Giani Esposito	...	Gerard Lenz
Françoise Prévost	...	Terry Yordan
Daniel Crohem	...	Philip Kaufman
François Maistre	...	Pierre Goupil
Brigitte Juslin
Noëlle Leiris
Monique Le Porrier
Malka Ribowska
Louison Roblin		(as Louise Roblin)
Anne Zamire
Paul Bisciglia	...	Paul
Jean-Pierre Delage
Claus Von Lorbach
Jean Martin

Also Known As:

Paris Belongs to Us (USA) (new title)
Paris Is Ours

Runtime:

Canada:141 min | USA:120 min | Argentina:140 min

Country:

France

Language:

French

Color:

Black and White

Sound Mix:

Mono

Certification:

Argentina:13 | UK:12A (re-rating) (2006) | UK:A (original rating) | Finland:K-16 | Sweden:11

Company:

Ajym Films

Movie Connections:

Referenced in Les quatre cents coups (1959)

Interesting, some minor flaws

This is an unusual film. It revolves around a group of characters that are slightly connected to each other through their artistic tendencies and/or political beliefs. The group is presented well - it is quite realistic, even though it is so colourful. This is perhaps because the criteria for being part of the group are so 'normal'. Friends, people with similar interests.. acquaintance networks - this is something that is presented very well in the film.

A sinister undercurent pervades the whole movie: a background plot that is never revealed, or shown directly - it is something that the characters speak to each other about and make reference to. While in other movies the conspiracy plot would have been the central theme, here it is pushed into the background, delegated to a simple object of discussion - the movie instead revolves around the lives of the characters and in particular, the protagonist's, from whose point of view the situation is seen. By bringing the focus onto the characters and their daily lives, illusions and aspirations, the movie manages to to breathe fresh life into what would have otherwise been just another conspiracy film.

A few technical things: The acting is not very consistent. The parisian scenes were very good and the photography was aesthetically pleasing. The music enhanced the atmosphere significantly, though some of its psychedelic overtowns were a bit overpowering at points (making the dialogue hard to follow - if the intention was to transfer the confusion/paranoia to the viewer, it was appropriate, however).

It's not a masterpiece, but it is definitely interesting and worth watching at least once.