Customer Reviews

Paris Blues [VHS]

5 star:		(16)
4 star:		(8)
3 star:		(2)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

Paul Newman and Sidney Poitier are two expatriot jazz musicians living in Paris; Newman is there to compose serious music and Poitier to escape from racial prejudice in the US. Along come Joanne Woodward and Diahann Carroll on vacation, and in a flash they're paired off and in love. Carroll wants Poitier to return to the US ("life is better there now for blacks," she says). Newman wants to go back to America with Woodward, but realizes that music is his whole life and must pursue it further in Paris on his own. Since it's a jazz movie there's the obligatory drug scene with one of the other musicians. The plot and the writing are not that strong, but Newman (in only his second featured role) is pretty good. And when things start to sag, on comes Louis Armstrong for a swinging jam session (can't beat that!). Duke Ellington is responsible for the great musical score. Murray MacEachern dubbed Newman's trombone work, and Paul Gonsalves did Poitier's tenor sax dubs.

A fabulous movie all around: great plot,acting, music, and cinematography. Moody and atmospheric, it wonderfully captures the Paris '50-'60 jazz scene. BUT CAN SOMEBODY PLEASE FIND A WAY TO GET THIS ONTO DVD!!!

I moved to Paris in 2003. I am retired, black and american. Friends always asked ... why Paris? I kept saying, I vacationed in Paris but never found the moment until today...

I finally can identify when I first fell in love with Paris. It was when I was 10
years old and saw the movie Paris Blues. It starred Paul Newman and Joanne
Woodward but what struck me was it also starred Sidney Poitier and Diahann
Carroll, that was unheard off back then but I was too young to know. I still
remember a scene with Diahann Carroll wearing this coat. It was then that a quiet seed was planted inside me to love Paris. I don't recall who was with me that day, I just remember the film and I remember wishing it would come on television; I have no memory of seeing it again.

What made it standout was that they Poitier and Carroll were featured in
roles equal to Newman and Woodward. I never forgot that movie, it is truly
the reason I fell in Love with Paris. Later, I went to the little store
across from our place at 16th & Ridge and discovered a cheap perfume called ,
Evening in Paris, incredible. I tear up with this memory. I was somehow able to come up with the money to buy a bottle. A defining moment! Please, where and when can I find the DVD: The movie comes on Paris TV today at 11h25 and I will be watching.

Paulette

Okay, including me there are now 4 reviews begging for a release of this movie on DVD. Come on, people, let your voices be heard!!! If you would like to see this movie released in DVD format, write in or at least give a helpful vote to those who have written, so they can see how many others are waiting.

To anybody who hasn't seen this movie, it is a very captivating tale about two jazz musicians (Paul Newman and Sidney Poitier) living in Paris. The music is fantastic, including a very uplifiting cameo by Satchmo himself, Louis Armstrong. Jazz lovers and fans of old black & white films will absolutely love this. And even if you're not a specific fan of these, there is a great story that will keep you interested.

The bliss against the love : two musicians in search of the fame and glory. Two women in love who suddenly find the love of their lives in the middle of the Light City.

Paris the same city which opened its arms to Django Reinhardt, Charlie Parker and Miles Davis among others jazz celebrities.

Ritt makes an exceptional tour de force film with impeccable performances of all the cast. The supreme highlight is the casual encounter between Satchmo, Poitier, Newman and the gypsy guitarrist.

A must for any lover cinema and a reference for the jazz hard fans.

What will they be waiting for the immediat release on DVD format?

Underground clubs, tight swing coolness, poetic nuances and classic Ellington tunes -- the soundtrack to Paris Blues is Duke Ellington having fun, tinkering with trombones and the "A-train" while giving Paul Newmann and Sidney Poitier something hip to make a hard-bop love story about. Paris is captured in all of its longing in Ellington's soundtrack. "A-train" and "Mood Indigo," written for particular scenes of the film steal the show, but the other cuts, mixed with some snippets of dialogue, bring the film's laid back jazz wanderlust into the disc. A must see film, and a must listen soundtrack to put you in the mood for a warm, smokey club with good drinks and good jazz. Quintessential.

I saw this movie during its original theatrical release and never forgot its magic. Viewing it again nearly forty years later, the magic remained. A slight premise took on depth and meaning in the hands of these four actors. It could have become soap or melodrama - it stayed within its modest limits to let us enjoy the chemistry of these four fine players together. I cannot believe that Newman and Poitier never did anything else together - nor did Woodward and Poitier, nor Carroll and Newman. A sequel to this movie would have such great promise, depicting the lives of these characters (same players0 forty years later. But if not, we'll always have Paris - Blues, that is.

the music is awesome, ellington and armstrong.......the script is awesome....the acting is awesome....

This is a good movie, and the soundtrack is one of the best, featuring the music of the marvelous Duke Ellington. It's outstanding. Louie Armstrong's apperance in the movie is an added bonus. Newman and Poitier are Ram and Eddie, two musicians living in Paris. They meet two pretty visitors from America- Lillian and Connie, played by Joanne Woodward and Diahann Carroll. Both of the couples immediately begin a whirlwind romance. This is a sophisticated film, shot in beautiful, Paris, in the early '60s. I only wish two things- 1) Poitier and Newman would have worked together again, and 2) they would have teamed Newman with Diahann Carroll, and Poitier with Joanne Woodward instead. However, audiences were most definitely not ready for such drama then...unfortunately. It's still a good movie; very classy, with realistic issues throughout.

..............when the bloody freakin' hell are they gonna release this movie on DVD??????? This is one of my favorite all time movies that I will gladly buy the day it is available on DVD. Only when will that be?????? I have written to MGM to find out, yet they have chosen to ignore my e-mails. Let's go already!!!!!