Most Helpful Customer Reviews
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24 of 24 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
Fun in Paris!, April 24, 2005
This glossy and sophisticated romp with Paul Newman and Joanne Woodward is delicious fluff. From the opening title song by Sinatra and the early voice-over of Newman comparing a group of bargain hunting women to a herd of cattle, we know this one is going to be fun indeed. Made in 1963 when both were at their finest, the chemistry between the two leads carries this film to make it the most entertaining piece of nonsense you're likely to ever see.
Samantha Blake (Woodward) buys, or steals, all the latest fashions from around the world for her department store. Her boss Joe Bergner (George Tobias) gets it into his head to go to Paris and 'steal' the hottest new fashions and off goes Samantha and Leena (Thelma Ritter) to the City of Lights.
Steve Sherman (Paul Newman) is a columnist who gets caught playing with the wife of his boss and promptly gets sent far away to Paris until said boss can figure out a way to break his contract and fire him. He meets pal Harry (Marvin Kaplan) in Paris and decides to save his job by writing about a Parisian 'Lady of the Night' and her escapades to send back home, which proves to be a big hit!
The problem, of course, is she ain't from Paris and she ain't no 'Lady of the Night.' Samantha gets introduced as one in a con by Hogan's Heroes Robert Clary to earn a few bucks after Samantha has a complete makeover because she's tired of being mistaken for a boy! She goes along because it helps her stay close to Steve as she makes up one wild escapade after another.
Meanwhile, Leena is competing with Fellicienne (Eva Gabor) for the affection of her boss, who doesn't seem to know she's alive. Of course, Steve falls for this 'Lady of the Night' and wants to reform her for himself, until he figures it all out! Are you having fun yet? Yes, you are! That is what this film is about. A fine cast charm their way through this most enjoyable film.
The scenery is great to look at and so are a young Woodward and Newman. Thelma Ritter and Marvin Kaplan offer nice support as well. When Steve and Harry go clubbing in Paris, Steve ends up with beautiful Jan Moriarity, in a nice but small role. The wife of actor Michael Parks, it would be her moment to shine before tragedy took her away.
When you're in the mood for some harmless fun this film will certainly do the trick. It's a reminder that a good film sometimes doesn't have to have any deeper meaning. Sometimes all a film has to do is entertain us. This one gets an A+ in that department and you'll want to see it the first chance you get.
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15 of 15 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
This One Grows on You, February 8, 2002
By A Customer
Yes, this is fluff, but the stars, production values, and comedy are so good in this classic romance of two people who hate each other finally falling in love, that it goes over beautifully. The first time I saw the film I was puzzled by its wonderful stars being in such nonsense, but repeated viewings have made this one of my favorites; a real "comfort-film." The production values are not nonsense. Written and directed by Melville Shavelson, who apparently cut his teeth on Samuel Goldwyn productions starring Bob Hope and Danny Kaye, the comedy is superb. Sharp digs are everywhere--commercials, journalism, the fashion industry, testeronic males, and politics (both international and sexual). Visual comedy is great too, such as the split-screen mutual parody of the strip-tease and the fashion runway. Joanne Woodward's being processed by the fashion industry is a hoot. Thelma Ritter--need I say more?--has her razor-sharp timing and delivery intact. Plus: the title song sung by Frank Sinatra over opening credits with jokes in them; Maurice Chevalier singing; Paul Newman doing a Chevalier impression; Mimi's adventures occuring againt French impressionists backgrounds; and a lot of sex that is deliciously, blatantly SUGGESTED. The springtime colors of green and yellow predominate, from soccer and football fields to Sam's blond wig. There's even a sweet dash of religion, from Sam's name "being from the Bible," to St. Katherine suggesting Sam go to Elizabeth Arden's for a make-over, and finally Steve, who is falling in love,admitting "I went to church last Sunday and you know?--it wasn't bad at all.It might catch on." I think this movie should "catch on" as well!
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21 of 24 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
Delicious, February 26, 2005
Only 2 gripes. If you haven't heard the title song before (I have), you still won't have heard it when the movie is over. Except the 1st 8 bars sung by Chevalier in the middle of the flick. 2nd gripe. These idiots (including the Amazon staff reviewer) who think the way to review a movie is to tell you the whole damned story, thus ruining the show. Puke! When I saw this flick on Amazon I snapped it up. I saw it when it came out and remembered only 2 things. That I loved it (particularly Woodward), and that for some reason Paul Newman is pouring her a snifter of brandy and tells her to say "when" which she does when her glass is brimful. The director/screenwriter was brilliant. The star-studded cast outdid itself. Every one of them. The jokes were at times laugh out loud funny. The special effects were perfect. The whole thing (as you now know if you've read the other reviews!) was clever and original. I loved the hell out of it. This one I'm keeping!
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