MIDNIGHT IN PARIS

US, 2011, 98 minutes, Colour.
Owen Wilson, Marion Cotillard, Rachel Mc Adams, Kathy Bates, Adrien Brody, Mimi Kennedy, Kurt Fuller, Michael Sheen.
Directed by Woody Allen.

A very pleasant surprise.

Woody Allen seems to have fallen on hard times in the last ten years or so. Some of his films have not been released in countries like the UK and Australia and have gone straight to DVD. Critical response has been mixed. Allen has also been making films in England, Spain and in France as well as New York. He did break out of his critical and commercial stalemate with Vicki Christina Barcelona in 2008. With Midnight in Paris, he is back again: some very good reviews and some substantial box-office.

When he made Midnight in Paris, Allen was 74, not bad for an older director with over forty years of directing, writing and acting.

The opening is quite entrancing. Lots of wonderful views of Paris, the familiar views, scenes with people in ordinary life. We know that it is eventually going to arrive at midnight. And it rains but, as it does throughout the film, rain doesn’t take way anything from the distinctive beauty of the city. There is a jazz musical background.

Then we were in Allen territory, character-wise. This time his alter ego is Owen Wilson in one of his best performances. While Wilson has his familiar accent and modulation, he is able to communicate the Woody Allen modulation as well. He articulates Allen’s funny lines and his reflective lines very credibly. Wilson is Gil, who has been writing screenplays for Hollywood, is now writing a novel in his favourite city, though his nostalgia is for the American expatriate life in Paris in the 1920s, the world of F. Scott Fitzgerald, Zelda, Hemingway, Gertrude Stein, Picasso, Luis Bunuel and Salvador Dali (at least).

This nostalgia is not at all shared by Gil’s fiancée, Inez - Rachel Mc Adams in a most persuasive performance, she and her parents types who would walk out of this kind of film. Kurt Fuller and, especially his snobbish wife (Mimi Kennedy), ‘Cheap is cheap, I always say’, are particularly good, caricature, perhaps, with Allen taking shots at the Republican agenda and the Tea-Party?.

Gil likes to get away from his prospective wife and in-laws and wander the night streets of the city. He gets into a taxi and off into the 1920s where the above list of celebrities actually materialise.

For those for whom these names are familiar, the film is a delight, indulging our pleasure in a 21st century man being welcomed into the past. And he meets Picasso’s model, Adriana (a most charming Marion Cotillard) and falls in love with her. (Her nostalgia period is La Belle Epoque and, again delightfully, we are taken with Gil and Adriana to the 1980s and who should be there watching the Can Can at Maxims but Toulouse Lautrec, Gauguin and Degas).

The performances are wonderful. Kathy Bates is perfect as Gertrude Stein, helping Gil with his novel. Adrien Brody has only a few moments as Dali but isvery effective and funny with his talk of a rhinoceros. There is a funny joke with Bunuel about the plot for The Exterminating Angel.

This means that the film might not strike all audiences in the same way. At one moment, there is a reference to a character from the past whom I did not recognise – making me realise that those who do not know Picasso, Hemingway and co would not enjoy much of the film.

The review cannot end without a word of praise of Michael Sheen (in the 21st century narrative) as an American academic who is not burdened by humility – at all. He is described to Gil as ‘pedantic’ (an understatement) by the tour guide, who is played by Carla Bruni.

All in all, Midnight in Paris will go into my list of my favourite Woody Allen films and I would be pleased to watch it again. And I did.

1. The appeal of Woody Allen films? Woody Allen in his seventies? His storytelling, the performances he elicits, the dialogue, wit? Observations on serious matters with the light touch? His use of music?

2. The title, evoking Paris, the long opening credits, the postcards, the people of Paris, the range of life in Paris, the jazz score and its mood? The different trips within the story, to exhibitions, to Versailles, the streets of Paris, the hotels, the shops?

3. The contrast with the Paris of the 20s, at night, the bars and clubs, restaurants, homes? The contrast with Belle Epoque? Maxim’s, the can-can, the restaurants?

4. The musical score, the use of jazz throughout the film, Cole Porter’s songs and his lyrics, Offenbach? The range and the music being inserted into the narrative?

5. The blend of the real, the surreal? The fairy tale – changing after midnight, pumpkin or not?

6. Gil’s ideal Paris, the taxi arriving, the people, the conversation, the bars, the authors, Cole Porter, the parties, Bunuel and Dali, his romancing the ideal of this Paris?

7. Gil meeting F. Scott Fitzgerald, Zelda? Their characters, Zelda and her moods, wanting to go on to other parties, standing by the Seine? Ernest Hemingway, his macho conversation, the image of lions, bulls, fighting? Africa? Gertrude Stein, Alice B. Toklas opening the door, Gertrude being the doyenne of the Americans in Paris? Her strong personality, her range of languages, her writing, her ability to comment on the work of others? Insights? The interactions of these characters? Gil at home in this world?

8. The contrast with the Belle Epoque, Maxim’s, seeing Toulouse-Lautrec?, Paul Gauguin, Eduard Degas? The discussions about the ballet? About art? Adriana and the fashion design? Her employment? The can-can and Offenbach’s music? Adriana feeling at home in this world?

9. The theme of each age being dissatisfied with itself, the past idealised and seeming better? The message about then and now? Being at home in one’s own world?

10. The introduction to Gil, Owen Wilson’s performance, channelling Woody Allen in his verbal manner, expressions? The Hollywood background, the hack writing screenplays? Wanting to write the novel, idealising Paris in the 20s, the American authors living there? A romantic? His engagement to Inez? His living in the present, the pragmatic present? Visiting Paris with Inez, her parents? The socialising and meals? Paul, Inez’ friendship with him, the tours, Gil’s reaction to him, especially about the wine, the dispute about Rodin? The preparation for the wedding? A doomed engagement?

11. The dialogue, Woody Allen wit, jokes, references, literature, philosophy, Woody Allen more upbeat in this film?

12. The difference between being romantic, imaginative, logical? Gil’s work on his novel, the nostalgia, the theme and episodes in the book, the nostalgia shop? His being more introverted, walking the streets of Paris, his love for Inez, the possibilities in the marriage? His reaction to the painting of Adriana in the Louvre, his comments about Picasso from his own experience, Paul’s contradictions? Paul and his offer to read Gil’s manuscript and comment? The relationship between Paul and Carol? The visit to Versailles, Paul and his giving the lecture?

13. Inez, her shopping, her mother and the expensive furniture, clothes, the meals, the father and his business in Paris, being against the French, his reaction to the tea party and Republican jokes?

14. Inez’ parents, their manner, looking down on Gil, suspicious, hiring the detective? The father’s visit to the detective agency, discretion?

15. The shop, the assistant, her help with Cole Porter, the record? Their later meeting, walking in the rain, shared interests? The future?

16. The character of Paul, the guide calling him pedantic, his comments on everything, his superiority, on Rodin, on Picassos, on the wine, on Versailles? Going dancing with Inez and Carol? The affair?

17. The guide, her explanations of Rodin, later meeting Gil and calling Paul pedantic?

18. Gil and his challenge to Inez? About the affair?

19. Adriana, her character, in the 20s, her relationship with Picasso? Talking with her, her life, the discussions about Ernest Hemingway? Her going to Africa? The return, Gil dancing with her? Going back to the Belle Epoque? Her exhilaration, fashion designing, meeting the artists, deciding to stay? Gil finding her book, the description of her dream, the gift of the earrings?

20. Gil, finding the book, the episode of the earrings, taking Inez’ earrings, Inez and her parents wanting to call the police? Gil contriving to find them? The snobbishness of Inez and her parents?

21. The detective, his following Gil, the taxi in the night, his finding himself in the 18th century, at Versailles? The pursuit?

22. The sketches and characters of Ernest Hemingway, his talk, self-assertion, book, friendship with Gil, references to hunting? Going to Kilimanjaro? Gertrude Stein, her salon, her languages, her words of advice? Support of Gil, reading his book, the encouragement, her perceptions about the engagement? Picasso, his eccentricities, with Adriana? The episode with Salvador Dali, his egotism, his art, his appearance, the discussions about the rhinoceros? The toreador and his place in the group? Luis Bunuel, the discussions about film, Gil giving him the plot for The Exterminating Angel – and his down-to-earth, realistic responses and bewilderment?

23. The overall impact of the film, a Woody Allen masterpiece – from an experienced film director in his seventies?