PARIS, TEXAS

Germany/US, 1984,
Harry Dean Stanton, Dean Stockwell, Nastasja Kinski, Hunter Carson, Aurore Clement, Bernhard Wikhi.
Directed by Wim Wenders.

An excellent film. German director, Wim Wenders, looks at American characters in familiar situations but, with his fine cast, goes below Texas and California surfaces, observantly and tellingly photographed, to portray characters with great depth.

Screenplay is by Sam Shepard. Encounters, actions and, finally, powerful monologues reveal a great deal about human beings, hurts, struggles and qualities of love. Harry Dean Stanton has the part of a lifetime as Travis, the wanderer, searching for his wife, played by must Nastassja Kinski in a skilful performance. Dean Stockwell as his brother Walt, Aurore Clement as Walt’s wife and Hunter Carson as his son are most convincing. Slow the action fans, but fine film-making with a telling score by Ry Cooder.

Wenders had been making striking films since the 1970s, especially King of the Road, was soon to go on to one of his masterpieces, Wings of Desire. He was still making interesting and important films into the 21st century.


1. Acclaim for this film? Palme D’ Or at Cannes? Ecumenical Jury award? A cult classic over the decades?

2. The career of Wim Wenders? In Germany, in the United States? Internationally? His use of the road movie genre? Portrait of relationships?

3. The opening, the landscapes, Arizona, California, Houston and Texas? The detail of the towns, the land, the suburbs, the cities? Roads, homes? Streets?

4. The importance of Ry Cooder’s score?

5. The title, the photo, expectations, the contrast with reality, the dream, empty? The distance?

6. Harry Dean Stanton as Travis? The portrait of Travis? In the desert, coat and red cap, unkempt, wandering? Collapse? The ice? The Doctor, helping, a dedication, contacting Walt? Travis walking away? Walt, his brother, the car, the motel? Walking and no plane? His wanting to find the same car as in the past? In himself, his trauma, a victim of life?

7. Travis’ story? The past, his marriage, son, abandoning them, drinking, disappearing? Hearing his story from Walt and Anne? His lack of memory, putting the pieces together? Meeting Hunter? Watching the home movies, and the first appearance of Jane? His wanting to search for Jane? Phone calls, reflections, the story and the revelations? Father, suspicions, mother, victim? Marriage? Work, jealousies? Drinking? The child, the viiolence, leaving and wandering away? Issues of fear, repentance? The possibility of hope? Wanting to help Hunter, watching him?

8. The change in Travis? Walt finding him, caring for him, his response? Bringing him home, the detail of life with Walt and Anne? Walter and Anne taking Hunter in? Hunter, at home, not wanting to walk with him from school, the opposite side of the street, mimicking him? The impact of the home movies? Taking Hunter, the trip, their talking, even when Travis was drinking? Discovering Jane? Travis and anger with Jane, listening to her, talking with her, the peep show window? Mirrors? His confession, her response? The gestures? On the road?

9. The film and themes of communication and silence? Talk? Mirrors, barriers, reflections? Issues of identity and revelation? The use of the phone? Light and images, a theme of turning away? Superimpositions? Lights on, shadows? The cassette for Hunter?

10. Hunter, his age, with Walt and Anne? Seen as mom and dad? The details of home life? Of the boy, his age? Meeting with Travis, the prospective two fathers, as a schoolboy, the walk home, going with Travis, their talk, profound communication? Seeing Jane, the cassette? Hunter reunited with his mother?

11. Walt and Anne, as characters, job, ordinary, money? The discussions with the doctor? The motel, catching Travis? The issues of the old car? Taking him home, telling the truth, talking with Anne, Travis causing tensions, the home movies? The phone, the grief? Anne as a character, good woman? Her grief, letting go?

12. Jane, as seen in the home movies, in the memory of Travis and his trying to regain the memories, in Hunter’s memory? The bank, the brothel, the peep show, her appearance, listening, her regrets, the passing of time, her manner, communication, listening and sympathizing? Travis, his repentance? His monologue? Jane and her son?

13. The character the doctor, living in backwoods America?

14. The tragic aspects of the story? High tragedy? In the context of the United States, in ordinary America, home, school…?

15. American journeys, American roads, physical journeys, psychological journeys, emotional journeys? Hope yet uncertainty?

16. Wim Wenders’ achievement with this film?