An Affair in Paris (film)

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Movie
German title An affair in Paris
Original title Le Divorce
Country of production France , USA
original language English , French
Publishing year 2003
length 112 minutes
Age rating FSK 12
Rod
Director James Ivory
script Ruth Prawer Jhabvala
James Ivory
production Ismail Merchant
Michael Schiffer
music Richard Robbins
camera Pierre Lhomme
cut John David Allen
occupation

An Affair in Paris (Original title: Le Divorce ) is a French - American comedy film directed by James Ivory from 2003. It is based on a novel by Diane Johnson .

action

The American Isabel Walker visits her pregnant sister, the poet Roxeanne de Persand , in Paris . Roxeanne's husband, Charles-Henri de Persand, left her for Magda Tellman. Roxeanne claims ownership of a valuable painting, “Saint Ursula” by Georges de La Tour , even though the painting originally belonged to the husband's family. The Louvre believes the painting is a copy or a forgery, but the Getty Museum has expressed an interest in acquiring the painting. Isabel and her sister meet writer Olivia Pace, who asks Roxeanne if she would like to work for them. Roxeanne declines the offer, but praises her sister's academic training. Pace sums it up with “she can read and write” and hires Isabel.

Isabel starts a relationship with the young artist Yves. She also begins an affair with the married politician Edgar Cosset, an uncle of Charles-Henri, who asks her directly if she wants to be his mistress . He gives her a red Hermès handbag , a sure sign for his sister that the two are having an affair. Charles-Henri's sister calls her relatives after Isabel and Roxeanne's visit and asks them to talk her brother out of the affair.

The dejected Roxeanne attempts suicide. Her and Isabel's parents come to Paris. Meanwhile, Suzanne de Persand, the mother of Charles-Henri, tries to secure the Georges de La Tour picture for her family. Charles-Henri de Persand is killed by Magda's betrayed husband. The man follows Isabel up to the Eiffel Tower , where he drops off his pistol. Isabel puts it in the purse she received from Cosset and throws it from the tower. The man is sentenced to 20 years in prison. Isabel breaks up with Cosset. Roxeanne and her attorney become a couple. The painting is being sold at auction by the Walkers.

background

The film, shot for Merchant Ivory Productions in Paris, grossed around 9 million US dollars in US cinemas.

Reviews

James Berardinelli wrote on ReelViews.net that he would not suspect that the film was producing Merchant Ivory Productions, a company known for Seeing us at Howards End and What Was Left of the Day . The characters are hardly developed. The representations by Kate Hudson and Naomi Watts described Berardinelli as "solid", but not outstanding.

Roger Ebert wrote in the Chicago Sun-Times on August 8, 2003 that there were too many characters in the film and that it looked like a collection of skits. Ebert praised the "wonderful" portrayal of Stockard Channing.

The Prisma editorial team wrote that the film was one of the "most boring works of all time". Nothing is romantic or funny.

The lexicon of international films said: “Adaptation of a current bestseller, which shortens contemporary references beyond recognition. The attraction, but also a certain lack of contour, of the exquisitely furnished comedy lies in the strolling movement, which is guided by quotes from the film, cultural clichés and the play of the outstanding actors, without the plot, which ramifies into several strands, can be broken down to a denominator. "

Awards

James Ivory and Naomi Watts won awards at the Venice International Film Festival in 2003.

The German Film and Media Assessment FBW in Wiesbaden awarded the film the rating particularly valuable.

Web links

Individual evidence

  1. ^ Business Data for Le Divorce
  2. Critique by James Berardinelli  ( page no longer available , search in web archivesInfo: The link was automatically marked as defective. Please check the link according to the instructions and then remove this notice.@1@ 2Template: Dead Link / preview.reelviews.net  
  3. ^ Review by Roger Ebert
  4. ^ Criticism on prisma.de
  5. ^ An affair in Paris. In: Lexicon of International Films . Film service , accessed March 2, 2017 .Template: LdiF / Maintenance / Access used