"And so we go on, boats against the current, constantly drawn into the past" .
Francis Scott Fitzgerald
Despite the cheerful and romantic image displayed on this poster, we have a pessimistic film, disappointing drama, the story of characters who even get to enjoy wealth, beauty, a wanton, carefree life turn out to be extremely unhappy.
"The Last Time I Saw Paris" ( Richard Brooks, 1954) is based on a short story by novelist singular F. entitled Scott Fitzgerald "Babylon Revisited" . The script was created by Julius J. Epstein and Philip G. Epstein, with the collaboration of Richard Brooks himself, but moving original action to Paris liberated by the Allies after the Nazi occupation, in every way, the patina creator autobiographical "The Great Gatsby " seems to hover over the entire tape.
Francis Scott Fitzgerald (1896 - 1940)
key In flashback, we witness history Charles Wills (Van Johnson ), a young lieutenant war correspondent magazine "Stars and Stripes" that meets the attractive Ellswirth Marion (Donna Reed ) the day of liberation. She had been living in occupied France with his family d uring the war. Marion and Charles have a mutual friend Claude Martine ( George Dolenz), which eventually will become the husband of Marion. The girl invites both to a party at the house of his father, Mr. James Ellswirth ( Walter Pidgeon), a sort of gentleman playboy, bohemian dandy rundown and seems to enjoy a great life despite his ruin. There Charles will meet the impulsive and crazy Ellswirth Helen (beautiful and splendid Elizabeth Taylor) who has just been expelled from university. The rivalry between the two sisters is clear, but inevitably arise attraction between Helen and Charles ... Will be the start of his dramatic love.
Although the first cup that our hero is taken the film is a bourbon , chronological history of alcoholism film begins with a pernod , shared with the ineffable Maurice ( Kurt Kasznar ) the owner of Café Dhingo . This property will become a sort of second home for our players. Among its faded walls, sheathed in billowing clouds of smoke and alcohol, Helen particular exercise its reign as the undisputed muse of painters and artists failed ...
Helen's health is fragile. One night, after the rain had completely draft a flu complicated determines entry into the Lariboisière Hospital, a magnificent nineteenth-century building that was begun in Paris in 1846 under the direction of developer Martin-Pierre Gauthier, the center, keeping the architectural structure dictated experts flags hygienists in public health, opened in 1854 and since 1975 also been classified as historical monuments.
precisely the weakness of his respiratory system is the cause of his death, caused by another cold. In full drunk, a cold night when snow covers with a thick mantle Paris, Charles returns home and falls asleep on the floor of the stairs, clutching a bottle. Steeped in the slumber, hear no calls from his wife Helen to let her into the warmth of home. A fatal pneumonia end its existence.
precisely the weakness of his respiratory system is the cause of his death, caused by another cold. In full drunk, a cold night when snow covers with a thick mantle Paris, Charles returns home and falls asleep on the floor of the stairs, clutching a bottle. Steeped in the slumber, hear no calls from his wife Helen to let her into the warmth of home. A fatal pneumonia end its existence.
ABOUT VAN JOHNSON ...
Maybe Richard Brooks chose him to star in this film about their looks, which we vaguely recalled Scott Fitzgerald's own, or for that particular interpretation faint contributing even more if possible, to shot general tone of the film.
This redheaded American actor developed a prolific career began as a showgirl on Broadway scenarios, and successful through different stages, from an idol for young girls to the illustrious hero war dramas. His last appearance on screen was in "The Purple Rose of Cairo" ( Woody Allen, 1985).
Van Johnson replaced Lew Ayres in the continuation of the popular Dr. Kildare , and more specifically in "The new assistant Dr. Gillespie" ( Willis Goldbeck, 1942), which embody the Dr. Randall Adams.
Besides the role of Charles Wills in this movie, Johnson lent his convincing image Donald Martin, another character tormented and alcoholic "Barriers of pride" ( Henry Hathaway, 1956).
From the soundtrack of the film stress the eponymous song composed by Jerome Kern , whose presence is constant as the background music of the most joyous moments in the life of Helen and Charles, and that will fade into melancholy chords whenever the widow yearns those happy times past.