I am such a sucker for a movie set in Paris, so much so that even though I didn't love the last Paris movie I saw (Le Weekend) I was completely drawn to see Mr. Morgan's Last Love recently. At least I knew a little bit about this one. I've been following it on a few blogs for a while, and I knew that Paulita liked it, while Sim didn't really. In America the name was changed to Last Love, I'm not sure why, or if that is better or not.
Matthew Morgan (Michael Caine) is a widowed American living in Paris. He has lived quite a solitary life since his wife died three years ago. Then he meets a young dance teacher, Pauline (Clémence Poésy) on the #63 bus and things change for both of them.
Matthew Morgan (Michael Caine) is a widowed American living in Paris. He has lived quite a solitary life since his wife died three years ago. Then he meets a young dance teacher, Pauline (Clémence Poésy) on the #63 bus and things change for both of them.
The movie trailers made it sort of creepy, as if they're going to have a rather inappropriate relationship.
And that is carried through in the movie a bit. They do sit too close together on a park bench. There are some weird conversations and looks. Thankfully it doesn't happen, but I did spend much of the movie feeling unsettled.
Paris is the third big name star- although I saw in the end credits that the movie was actually filmed in France, Belgium and Germany, so not everything we see is really Paris. The park that they meet in wasn't familiar to me- not that I know every park in Paris. And if they're meeting on the Left Bank, why does their park have views to the Arc de Triomphe? Do Parisians really go to line dancing classes?
I did like scenes on the #63 bus. I caught buses a few times on our last visit, and will be using it even more next visit. The bus is actually a great way to see Paris. Tourists tend to take the Metro, it's easier if your French isn't perfect (and who's is?), and shown on all the tourist info so it's the obvious way to travel. And it is handy. But as you get more comfortable with Paris, or if you travel with someone who isn't perfectly mobile (there are endless steps in many Metro stations, and some platforms at the big stations can be a 10 minute underground walk apart) then the bus offers a different way to get around. And you get a view. Parisbreakfasts did a great tutorial on how to use the Paris Bus.
The movie takes place in an autumnal Paris, which was exciting, because that's how it will look when next I visit! And of course I can't wait. I've never seen Paris in the chilly months.
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| Dreaming of France is a wonderful Monday meme from Paulita at An Accidental Blog |
I can be so oblivious to some things, and although you and Sim both thought the relationship was a little creepy, my mind never went in that direction, which is strange since I have a 22-year-old daughter. You'd think I'd jump to protect young women from lecherous old men. I guess I just saw him as so sad. It is funny to think of Parisians at line dancing classes, but all the young French people I know have taken dance lessons, including "le rock and roll." Thanks for playing along today.
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