Just say it. It's metanarrative.

Polaris_DiB

I have yet to find a synopsis of this film that actually says what it's about, mostly because the films' synopses seem to be trying to desperately avoid that all-dangerously pretentious word: "metanarrative."

"Paris When it Sizzles" is about a blocked-up writer (William Holden) who hires an assistant (Audrey Hepburn) to help him come up with a generic movie two days before it's due. The movie itself is concerned with getting Holden and Hepburn together... it not only makes that point clear, it even says it in the dialog... twice. They, in fact, are all-to-ready, saturating the screen with charisma and chemistry from the moment they both enter the story.

Meanwhile, the movie goes on a tongue-in-cheek escapade through narrative conventions and winking asides to avant-garde cinema (especially New Wave, as, well, this came out in the time of New Wave), displaying a range of wit and resourcefulness that helps stretch the desire to see Holden and Hepburn kiss to, say, 130-odd pages? I think what makes this movie really fun is the self-conscious dialog in the movie-within-a-movie scenes, especially such lines as, "You're only 3rd Policeman, you aren't even supposed to talk!" and the constant (and yet never stale) repetition of the whole Phillipe-Maurice dichotomy.

Most of what keeps the whole thing working and not devolving into too much self-consciousness (always a problem with metanarrative) is its pacing (not hectic, but definitely energetic) and its well-stated love of everything that its making fun of.

This movie does seem to have fallen out of prominence. It's available, but not mentioned too often, and definitely not on the top of any lists. However, I hardly see a reason not to watch it, as it's witty, fun, romantic, and enjoyable.

--PolarisDiB

score 9/10

Polaris_DiB 18 June 2007

Reprint: https://www.imdb.com/review/rw1676588/