Portrayal of a City: Midnight in Paris

“How is anyone ever gonna come up with a book or a painting or a symphony or a sculpture that can compete with a great city”- Gil Pender

Gil Pender (Owen Wilson) is a Hollywood screenwriter who is trying his hand at writing a novel. He is visiting Paris with his superficial wealthy fiancée Inez (Rachel McAdams) who seems more enamored of her friend Paul (Michael Sheen) than her fiancé Gil. Gil is enchanted by the beauty of Paris. He can’t help but imagine the glory of Paris during the 20s when great artists and writers would get inspired here and would create great art. He is constantly in a nostalgic state wondering what it would be like to live here. He loves everything about Paris- the rain, cafes streets markets and the people. The city of Paris holds great importance for Gil; it inspires him and takes him away from the reality of his life.

The film creates a fairytale version of Paris, right from the opening montage with picturesque shots of beautiful streets, grand landmarks and buildings, the lovely ornate bridge and the breathtaking Eiffel Tower. Be ready to be swayed away by the breathtaking beauty of the city from day to night. The film has a very warm feel to it. The days are bright, colourful and breezy, whereas the nights are dazzling and mesmerizing.

The film gives us glimpses of Paris in different eras. When the bell rings at midnight, a vintage Peugeot car arrives to transport Gil in the enchanting Jazz Age i.e. the 20s. We see glorious parties, elegant dresses and the finest bars of the era. Gil is dumbstruck when he meets his literary idols Ernest Hemingway, Gertrude Stein and the Fitzgeralds. We see Pablo Picasso painting his lover Adriana who has come to Paris to work with Coco Chanel. Gil and Adriana instantly hit it off. Everybody wears dapper suits and sparkly dresses that seem more exciting and fun. In one scene we witness a humorous encounter between Gil Pender, Luis Bunuel, Salvador Dali (Adrien Brody) and Man Ray and how the idea of a man in love with a woman of another era inspires them. A second time shift transports Gil and Adriana back to the Belle Époque era i.e. the 1890s where they meet three great painters of the era who wish to be born in the age of Renaissance.

“Nostalgia is denial - denial of the painful present... the name for this denial is golden age thinking - the erroneous notion that a different time period is better than the one one's living in - it's a flaw in the romantic imagination of those people who find it difficult to cope with the present.”- Paul (Michael Sheen)

The city of Paris is extremely essential for the story and the characters. For Gil, contemporary Paris has become too touristy and it is the Jazz Age that inspires him. Adriana believes she was born too late and falls in love with the Belle Époque. Everyone seems to want to live in nostalgia, escaping the realities of their present lives.

Woody Allen leaves no stone unturned in glorifying the rich heritage of arts and literature of the city in his film. Owen Wilson has owned the film with his acting and his funny expressions while travelling through different ages. The film will absolutely captivate and allure you with the stunning shots of Paris, eccentric and quirky characters, beautiful sets and costumes and most importantly, the tinge of nostalgia added to the city of dreams.

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Written By:

Muskan Sharma

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