Liebe ohne Ausweg

This movie isn't terrible, really. Somebody commented that Mo is the type of American Europeans snicker at. But there are those, and not necessarily Anglo-Saxon yahoos, who do not care for Frenchmen; and the Xavier character isn't going to sway them.

Let's consider his stereotypical Frenchman attributes:

1). Cynical - very cynical. Check.

2). Reedy, underfed appearance, check, despite:

3). A great appreciation of cuisine. Check.

4). Lukewarm work ethic. Check. (Forget the fact he is supposedly a rich stockbroker, from watching him in the film he seems to put in ten hour workweeks.)

5). Beautiful wife, check. Despite that:

6). Loose interpretation of the marriage vows. Check.

7). Big sexual ego, which says an American girl owes you sex if you buy her dinner. Check.

Whether Mo is a hick or not, there's no reason for her to fall for this smug European twit other than the script dictates so.

On the other hand, as other male reviewers have, I did enjoy seeing Karen Allen's cute, petite body. I'll give the movie four stars; two of them are for that.

True, the setting in Paris is great. The actors are fine. The story is a twisted morality play. Is it supposed to say that if you want someone badly enough, it's OK to hurt everyone else along the way? In a real romance, you sort of want less cliché than the man who has become bored with his wife and is willing to dump his family, and the woman who is OK with encouraging him to do this. So what if they are decent looking and if Karen Allen shows off her body? The characters are still self-absorbed and reprehensible. Maybe the moral of the story is "you get what you deserve". I give it a 4, only for the fast scan potential through the "male interest" bits.

I saw 'Until September' two or three times in the mid-80's, and have been stalking video stores for it since then. With no luck. It's a fetching and poignant love story between two very charismatic actors, and a telling, at times both funny and dark, juxtaposition of two cultures, American brashness and French sauveness. Not to mention the romance and the sex. A truly wonderful, delicately directed and acted film.

I've loved this movie for years. It automatically swept me off my feet. What a lovely thought...to jet off to France and meet your own Frenchman (smile). I loved the quality/photography. I't just a perfect love story on all counts. I can't believe it's now 22 years old(now being 2006). I tried to buy this movie a few years ago, but was told then that it was very expensive at the time, and rare. Good things come in time, and it's now available on DVD. I'm for one, very happy. This fine gentleman (Thierry Lhermitte) is a very good actor, as well as the ever talented Karen Allen. I plan to order a copy of the DVD and add it to my love story collection. If you haven't seen this one...you should.

(1984) Until September DRAMA

Professional gardener, Mo (Karen Allen) becomes stuck in a Paris airport missing her travel group, forcing her to stay in Paris until her travel documents have been straighten out. She then decides to return to one of her friend's apartment who is supposed to have gone away 'until September'- hence the title. It is during, then she finally meets and builds a rapport with the owner's son of the apartment complex, Xavier (Thierry Lhermitte) whose actual profession is a banker who can speak several languages including English who happens to be married man with two children.