Made in Paris

One of the series of mediocre films that saw Ann-Margret's film career stagnate until 'Carnal Knowledge', 'Made In Paris' looks great, has a decent cast and should be at the very least a harmless timewaster. But it's not even that.

What really sinks it is (as other reviews here have noted) how badly written Ann-Margret's character is, going from prim and naive to a wildcat with no rhyme or reason.

I think this is because the film was trying to have its cake and eat it too in trying to represent both the more permissive culture that was developing in mid-1960s America (even though this is mainly set in Paris), while dealing with the restrictions of the conservative Hays Code, then in its dying days. Unfortunately, the script and direction aren't good enough to overcome this contradiction and the film is a largely dreary mess.

Ann-Margret is largely sunk by the horribly-written character she's saddled with. But she does display her skills during a fun dance number and provides some entertainment when briefly showing her 'wild side'.

Of the rest of the cast, Crenna comes off best with a role that you wish had been more substantial. Everett is dull and Adams is wasted in a nothing role that is even more poorly-scripted than Ann-Margret's is.

Only for die-hard Ann-Margret fans.

Ann-Margret, Louis Jourdan, Chad Everett, and Edie Adams star in this light film which when seen today sets the #metoo movement back 50 years.

Ann-M, whom the boss' son (Everett) is in love with, plays a courtier buyer for a department store, in Paris on her first job. She is replacing another buyer (Edie Adams). Now in the corporate apartment, Ann-M doesn't realize that her predecessor was having a mad fling with one of the designers (Jourdan) as part of their contract.

This is just a frothy romance that is a showcase for the gorgeous, sexy Ann-Margret in glamorous Helen Rose outfits. If you're an Ann-Margret fan, you don't want to miss this.

TCM ran this tonight, and I had to wander why. There's plenty of talent here, but not in the script or the direction.

Poor Ann-Margret, who was an accomplished dancer - and, of course, a very attractive woman - gets stuck in a role where her only dancing is a very bad knock-off of what made her famous in Bye, Bye Birdie. She plays someone so naive and puritanical that all her sex appeal fails to overcome the impression that she's one frigid, repressed basket case.

The rest of the movie isn't much better. Good to very good actors get stuck in roles that barely have two dimensions.

And don't let the "Paris" in the title fool you. Most of this movie was filmed not just on sets - after all, that was true of An American in Paris as well, and that is a stupendous movie - but uninteresting sets, hotel rooms that may have been left over from MGM's 1939 Ninotchka. The only atmospheric moment is an embarrassment. AM and Louis Jourdain appear on the set used for Gene Kelly and Leslie Caron in AAIP, the great Seine River scene where the two great dancers dance and fall in love. This time, however, that same set is shot without any of the poetry that has immortalized it in AAIP. The song is not great Gershwin, but an forgettable flop. And there is no dancing. Even though AM was a great dancer. Talk about wasting an opportunity! In short, there really is nothing to recommend this movie. Those in it all did better, much better, elsewhere. It's often embarrassing to watch them here.

Skip it.

Overall, this grab-bag of 60s genres really doesn't work very well. The MGM gloss is clearly evident, however, and some of the set pieces are not to be missed.

Two-thirds of the way through this flick, I realized that I had lost interest, mainly due to weak characterizations, and stupid plot contrivances. The AM dance number and subsequent vocal come out of nowhere - this is definitely an everything-but-the-kitchen-sink script.

AM's performance is unsubstantial, although LJ provides his usual touch of sophistication. RC and CE are completely inconsequential.

Recommended only for set and costume design......and perhaps for the chance to see AM in her prime.

An American fashion-buyer is sent to Paris on assignment and immediately gets on the wrong side of a major French designer. Soon though, she almost inadvertently manages to charm him, as well as two other men. What is Ann-Margret doing to drive all these eligible bachelors crazy? As far as we in the audience can see: nothing. Yes, she gets to dance a little and sing a pretty ditty on the docks, but the character is haphazardly written. One minute she's a firebrand, the next she's icy, almost frigid. Judging from her teasing and emotional schizophrenia, it's unlikely that suave Louis Jourdan would even give her the time of day. There's a funny gay-misunderstanding gag involving Richard Crenna (who is a lot more appealing than he's supposed to be), however this is one of A-M's weakest starring vehicles of the 1960s. *1/2 from ****