The Last Time I Saw Paris (1954)

Charles Wills returns to Paris to reminisce about the life he led there after it was liberated. He worked then for "Stars and Stripes" when he met both Marion and Helen Ellswirth. He soon ... See full summary »

Director:

Richard Brooks

Writers:

Julius J. Epstein (screenplay), Philip G. Epstein (screenplay)

Stars:

Elizabeth Taylor, Van Johnson, Walter Pidgeon

Cast

Complete credited cast:
Elizabeth Taylor	...	Helen Ellswirth
Van Johnson	...	Charles Wills
Walter Pidgeon	...	James Ellswirth
Donna Reed	...	Marion Ellswirth
Eva Gabor	...	Lorraine Quarl
Kurt Kasznar	...	Maurice
George Dolenz	...	Claude Matine
Roger Moore	...	Paul
Sandy Descher	...	Vicki
Celia Lovsky	...	Mama
Peter Leeds	...	Barney
John Doucette	...	Campbell
Odette Myrtil	...	Singer (as Odette)

Storyline

Charles Wills returns to Paris to reminisce about the life he led there after it was liberated. He worked then for "Stars and Stripes" when he met both Marion and Helen Ellswirth. He soon married and was happy staying in Paris after his discharge. While working for a news organization, Charlie began to write the great novel that would come between him, his wife, and his daughter.

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Plot Keywords:

victory in europe day | self destructiveness | writer | reporter | unrequited love | 

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Genres:

Drama | Romance

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Certificate:

Approved

Did You Know?

Trivia

First shown on network television after being telecast on local stations for years.

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Goofs

Near the end of the film, when Helen is wearing the red dress, Charlie comes home drunk and puts the chain on the door. The chain is a lot longer than a normal door chain, at least 12 inches. When Helen comes home later and tries to get in, the chain is now much shorter. It's now the length of a normal door chain.

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Quotes

James Ellswirth: Your sister has made me very proud. We couldn't tell you the good news before, but Helen has been expelled from the university.

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Connections

Referenced in The Twilight Zone: Execution (1960)

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Soundtracks

You Wonderful You
(uncredited)
Music by Harry Warren
Played when Helen introduces Paul Lane to Mrs. Johnson at the party

User Reviews

Lovely Elizabeth in empty soaper

Lush not terribly faithful rendition of Fitzgerald's Babylon Revisited is hampered by the miscasting of Van Johnson in the lead. There is no way other than script demands that Elizabeth Taylor would pick the vapid Johnson let alone stay with him throughout the increasingly boorish behavior he subjects her too. Donna Reed fulfills the requirements of her part but it asks little of her skill. The film is beautifully shot with that MGM sheen and Walter Pidgeon gives a terrific performance as Elizabeth's madcap father. Fitzgerald is hard to adapt to begin with and the script writers don't have a firm grasp on the material so it becomes a colorful soap opera but little else.

Details

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Release Date:

3 April 1955 (Japan)

Also Known As:

Babylon Revisited

Filming Locations:

Nice, France

Box Office

Budget:

$1,960,000 (estimated)

Company Credits

Production Co:

Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer (MGM)

Technical Specs

Runtime:

116 min

Sound Mix:

4-Track Stereo (Perspecta Sound) (Western Electric Sound System)

Color:

Color (Technicolor)

Aspect Ratio:

1.75 : 1