Paris, Texas (1984)

Travis Henderson, an aimless drifter who has been missing for four years, wanders out of the desert and must reconnect with society, himself, his life, and his family.

Director:

Wim Wenders

Writers:

L.M. Kit Carson (adaptation), Sam Shepard

Stars:

Harry Dean Stanton, Nastassja Kinski, Dean Stockwell

Top Rated Movies #238 | Nominated for 1 Golden Globe. Another 16 wins & 10 nominations.

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
Harry Dean Stanton	...	Travis Henderson
Nastassja Kinski	...	Jane Henderson
Dean Stockwell	...	Walt Henderson
Aurore Clément	...	Anne Henderson (as Aurore Clement)
Hunter Carson	...	Hunter Henderson
Bernhard Wicki	...	Doctor Ulmer
Sam Berry	...	Gas Station Attendant
Claresie Mobley	...	Car Rental Clerk
Viva	...	Woman on TV (as Viva Auder)
Edward Fayton	...	Hunter's Friend
Socorro Valdez	...	Carmelita
Justin Hogg	...	Hunter - Age 3
Tom Farrell	...	Screaming Man
John Lurie	...	'Slater'
Jeni Vici	...	'Stretch'

Storyline

A man wanders out of the desert after a four year absence. His brother finds him, and together they return to L.A. to reunite the man with his young son. Soon after, he and the boy set out to locate the mother of the child, who left shortly after the man disappeared.

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Plot Keywords:

father son relationship | desert | texas | wandering | mute | 

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Taglines:

A place for dreams. A place for heartbreak. A place to pick up the pieces.

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Genres:

Drama

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Certificate:

R

Did You Know?

Trivia

Famous Scottish band Texas took their name from the title of this film, while fellow Scottish band Travis are named after its main protagonist.

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Goofs

When Walt is looking at the photo booth pictures of Travis in his car, he shakes out a cigarette from a Marlboro soft pack and throws the pack on the dash. In the OTS shot of the photo strip, the cigarette pack on the dash is a hard box.

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Quotes

[first lines]
Gas Station Attendant: What the hell?

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Connections

Featured in No Small Parts: Harry Dean Stanton (2015)

User Reviews

The Ultimate Anti-Romance.

I would say that Paris, Texas is not for everyone, but, truly, that can be said about every movie. But I will say this: fans of methodically paced, beautifully shot, existentially rooted, and purely experiential cinema will not be disappointed.

Paris, Texas is virtually my favorite movie, and a movie that, whether you like it or not, will leave some impact on you. It is a journey, an experience, an odyssey.

Yes, it is long. Yes, it is slow. Defined plot points? Please.

But what this movie does do is place into the mind of it's lead character. Travis Henderson, an older man, gruff and worn out with age, wanders out of the Texas desert after missing from his family for four years. He is mute, and apparently unaware of who he is. His brother Walt finds him, and tries to rehabilitate him back into sanity. The film then covers Travis's journey to reconnect with a past which he has long since forgotten. He reunites with his son, his sister in-law, and eventually, in a scene which I tear up just thinking about, his wife.

But that is all I will divulge about his wife. That is a scene which you really have to see to believe.

While this film really doesn't rely on plot, it does have structure and tone. And what carries us through this mystical story is the unbelievably beautiful photography. We see the world as it should be seen: a starkly beautiful, but uncompromising, place. The use of color and motifs really makes this film a marvel to look at.

And then we get to performances. Everyone's great, so I will focus on our two truly main characters. Harry Dean Stanton plays Travis, a gentle, kind man, that, despite having personal demons, is a great fatherly figure (fine, maybe he isn't the best father...but there's no denying he left an impact on his son's life). And seeing Stanton bring this character to life in the most subtle and somber way possible is amazing. And then we have Natassja Kinski, who plays Jane, his wife. She doesn't show up until the third act, and 95% percent of her performance takes place in one room. But Kinski's portrayal of emotion...and her quiet, yet powerful demeanor...and the way she talks...god, it's unbelievable. Stanton and Kinski have some of the best chemistry ever, which is even more impressive considering they're never in the same room (see the movie...you'll understand). In the end, these two carry the movie on their backs, and do an amazing job doing it.

You may not cry, but you will think about crying. You will think about all the sad moments in your life. And it will all be washed out of you by movie's end. Believe me, I know this from personal experience. This movie is almost therapeutic in the way. Because the story is healing our own souls at the same time as it is healing Travis's.

So. What's more to say about Paris, Texas? It's a beautiful movie, one that relies on photography and performances to tell it's story, and a movie that portrays emotions on a master class level. And what do I mean by 'Anti-Romance'? It's not worth explaining here. See the movie, you'll understand.

Details

Country:

West Germany France UK

Language:

English Spanish

Release Date:

23 August 1984 (UK)

Also Known As:

Paris, Texas

Filming Locations:

State Hwy 118 and American Legion Road, Brewster County, Texas, USA

Box Office

Budget:

GBP1,162,000 (estimated)

Gross USA:

$2,181,987

Cumulative Worldwide Gross:

$2,206,121

Company Credits

Production Co:

Road Movies Filmproduktion, Argos Films, Westdeutscher Rundfunk (WDR)

Technical Specs

Runtime:

145 min

Sound Mix:

Mono

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.66 : 1