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Paris Belongs to Us

January 01, 1970

Paris Belongs to Us (French: Paris nous appartient, sometimes translated as Paris Is Ours) is a 1961 French mystery film directed by Jacques Rivette in his feature-length directorial debut. Set in Paris in 1957 and often referencing Shakespeare's play Pericles, the title is highly ironic[according to whom?] because the characters are immigrants or alienated and do not feel that they belong at all.[citation needed]

Paris Belongs to Us
Film poster
Directed byJacques Rivette
Written byJean Gruault
Jacques Rivette
Produced byClaude Chabrol
Roland Nonin
StarringBetty Schneider
Giani Esposito
Françoise Prévost
CinematographyCharles L. Bitsch
Edited byDenise de Casabianca
Music byPhilippe Arthuys
Release date
  • 13 December 1961 (1961-12-13)
Running time
141 minutes
CountryFrance
LanguageFrench

The story centres on young university student Anne who, through her older brother, meets a group of people haunted by mysterious tensions and fears and the deaths of two of its members. The source of the malaise affecting the group is never explained, leaving viewers to wonder how far it might be an amalgam of individual imbalances, general existentialist anxiety, or the paranoia of the Cold War as the world faced the possibility of nuclear annihilation.[1][2][3]

Plot edit

The film opens with literature student Anne who is reading Shakespeare when she hears sounds of distress in the next room. There she finds a Spanish girl who says her brother Juan has been killed by dark forces. Anne then meets with her own brother Pierre, who takes her to a party held by some of his friends.

Initially bored and knowing nobody, she gradually becomes fascinated by mysterious interactions around her. Juan, a musician and anti-Franco refugee, has recently died from a knife wound which some think was a suicide. Philip, an unsteady American refugee from McCarthyism, gets drunk and later slaps a smartly dressed woman named Terry, accusing her of causing Juan's death by breaking up with him. Terry, who had also been the lover of Philip, is now together with theatre director Gérard.

The next day, Anne meets with a friend who is an aspiring actor, and he takes her to a rehearsal of Shakespeare's Pericles, the director of which proves to be Gérard. Because the actress for the part of Marina has not arrived, Anne is asked to read, and she performs well. Afterward she runs into Philip, who recounts long tales in veiled language about sinister interests that have destroyed Juan and may now get Gérard too.

Anne becomes determined to resolve the mystery that is obsessing the lives of the people she met, including a missing music recording by Juan which Gérard had planned to use for his play, and predictions that Gérard might end up dead like Juan. Gérard eventually dies, either by suicide or the machinations of an ominous group which according to Philip and Terry is heading for world domination. Terry kills Pierre who is supposedly part of the conspiracy, but later admits that it might exist only in Philip's mind.

Cast edit

Production edit

Written in 1957, shot from July to November 1958, but not released until 13 December 1961, it was the film critic Rivette's first full-length film as a director and one of the early works of the French New Wave.[4] Like his fellow Cahiers du cinéma critic Éric Rohmer, Rivette did not find popularity with his early films,[citation needed] and unlike many of the New Wave directors, he remained at Cahiers for most of the core New Wave era from 1958 to 1968, only completing two more full-length films during this time.

As a New Wave characteristic,[citation needed] the film includes cameos for fellow directors Claude Chabrol (who also co-produced the film), Jean-Luc Godard, Jacques Demy and Rivette himself.

Reception edit

The film was met by some London film critics with furious incomprehension; however, it was awarded the Sutherland Trophy by the British Film Institute as the most original and innovative film introduced at the National Film Theatre during the year. It had only a brief commercial run in London.[5]

Film critic Jonathan Rosenbaum liked the film: "Jacques Rivette’s troubled and troubling 1960 account of Parisians in the late 50s remains the most intellectually and philosophically mature, and one of the most beautiful...Few films have more effectively captured a period and milieu; Rivette evokes bohemian paranoia and sleepless nights in tiny one-room flats, along with the fragrant, youthful idealism conveyed by the film’s title".[6]

Richard Brody of The New Yorker reviewed the film positively: "Rivette’s tightly wound images turn the ornate architecture of Paris into a labyrinth of intimate entanglements and apocalyptic menace; he evokes the fearsome mysteries beneath the surface of life and the enticing illusions that its masterminds, whether human or divine, create."[7]

The critic Hamish Ford stated: "... for me at least, his debut feature is a perfect film in its way. If the first work of a long career should, at least in the oeuvre-charting rear-vision mirror, offer an appropriately characteristic or even perhaps idiosyncratic entry point into a distinct film-world, then Paris nous appartient is indeed a perfect 'first' Rivette in its combination of formal daring and conceptual elusiveness."[8]

References edit

  1. ^ Turner Classic Movies, retrieved 12 February 2018
  2. ^ Bradshaw, Peter, The Guardian, retrieved 12 February 2018
  3. ^ The New Yorker, retrieved 12 February 2018
  4. ^ "Paris Belongs to Us: Nothing Took Place but the Place". The Criterion Collection. Retrieved 7 July 2018.
  5. ^ "The B.F.I. Award". Sight & Sound. Vol. 32, no. 1. British Film Institute. Winter 1962–1963. p. 13. Retrieved 3 December 2022 – via Archive.org.
  6. ^ "Paris Belongs to Us | Jonathan Rosenbaum". www.jonathanrosenbaum.net. Retrieved 7 July 2018.
  7. ^ "Paris Belongs to Us - The New Yorker". The New Yorker. Retrieved 7 July 2018.
  8. ^ Paris nous appartient by Hamish Ford at Senses of Cinema

Further reading edit

  • Rivette, Jacques; De Pascale, Goffredo (2003). Jacques Rivette (in Italian). Il Castoro. ISBN 88-8033-256-2.

External links edit

January 01, 1970
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Paris Belongs to Us French Paris nous appartient sometimes translated as Paris Is Ours is a 1961 French mystery film directed by Jacques Rivette in his feature length directorial debut Set in Paris in 1957 and often referencing Shakespeare s play Pericles the title is highly ironic according to whom because the characters are immigrants or alienated and do not feel that they belong at all citation needed Paris Belongs to UsFilm posterDirected byJacques RivetteWritten byJean GruaultJacques RivetteProduced byClaude ChabrolRoland NoninStarringBetty SchneiderGiani EspositoFrancoise PrevostCinematographyCharles L BitschEdited byDenise de CasabiancaMusic byPhilippe ArthuysRelease date13 December 1961 1961 12 13 Running time141 minutesCountryFranceLanguageFrench The story centres on young university student Anne who through her older brother meets a group of people haunted by mysterious tensions and fears and the deaths of two of its members The source of the malaise affecting the group is never explained leaving viewers to wonder how far it might be an amalgam of individual imbalances general existentialist anxiety or the paranoia of the Cold War as the world faced the possibility of nuclear annihilation 1 2 3 Contents 1 Plot 2 Cast 3 Production 4 Reception 5 References 6 Further reading 7 External linksPlot editThe film opens with literature student Anne who is reading Shakespeare when she hears sounds of distress in the next room There she finds a Spanish girl who says her brother Juan has been killed by dark forces Anne then meets with her own brother Pierre who takes her to a party held by some of his friends Initially bored and knowing nobody she gradually becomes fascinated by mysterious interactions around her Juan a musician and anti Franco refugee has recently died from a knife wound which some think was a suicide Philip an unsteady American refugee from McCarthyism gets drunk and later slaps a smartly dressed woman named Terry accusing her of causing Juan s death by breaking up with him Terry who had also been the lover of Philip is now together with theatre director Gerard The next day Anne meets with a friend who is an aspiring actor and he takes her to a rehearsal of Shakespeare s Pericles the director of which proves to be Gerard Because the actress for the part of Marina has not arrived Anne is asked to read and she performs well Afterward she runs into Philip who recounts long tales in veiled language about sinister interests that have destroyed Juan and may now get Gerard too Anne becomes determined to resolve the mystery that is obsessing the lives of the people she met including a missing music recording by Juan which Gerard had planned to use for his play and predictions that Gerard might end up dead like Juan Gerard eventually dies either by suicide or the machinations of an ominous group which according to Philip and Terry is heading for world domination Terry kills Pierre who is supposedly part of the conspiracy but later admits that it might exist only in Philip s mind Cast editBetty Schneider fr as Anne Goupil Francois Maistre as Pierre Goupil Giani Esposito as Gerard Lenz Francoise Prevost as Terry Yordan Daniel Crohem fr as Philip Kaufman Jean Claude Brialy as Jean Marc Jean Marie Robain fr as Dr de GeorgesProduction editWritten in 1957 shot from July to November 1958 but not released until 13 December 1961 it was the film critic Rivette s first full length film as a director and one of the early works of the French New Wave 4 Like his fellow Cahiers du cinema critic Eric Rohmer Rivette did not find popularity with his early films citation needed and unlike many of the New Wave directors he remained at Cahiers for most of the core New Wave era from 1958 to 1968 only completing two more full length films during this time As a New Wave characteristic citation needed the film includes cameos for fellow directors Claude Chabrol who also co produced the film Jean Luc Godard Jacques Demy and Rivette himself Reception editThe film was met by some London film critics with furious incomprehension however it was awarded the Sutherland Trophy by the British Film Institute as the most original and innovative film introduced at the National Film Theatre during the year It had only a brief commercial run in London 5 Film critic Jonathan Rosenbaum liked the film Jacques Rivette s troubled and troubling 1960 account of Parisians in the late 50s remains the most intellectually and philosophically mature and one of the most beautiful Few films have more effectively captured a period and milieu Rivette evokes bohemian paranoia and sleepless nights in tiny one room flats along with the fragrant youthful idealism conveyed by the film s title 6 Richard Brody of The New Yorker reviewed the film positively Rivette s tightly wound images turn the ornate architecture of Paris into a labyrinth of intimate entanglements and apocalyptic menace he evokes the fearsome mysteries beneath the surface of life and the enticing illusions that its masterminds whether human or divine create 7 The critic Hamish Ford stated for me at least his debut feature is a perfect film in its way If the first work of a long career should at least in the oeuvre charting rear vision mirror offer an appropriately characteristic or even perhaps idiosyncratic entry point into a distinct film world then Paris nous appartient is indeed a perfect first Rivette in its combination of formal daring and conceptual elusiveness 8 References edit Turner Classic Movies retrieved 12 February 2018 Bradshaw Peter The Guardian retrieved 12 February 2018 The New Yorker retrieved 12 February 2018 Paris Belongs to Us Nothing Took Place but the Place The Criterion Collection Retrieved 7 July 2018 The B F I Award Sight amp Sound Vol 32 no 1 British Film Institute Winter 1962 1963 p 13 Retrieved 3 December 2022 via Archive org Paris Belongs to Us Jonathan Rosenbaum www jonathanrosenbaum net Retrieved 7 July 2018 Paris Belongs to Us The New Yorker The New Yorker Retrieved 7 July 2018 Paris nous appartient by Hamish Ford at Senses of CinemaFurther reading editRivette Jacques De Pascale Goffredo 2003 Jacques Rivette in Italian Il Castoro ISBN 88 8033 256 2 External links editParis Belongs to Us at IMDb nbsp Paris Belongs to Us Nothing Took Place but the Place an essay by Lucy Sante at the Criterion Collection Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Paris Belongs to Us amp oldid 1189814704, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,

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