Until September

Quelle Fromage! The lame plot! The contrived situation! The Karen- Allen-one-note-"acting"-factor! My husband was so annoyed by her character...stereotypical, boorish, self-centered American tourist. But this cheese-fest is saved by Thierry Lhermitte, who -- until now -- I thought did only genuinely funny (current) French comedies. He is great in those. How did he wander into this sub-par movie?

In this, Lhermitte is the most strikingly elegant window dressing I have ever seen. Just... jaw-dropping. What this man does for a suit is nearly illegal. I only hung in there through the whole wretched thing because I could not take my eyes off him. Other than that, Until September is a forgettable C-minus.

I saw this movie in the theater when it came out, and it really stuck with me. Then I caught it again years later on late night TV, and recorded it, and fell madly in love with it. Although it has some silly parts, it is mostly a very engaging romance between a young American woman and a dashing French man, whom she met by chance when dropping in unexpectedly on a friend in Paris. In the late 80's, I would frequently watch this movie on a Saturday night when I wanted to just relax with some coffee and watch a film that totally took me away from everything. I would desperately love it if they put this on DVD someday. This may be a "chick flick", but oh what a lovely one. Catch it if you can.

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.

A Harlequin Romance type of movie about an American horticulturist marooned in Paris who encounters a married man when the group she is traveling with departs for other countries with her visa. Endlessly contrived situations that break up/make up the relationship between them - however, the charm and acting skill of both leads, Karen Allen and Thierry Lhermitte, together with countless nude scenes, succeeds in overcoming the deficiencies in the script. What the movie is missing most of all is a forceful subplot, which would have added a greater degree of complication and reasons for breaking up and making up. Both leads act well. Hard to understand why Karen Allen never became a bigger star. And interesting to see Thierry Lhermitte, sleek and groomed, in a romantic role instead of the comedic roles he usually plays. And of course there is Paris - which never looked lovelier, more sophisticated and charming. (What time does the next plane leave?) Not a great movie but enjoyable to watch on a rainy afternoon.

(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.