I remember that I first rented this movie back sometime in 1985. I had seen Karen Allen in the first Indiana Jones movie and liked her zesty character in that movie. She's got a lot of charm, is likable and cute. I think she's a good actress and I'm glad to see she's just returned in the new Indiana Jones film that came out earlier this summer. I also liked her very much in another 1984 movie called "Starman".


My sister first told me about this movie, "Until September" with Karen Allen in which she plays a young woman who has missed her flight and is "stuck" in Paris. (What a place to get stuck.) Mo Alexander is the name of Karen Allen's character. She is somewhat of a free spirit and tries to get on another flight, but things get complicated with visas and meeting up with her group as they travel to other countries. She decides to make the best of things and find an acquaintance to stay with. The acquaintance is away but allows Mo to sublet her apartment.

Mo's neighbor, Xavier, who she meets by chance by walking into the wrong apartment, is played by handsome, Thierry Lhermitte. Xavier is a wealthy businessman. The two are immediately attracted to one another, as luck would have it. Of course, they don't act on their impulses right away, but Mo does tell Xavier that he has the most beautiful eyes she has ever seen and I tend to agree. They are quite strikingly blue and set off by his dark hair.

The first time I watched this film, I obviously was a lot younger and had a more free spirit attitude myself. This time around, I was relieved to find that I still enjoyed the story of the two lovers.

There are carefree moments as the two get to know each other over dinner and when Xavier follows Mo when she goes out for an evening concert. She initially rebuffs his advances because Xavier is married and has two children. (We do also get to meet his wife and lover, AKA the competition.)

As you may expect, their attraction gets the better of them eventually. The lovers pass their moments with one another in complete enjoyment as they get to know one another both physically and personally. There are other moments when they feel torn by guilt by what is happening between them. Mo, while wanting to get some answers from Xavier about his wife, including knowing more about his family, is coldly told that it is none of her business. Mo asks if it is true that all Frenchmen have mistresses and Xavier also confesses to it being true, much to Mo's dismay.

Nevertheless, the two do make an attractive couple who just enjoy one another's company. There is an amusing scene in which the two are discussing "French toast" and French fries. I found Thierry Lhermitte's character to be both attractive and funny, a deadly combination for women. The time passes and the two are invited out to the French countryside to spend a weekend with Xavier's friend from work and his wife and daughter.

This movie, while a well-known theme and with a story that has been told many different ways, is still very interesting to watch. The two are an attractive couple that look good together and they do seem to have a wonderful chemistry. Their intimate moments together work well also and they seem genuinely fond of one another. There are some scenes of nudity with both actors during scenes of love-making.

I also enjoyed the scenes around beautiful Notre Dame and some Paris streets and French countryside. Thierry Lhermitte is a well-known actor in France, but this is the only film I have ever seen him in. I wouldn't mind seeing him in something else to see what he looks like now, 20 plus years after this film was made. I think Karen Allen, although she left moviemaking for some years while raising her son, looks just as good as ever. Also, even though this movie is over 20 years old, the fashions do not look very outdated and it stands up well to the test of time.


Available on DVD in 2004.

Rated "R" for nudity.

Running Time: 95 minutes

Directed by: Richard Marquand ("Jagged Edge", "Star Wars: Episode VI: Return of the Jedi")

Written by: Janice Lee Graham



This review is another (late) entry into Barbara's (ifif1938) Paris write-off.


~thanks for reading~



©gkm.


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Recommended:
Yes

Viewing Format: DVD
Video Occasion: Fit for Friday Evening
Suitability For Children: Not suitable for Children of any age