movie review paris when it sizzles

The Definitive Voice of Entertainment News

Subscribe for full access to The Hollywood Reporter

site categories

‘paris when it sizzles’: thr’s 1964 review.

On April 8, 1964, Paramount unveiled Audrey Hepburn and William Holden starrer Paris When It Sizzles in theaters. The Hollywood Reporter’s original review, headlined “‘Paris When It Sizzles’ Strong in Marquee Power,” is below:  Paris When It Sizzles is a movie about making a movie. In its course, the hero (a movie writer) says the movie-within-a-movie […]

By James Powers

James Powers

• Share on Facebook
• Share to Flipboard
• Send an Email
• Show additional share options
• Share on LinkedIn
• Share on Pinterest
• Share on Reddit
• Share on Tumblr
• Share on Whats App
• Print the Article
• Post a Comment

On April 8, 1964, Paramount unveiled Audrey Hepburn and William Holden starrer Paris When It Sizzles in theaters. The Hollywood Reporter’s original review, headlined “‘Paris When It Sizzles’ Strong in Marquee Power,” is below: 

Paris When It Sizzles is a movie about making a movie. In its course, the hero (a movie writer) says the movie-within-a-movie is a romantic-comedy-suspense-melodrama, or some such, making a small joke on the kind of tag critics use to pin a neat label on an elusive creation. Paris When It Sizzles resists classification more than most films. But the Paramount release may be judged in one area: its success or lack of it.

Related Stories

'better off dead': thr's 1985 review, 'saratoga': thr's 1937 review.

As a box office draw, the picture has a great star combination — William Holden and Audrey Hepburn. They will have to carry it, because the picture itself is only sporadically amusing. 

Richard Quine and George Axelrod produced Paris . Axelrod did the screenplay from a story by Julien Duvivier and Henri Jeanson. Quine directed. Holden is the hero, the movie writer, who engages a secretary, Miss Hepburn, as his accessory in writing a screenplay. The simple facts of the picture are that in the course of their work they fall in love. But the vehicle for the facts is considerably more complicated. 

What Axelrod and Quine are doing is to take a fairly routine story and attempt to enliven it by all manner of cinema tricks. When Holden outlines his plot to Miss Hepburn, the plot takes visual form and Holden and Miss Hepburn become the hero and heroine of the film-in-a-film. This allows for exceptional range of camera ideas and setups unrestricted by the customer plot dimensions. It allows for jokes about movies themselves. It allows use of unbilled stars, Marlene Dietrich and Mel Ferrer and Tony Curtis, in a big and rewarding role. 

The trouble is that Paris When It Sizzles seems constantly on the verge of hilarity but it never gets entirely into it. The spectator appreciates the inherent fun and is ready to go with it, but perhaps the trouble is that the attack is too clever, or the creators too impressed with their own cleverness. At any rate, the laughter has a hobble on it. 

Holden and Miss Hepburn could not help being engaging, and they certainly are that in Paris When It Sizzles . Noel Coward has a somewhat ambiguous role as a film producer. It seems odd casting, and the humor of it never quite comes off. Tony Curtis, unbilled and strictly supporting, gets the biggest laughs in the picture. Even when his lines force him to repeat a joke that is mild on the first use, Curtis registers. The French veteran Gregoire Aslan has a lengthy but largely wordless role. 

Charles Lang’s Technicolor photography give fresh beauty to the beautiful city, and his interiors have the distinctive warmth of his lighting. Jean d’Eaubonne’s sets are rich and meaningful. Nelson Riddle’s score is light and amusing. Sound by Joe de Bretagne and Charles Grenzbach is good. Archie Marshek’s editing does a slick job of making the many photographic tricks smooth and illusory. — James Powers, originally published March 12, 1964.

THR Newsletters

Sign up for THR news straight to your inbox every day

More from The Hollywood Reporter

Marcia gay harden joins robert rippberger’s sci-fi thriller ‘renner’ (exclusive), ‘happyend’ review: high school becomes a potent microcosm of surveillance-state oppression in affecting near-future drama, ‘harvest’ review: caleb landry jones and harry melling lead a moving scottish highlands period drama, tilda swinton, julianne moore embrace life, death, female friendship in new pedro almodóvar film, ethan hawke compares acting to “the joys of doing drugs,” talks about being “slightly disappointed that i’m not a wizard or a jedi”, telluride: ‘the apprentice’ filmmakers discuss blind criticisms of their movie, offer to screen it for trump, think he will like it.

• Subscriptions

By clicking Sign In, you agree to our Terms and Conditions and that you have read our Privacy Policy .

Sign In Up with your social account

We won't post to any of your accounts

Your password must include:

• Min 8 characters
• Min 1 lowercase character
• Min 1 uppercase character
• Min 1 number

Woman's World

• Mental Health
• Heart Health
• Pain Management
• Supplements
• Celebrities
• Alzheimer’s
• Joint Health
• Spirituality
• Relationships
• Online Learning
• Online Fitness
• Online Finance
• Online Cooking
• Give a Gift
• Accessibility Statement
• Privacy Policy
• Terms & Conditions
• Cookie Policy
• Cookie Preferences

‘Paris When It Sizzles’: 9 Things That Happened to Audrey Hepburn and William Holden on Set

Learn what William Holden really thought of Audrey Hepburn

Share this:

Sixty years later and Paris is still sizzling just as brightly as when Audrey Hepburn and William Holden were there filming Paris When It Sizzles. Written by George Axelrod, directed by Richard Quine and also starring the iconic Noël Coward, the film follows a struggling screenwriter who enlists his assistant to help him act out various love scenes, which spill over to reality from the written page. And while it might have been a box office flop, we still think it’s one of Hepburn’s best. Which is the reason we decided to round up the nine wildest things that happened behind the scenes, including what Holden really thought about Hepburn (who plays Gabrielle Simpson, or Gaby). Keep scrolling for that and more on this romantic comedy (which also happens to be a remake of the 1952 French film Holiday for Henrietta , directed by Julien Duvivier). 

Want to watch Paris When It Sizzles ? The film is currently available for streaming on PlutoTV .

Read much more about Audrey Hepburn at our sister site!

1. Audrey Hepburn filmed Charade right after this

Since actress Audrey Hepburn was already in France filming Paris When It Sizzles, they decided to keep her there for Charade, which also took place in Paris. Both films had very different plots, though. 

9 Must-Read Facts About The Audrey Hepburn Movie ‘Charade’

2. this was audrey hepburn’s least favorite film .

In the pages of his memoir, Audrey Hepburn, An Elegant Spirit , the actress’ son, Sean Hepburn Ferrer, notes that Hepburn hated making Paris When it Sizzles , which is ironic since she often said this film was “a joy to make.” The memoir did point out  that the movie taught her that “just because the film was easy to make doesn’t mean it’s going to be very good.” 

Hepburn Ferrer was born in 1960, four years before Paris When It Sizzles was released. 

The 10 Best Audrey Hepburn Movies, Ranked — Plus Where to Stream Them

3. tony curtis wasn’t in the original paris when it sizzles cast.

Tony Curtis — who played Imagined Actor Portraying Maurice or Philippe —wasn’t originally supposed to be in the film. The situation was common for the actor, though, as this was how most of his cameos came to be. 

4. This wasn’t the first time Audrey Hepburn and William Holden had worked together

Ten years before Paris When It Sizzles, Hepburn and Holden worked together on the film Sabrina . Moviegoers were shocked to hear that the two were teaming up again, because Holden was so in love with Hepburn while filming, making things quite uncomfortable for them. 

However, given that the actor was at an all-time career low when approached by Hepburn for Paris When It Sizzles, Holden signed on despite his unrequited love for her. 

5. William Holden made filming Paris When It Sizzles complicated

Holden was very well-known for his drinking habits and angry attitude. This made filming super complicated, because he was often hung over or miserable on set. He also reportedly got very sick during filming, causing production to fall behind schedule. Then, towards the end of shooting Holden crashed his Ferrari into a wall and ended up in a splint, leading the Dracula sequence to be drastically shortened. 

6. Marlene Dietric can be seen in the film

 Actress Marlene Dietric had a blink-and-you-miss-it cameo in the film. She played the woman in white who excited the Bentley in Richard’s visualized screenplay. How fun! 

7. Two other Audrey Hepburn films were mentioned 

There is certainly no shortage of great Audrey Hepburn films, and Paris When It Sizzles decided to take advantage of that!

First, they referenced My Fair Lady (1964), when Richard Benson (Holden) makes a comparison to Frankenstein. The second one came at the beginning of the masquerade scene when there was a reference to Breakfast at Tiffany’s (1961).

8. The film had a nickname during filming

Weather in Paris, France is certainly unpredictable and production for Paris When It Sizzles had to deal with it more than most. In fact, it rained so much during filming that the entire cast and crew referred to the film as Paris When It Drizzles . We would see that movie if they made it! 

9. Frank Sinatra had a cameo

Frank Sinatra’s song  “That Face” can be heard on the soundtrack of Paris When It Sizzles. He sings a few lines of the opening song, ‘The Girl Who Stole the Eiffel Tower.” Fans of Hepburn’s will re member that she and Sinara worked together on Funny Face in 1957, the song serving as a fun reference to that magical musical. 

‘Funny Face’: 16 Wild Facts About the 1957 Audrey Hepburn and Fred Astaire Musical

For more of our Audrey Hepburn content, keep reading! 

Deal of the Day

10 Surprising Behind-the-Scenes Facts About ‘Roman Holiday ’

7 Stunning Photos of Actress Audrey Hepburn After Age 50

6 Audrey Hepburn Quotes That Prove She Remains a Timeless Hollywood Icon

• 1964 movies ,
• audrey hepburn ,
• entertainment

More Stories

Get to Know The Stars of The 1988 Hit Movie ‘Rain Man’

20 Romance Movies by Decade, 1950s to the 2000s — Ranked

Gift Ideas for People Who Love Cooking From Aprons to Utensils, Cutlery, and More

What Original 'Beetlejuice' Cast Members Are Returning for the Sequel?

6 of Our Favorite Country Hallmark Movies for the Music Fan in All of Us

"Bueller? Bueller?": Memorable Lines to Quote From John Hughes' '80s Teen Movies

Celebrate in Style! The Best Beauty and Fashion Gifts That’ll Dazzle This Holiday

Original ‘Baby’, 'Dirty Dancing' Writer Eleanor Bergstein, Shares Her Memories

Love the Enemies-to-Lovers Trope? Here Are 6 Hallmark Films With a Love Story Twist

These 5 Romantic Hallmark Movies Will Take You on an Instant Italian Vacation

Gift Ideas for Women Over 50: Exceptional Gifts for Older Women

'Bonnie and Clyde' — 6 Surprising Facts About the 1967 True Crime Film

Log in or sign up for Rotten Tomatoes

Trouble logging in?

By continuing, you agree to the Privacy Policy and the Terms and Policies , and to receive email from the Fandango Media Brands .

By creating an account, you agree to the Privacy Policy and the Terms and Policies , and to receive email from Rotten Tomatoes and to receive email from the Fandango Media Brands .

By creating an account, you agree to the Privacy Policy and the Terms and Policies , and to receive email from Rotten Tomatoes.

Email not verified

Let's keep in touch.

Sign up for the Rotten Tomatoes newsletter to get weekly updates on:

• Upcoming Movies and TV shows
• Rotten Tomatoes Podcast
• Media News + More

By clicking "Sign Me Up," you are agreeing to receive occasional emails and communications from Fandango Media (Fandango, Vudu, and Rotten Tomatoes) and consenting to Fandango's Privacy Policy and Terms and Policies . Please allow 10 business days for your account to reflect your preferences.

OK, got it!

• About Rotten Tomatoes®
• Login/signup

Movies in theaters

• Opening This Week
• Top Box Office
• Coming Soon to Theaters
• Certified Fresh Movies

Movies at Home

• Fandango at Home
• Prime Video
• Most Popular Streaming Movies
• What to Watch New

Certified fresh picks

• 73% Blink Twice Link to Blink Twice
• 96% Strange Darling Link to Strange Darling
• 86% Between the Temples Link to Between the Temples

New TV Tonight

• 100% Slow Horses: Season 4
• 94% English Teacher: Season 1
• -- The Perfect Couple: Season 1
• -- Tell Me Lies: Season 2
• -- Fight Night: The Million Dollar Heist: Season 1
• -- Wise Guy: David Chase and The Sopranos: Season 1
• -- The Secret Lives of Mormon Wives: Season 1
• -- Whose Line Is It Anyway?: Season 14

Most Popular TV on RT

• 69% Kaos: Season 1
• 86% The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power: Season 2
• 92% Terminator Zero: Season 1
• 100% Dark Winds: Season 2
• 92% Bad Monkey: Season 1
• 78% Star Wars: The Acolyte: Season 1
• 100% Pachinko: Season 2
• 96% Only Murders in the Building: Season 4
• Best TV Shows
• Most Popular TV

Certified fresh pick

• 86% The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power: Season 2 Link to The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power: Season 2
• All-Time Lists
• Binge Guide
• Comics on TV
• Five Favorite Films
• Video Interviews
• Weekend Box Office
• Weekly Ketchup
• What to Watch

The Best Shows on Amazon Prime Video to Watch Right Now (August 2024)

100 Best Netflix Series To Watch Right Now (August 2024)

What to Watch: In Theaters and On Streaming

Awards Tour

Beetlejuice Beetlejuice First Reviews: Michael Keaton’s Return as Betelgeuse is Worth the Wait

13 Must-Watch Films at the 2024 Toronto International Film Festival

• Trending on RT
• Beetlejuice Beetlejuice
• TV Premiere Dates
• The Rings of Power First Reviews
• Popular Series on Netflix

Paris When It Sizzles Reviews

In Paris When it Sizzles, much of the fun can be found in the meta aspects on the film, which feel quite ahead of their time.

Full Review | Jan 10, 2024

...it's actually a sweet and often stingingly funny comedy that pokes fun at many of Hepburn and co-star, William Holden's, previous films.

Full Review | Original Score: B | Jan 21, 2022

If nothing else, this dud offers the brief and bizarre sight of Holden portraying a vampire.

Full Review | Original Score: 1.5/4 | Oct 23, 2021

The trouble is that Paris When It Sizzles seems constantly on the verge of hilarity but it never gets entirely into it.

Full Review | Apr 9, 2019

A more appropriate title would have been Paris When It Fizzles.

Full Review | Original Score: C | Jan 31, 2007

Above average Holden-Hepburn vehicle.

Full Review | Original Score: 4/5 | Sep 30, 2006

Full Review | Original Score: 3/5 | Jul 19, 2005

Hopeless script, but lots to look at.

Full Review | Original Score: 3/5 | Jul 8, 2004

Full Review | Original Score: 2/5 | Nov 7, 2003

Esta interessante farsa cita (e utiliza) os clichs mais batidos de sua poca, enrolando-se sobre si mesma de forma divertida e despretensiosa.

Full Review | Original Score: 3/5 | Jan 20, 2003

Full Review | Original Score: 66/100 | Dec 22, 2001

Common Sense Media

Movie & TV reviews for parents

• For Parents
• For Educators
• Our Work and Impact

Or browse by category:

• Movie Reviews
• Best Movie Lists
• Best Movies on Netflix, Disney+, and More

Common Sense Selections for Movies

50 Modern Movies All Kids Should Watch Before They're 12

• Best TV Lists
• Best TV Shows on Netflix, Disney+, and More
• Common Sense Selections for TV
• Video Reviews of TV Shows

Best Kids' Shows on Disney+

Best Kids' TV Shows on Netflix

• Book Reviews
• Best Book Lists
• Common Sense Selections for Books

8 Tips for Getting Kids Hooked on Books

50 Books All Kids Should Read Before They're 12

• Game Reviews
• Best Game Lists

Common Sense Selections for Games

• Video Reviews of Games

Nintendo Switch Games for Family Fun

• Podcast Reviews
• Best Podcast Lists

Common Sense Selections for Podcasts

Parents' Guide to Podcasts

• App Reviews
• Best App Lists

Social Networking for Teens

Gun-Free Action Game Apps

Reviews for AI Apps and Tools

• YouTube Channel Reviews
• YouTube Kids Channels by Topic

Parents' Ultimate Guide to YouTube Kids

YouTube Kids Channels for Gamers

• Preschoolers (2-4)
• Little Kids (5-7)
• Big Kids (8-9)
• Pre-Teens (10-12)
• Teens (13+)
• Screen Time
• Social Media
• Online Safety
• Identity and Community

How to Help Kids Build Character Strengths with Quality Media

• Family Tech Planners
• Digital Skills
• All Articles
• Latino Culture
• Black Voices
• Asian Stories
• Native Narratives
• LGBTQ+ Pride
• Best of Diverse Representation List

Multicultural Books

YouTube Channels with Diverse Representations

Podcasts with Diverse Characters and Stories

Paris when it sizzles.

• Common Sense Says
• Parents Say 0 Reviews
• Kids Say 0 Reviews

Common Sense Media Review

1960s romance has drinking, smoking, sexual references.

Parents Need to Know

Parents need to know that Paris When it Sizzles is a charming Hollywood romance from the 1960s starring William Holden and Audrey Hepburn who come together in order to complete a movie script. Violence is usually shown in the movie-within-a-movie, with people shot dead and physical fighting. Characters also…

Why Age 12+?

Guns are fired, people shot dead (with blood from the mouth on one occasion), an

Characters flirt and kiss on the lips and neck. Character seen topless from behi

Characters drink alcohol -- including vodka, cocktails, champagne, vermouth, bra

Occasional language includes "hell" and "damn."

References to Paramount Pictures and movies including La Dolce Vita and Breakfas

Any Positive Content?

Big romantic gestures pay off. Criminals get their comeuppance. Movie cliches ca

Gabrielle is smart and eloquent, though easily pulled in by Richard's charm. She

Characters are exclusively White. Beyond the two central roles, men within the i

Violence & Scariness

Guns are fired, people shot dead (with blood from the mouth on one occasion), and a plane is shot down. Physical fighting includes punching, shoving, and hitting with objects, and a brawl breaks out in the street. A character is hit and falls down unconscious. Young children set off fire crackers. Mention of bull fights. Bats in a cave, a vampire, and a skeleton frighten a character.

Did you know you can flag iffy content? Adjust limits for Violence & Scariness in your kid's entertainment guide.

Sex, Romance & Nudity

Characters flirt and kiss on the lips and neck. Character seen topless from behind, brushing their hair, and naked beneath bubbles in a bath. There is kissing on a bed, with characters lying on top of each other, clothed. Fade-out implies sex has taken place. Bikini-clad characters.

Did you know you can flag iffy content? Adjust limits for Sex, Romance & Nudity in your kid's entertainment guide.

Drinking, Drugs & Smoking

Characters drink alcohol -- including vodka, cocktails, champagne, vermouth, brandy, and wine. One character drinks the majority of the time they're on-screen. Characters smoke cigarettes and a pipe is smoked in the background.

Did you know you can flag iffy content? Adjust limits for Drinking, Drugs & Smoking in your kid's entertainment guide.

Did you know you can flag iffy content? Adjust limits for Language in your kid's entertainment guide.

Products & Purchases

References to Paramount Pictures and movies including La Dolce Vita and Breakfast at Tiffany's , as well as brands like Rolls-Royce, Bentley, Château Lafite Rothschild champagne, Martini, Le Figaro newspaper, Levi's, and Parcheesi game.

Positive Messages

Big romantic gestures pay off. Criminals get their comeuppance. Movie cliches can work in real life too. Communication and teamwork are important in solving problems.

Positive Role Models

Gabrielle is smart and eloquent, though easily pulled in by Richard's charm. She understands the movie industry and learns to use his filmic rules to influence his own behavior in real life. Richard is arrogant and drinks constantly, though possibly to cover up insecurities beneath. He shows care and kindness toward Gabrielle, almost in spite of himself. The pair show communication skills and teamwork to get the script finished.

Diverse Representations

Characters are exclusively White. Beyond the two central roles, men within the industry drink and gamble, while the women take notes in bikinis. At one point, men keep score of a card game by writing on a woman's bare back. However, the movie acknowledges and plays on some stereotypes, such as poking fun at the idea of a man punching a woman's suitor as a display of masculinity. Frequent comments about Audrey Hepburn's "big magical eyes" are played for laughs, acknowledging her doe-eyed image. Though her character is smart and confident, she is referred to as a "little fool" and an "unsophisticated chick" at times. At one point, the film leans into a Western style and a stereotypical representation of Native Americans in headdresses is briefly shown, albeit in the center of 1960s Paris.

Did we miss something on diversity? Suggest an update.

Parents need to know that Paris When it Sizzles is a charming Hollywood romance from the 1960s starring William Holden and Audrey Hepburn who come together in order to complete a movie script. Violence is usually shown in the movie-within-a-movie, with people shot dead and physical fighting. Characters also kiss and there is the implication sex has taken place. Holden's character, Richard Benson, drinks alcohol most of the time he is on-screen -- though is never seen seriously intoxicated. Various brand names are mentioned, and there are references to other movies. While the romance is fairly predictable, characters show communication skills and teamwork, and the film has plenty of tongue-in-cheek humor and clever plot techniques that make it an enjoyable watch that will likely appeal to adults and teens who appreciate filmmaking from bygone eras. To stay in the loop on more movies like this, you can sign up for weekly Family Movie Night emails .

Where to Watch

Videos and photos.

Parent and Kid Reviews

• Parents say

There aren't any parent reviews yet. Be the first to review this title.

What's the Story?

In PARIS WHEN IT SIZZLES, Hollywood screenwriter Richard Benson ( William Holden ) is struggling to hit an important deadline just days away. He enlists the help of young assistant Gabrielle Simpson ( Audrey Hepburn ), and the two begin acting out possible scenarios for the plot, gradually falling for the old movie cliches themselves.

Is It Any Good?

While it's a typical boy-meets-girl romance, the two leads -- Benson and Hepburn -- are as delightful as ever in this elaborate movie-within-a-movie that has a few extra tricks up its sleeve. In Paris When it Sizzles , much of the fun can be found in the meta aspects on the film, which feel quite ahead of their time. As the pair talk about movie techniques and plot devices, so they happen on-screen. Hepburn, for example, says Sinatra would sing a line, and he does. Later she describes a character as handsome, "like Tony Curtis ," and guess who shows up? Add to that the colorful streets of Paris, full of life and playful energy, and this is a thoroughly enjoyable potential classic that has been somewhat underrated and ignored over the years.

Talk to Your Kids About ...

Families can talk about the film-within-a-film structure of Paris When it Sizzles . How did the movie portray which scenes are "real life" and which are within the movie being written? How did you feel about the characters talking about the filming techniques? Did you already know what they were? Did you learn anything new?

How were sex and relationships portrayed? Was it affectionate? Respectful? Parents, talk to your teens about your own values regarding sex and relationships.

The characters show communication skills and teamwork . Why are these important character strengths ? Can you think of times in your life when you've used these to solve a problem?

Talk about the violence in the film. Did the fact that most of it took place in the movie-within-a-movie lessen the impact? Why, or why not? Does exposure to violent media desensitize kids to violence?

How was drinking and smoking depicted in the film? Were they glamorized? How has our behavior when it comes to drinking and smoking changed from when the movie was set?

Movie Details

• In theaters : April 8, 1964
• On DVD or streaming : April 10, 2001
• Cast : William Holden , Audrey Hepburn , Tony Curtis
• Director : Richard Quine
• Studio : Paramount Pictures
• Genre : Romance
• Character Strengths : Communication , Teamwork
• Run time : 110 minutes
• MPAA rating : NR
• Last updated : December 19, 2023

Did we miss something on diversity?

Research shows a connection between kids' healthy self-esteem and positive portrayals in media. That's why we've added a new "Diverse Representations" section to our reviews that will be rolling out on an ongoing basis. You can help us help kids by suggesting a diversity update.

Suggest an Update

What to watch next.

Sabrina (1954)

Breakfast at Tiffany's

Sunset Boulevard

Romance movies, love stories: classic romance tales, related topics.

• Communication

Want suggestions based on your streaming services? Get personalized recommendations

Common Sense Media's unbiased ratings are created by expert reviewers and aren't influenced by the product's creators or by any of our funders, affiliates, or partners.

Paris When It Sizzles

Paris When It Sizzles fizzles. The Richard Quine-George Axelrod production is a romantic comedy that, as Axelrod himself describes the story - within - a story that weaves through the film, is 'contrived, utterly preposterous and totally unmotivated'.

By Variety Staff

Variety Staff

Follow Us on Twitter

• More Than 65 Palestinian Filmmakers, Including Hany Abu Assad, Elia Suleiman and Farah Nabulsi, Sign Letter Accusing Hollywood of ‘Dehumanizing’ Palestinians (EXCLUSIVE) 5 days ago
• BBC Olympics Commentator Corrects Co-Host Who Misgendered U.S. Shot Putter Raven Saunders Live on Air 4 weeks ago
• Variety Chief Correspondent Daniel D’Addario Digs Into Awards Season in New Novel 4 weeks ago

Paris When It Sizzles fizzles. The Richard Quine-George Axelrod production is a romantic comedy that, as Axelrod himself describes the story – within – a story that weaves through the film, is ‘contrived, utterly preposterous and totally unmotivated’.

Axelrod’s 108-minutes of marsh mallow-weight hokum is concerned with the evolution of a romantic relationship between a somewhat broken down, middleaged screenwriter (William Holden) and his Tessie the Typist, an adorable Givenchy wenchy also known as Audrey Hepburn. Their affair is more or less paralleled in the creative ramblings of Holden’s mind as he dreams up an artificial cloak-and-dagger screenplay.

The basic error in this film seems to be the artificiality of the shell in which the takeoffs are encased.

Prettiest image by far is Hepburn, a refreshingly individual creature in an era of the exaggerated curve. Holden handles his assignment commendably. Both give a lot more than they have gotten. Chipping in extended, uncredited cameos are Tony Curtis and Noel Coward, with smaller bits in the same vein by Mel Ferrer and Marlene Dietrich. The singing voices of Fred Astaire and Frank Sinatra are heard, former in a chorus of ‘That Face’, latter singing one line of a tune in a parody of main titles that is one of the more amusing passages of the film.

• Production: Paramount. Director Richard Quine; Producer Richard Quine, George Axelrod; Screenplay George Axelrod; Camera Charles Lang Jr; Editor Archie Marshek; Music Nelson Riddle; Art Director Jean D'Eaubonne
• Crew: (Color) Available on VHS. Extract of a review from 1964. Running time: 108 MIN.
• With: William Holden Audrey Hepburn Gregoire Aslan Raymond Bussieres Christian Duvaleix

More from Variety

‘Hijack’ Creator George Kay Launches Label Observatory Pictures With New Pictures, All3Media

Disney’s Theme Parks Problem Is a Monster of Its Own Making

Pop Icon Peaches and Filmmaker Marie Losier Decentralize Cool With Venice Doc ‘Peaches Goes Bananas’

‘Peacock’ Review: A Zingy Austrian Comedy Follows a Friend-For-Hire In Desperate Need of a Real Connection

Can Today’s Tech Touchstones Solve Hollywood’s Loneliness Epidemic?

We Survived ‘Baby Invasion’: Inside Harmony Korine’s Insane Experimental Film That Earned an 8.5-Minute Standing Ovation at Venice

More from our brands, how hard is it to take off on tiktok.

Car of the Week: This Rare Audi Could Fetch Close to $800,000 at Auction

U.S. Open 2 a.m. Finishes Persist Despite New Late Night Policy

The Best Loofahs and Body Scrubbers, According to Dermatologists

Snowpiercer Recap: (At Least) Two Deaths and a Chilling Reveal About Who Caused the Big Freeze!

Join or Sign In

Sign in to customize your TV listings

By joining TV Guide, you agree to our Terms of Use and acknowledge the data practices in our Privacy Policy .

• TV Listings
• Cast & Crew

Paris When It Sizzles Reviews

• 1 hr 50 mins
• Watchlist Where to Watch

A screenwriter spends his time enjoying Paris instead of working on the script he was hired to complete. Now just a few days before his deadline, he hires a secretary who helps him act out all the script's eccentric possible scenarios. Remake of the 1952 French comedy film "Holiday for Henrietta."

Paris when it fizzles. A remake of the 1953 French picture HENRIETTE'S HOLIDAY (directed by Julien Duvivier), this movie pairs Holden and Hepburn for the first time since SABRINA, in 1954. Holden is a screenwriter under pressure from movie producer Coward to finish his latest script, "The Girl Who Stole the Eiffel Tower." Coward gives him 48 hours to finish, unaware that the writer has yet to begin. Hoping to hurry the process along, Holden hires a secretary, Hepburn. She moves in with him, and during her short stay they fall madly in love, while confusing their own lives with those of the script's characters. They imagine themselves in various scenes from the film--a western, a musical, a spy drama, a romance, a comedy--with their fantasies taking precedence over their work. When the 48-hour time limit has expired, they still have no script. Distraught, Holden tells Hepburn that he is not good enough for her, and she leaves. But an unhappy ending is not in the cards. The couple's relationship takes off with the promise of a Hollywood-style romance. Unfortunately, PARIS WHEN IT SIZZLES falls as flat as "The Girl Who Stole the Eiffel Tower." Although the locations and Hepburn both photograph brilliantly, the relationship between Hepburn and Holden never comes to life. This is not surprising, since Holden and Hepburn were on rather shaky ground in real life. During the filming of SABRINA Holden had found himself falling uncontrollably in love with Hepburn. Ten years after her refusal to marry him, the two paired in PARIS WHEN IT SIZZLES. Holden's biography reports that Holden once told Ryan O'Neal, "I remember the day I arrived at Orly Airport for PARIS WHEN IT SIZZLES. I could hear my footsteps echoing against the walls of the transit corridor, just like a condemned man walking the last mile. I realized that I had to face Audrey and I had to deal with my drinking. And I didn't think I could handle either situation." Hepburn tried her best to make Holden comfortable (which only made Holden want her more) and to ease tensions on the set. After the first day's "rushes," however, Hepburn was extremely dissatisfied with how she had been photographed. She demanded that Renoir be fired (a gross insult to the highly respected family name in Paris). Franz Planer was the first-choice replacement; but when his schedule was found to be too busy, Lang was picked. After that delay another, more-major setback followed. Holden's drinking binges alternated with a clinic dryout and then a bout with minor injuries sustained in a car accident. (With only one more scene to complete, he had bought a Ferrari, driven to Switzerland for Bastille Day--ignoring the pleas of Quine and Axelrod--and crashed into a brick wall.) In what seemed like a desperate attempt to add some stronger box office potential to the film, Quine enlisted a number of big names to appear in a party scene, among them Dietrich (who reportedly got to keep the limousine and the fur coat in which she arrives in the film), Ferrer (Hepburn's husband at that time), Curtis, and the singing voices of Sinatra and Astaire. All of this box office artillery, however, couldn't raise PARIS WHEN IT SIZZLES to anything more than an average piece of entertainment.

The Kim Newman Web Site

• Anno Dracula
• Anno Dracula – The Bloody Red Baron
• Anno Dracula – Dracula Cha Cha Cha
• Anno Dracula – Johnny Alucard
• Anno Dracula 1895 – Seven Days in Mayhem
• Anno Dracula – One Thousand Monsters
• Anno Dracula 1999 – Daikaiju
• Anno Dracula 1895 – issue 1
• Anno Dracula 1895 – issue 2
• Anno Dracula 1895 – issue 3
• Anno Dracula 1895 – issue 4
• Anno Dracula 1895 – issue 5
• Witchfinder: The Mysteries of Unland
• The Man from the Diogenes Club
• The Secret Files of the Diogenes Club
• Mysteries of the Diogenes Club
• The Night Mayor
• LIfe’s Lottery
• Time and Relative
• Professor Moriarty: The Hound of the D’Urbervilles
• An English Ghost Story
• The Secrets of Drearcliff Grange School
• Angels of Music
• The Haunting of Drearcliff Grange School
• Something More Than Night
• The Original Dr. Shade
• Famous Monsters
• Back in the USSA
• Where the Bodies are Buried
• Seven Stars
• Unforgivable Stories
• Dead Travel Fast
• Anno Dracula 1899
• Orgy of the Blood Parasites
• Route 666 (anthology)
• Demon Download
• Krokodil Tears
• Comeback Tour
• Drachenfels
• Genevieve Undead
• Beasts in Velvet
• Silver Nails
• The Vampire Genevieve
• Foreign Editions
• Online Fiction
• Screen & Audio
• Short Stories
• Anno Dracula: The Background
• An Introduction to the Vampire Genevieve
• Richard Jeperson and The Diogenes Club
• Bad Dreams/Bloody Students Afterword
• Ghastly Beyond Belief
• Horror: 100 Best Books
• Nightmare Movies – 1st edition
• Wild West Movies
• The BFI Companion to Horror
• Millennium Movies
• Science Fiction/Horror: A Sight and Sound Reader
• Horror: Another 100 Best Books
• Horror: The Definitive Guide to the Cinema of Fear
• Nightmare Movies – 2nd edition
• Quatermass and the Pit
• Kim Newman’s Video Dungeon
• Blu-Ray/DVD Commentaries and Notes
• Subscribe to RSS

Film review – Paris … When It Sizzles

How classy is this movie credit?  ‘Miss Hepburn’s clothes and perfume by Givenchy’.

In Jean Luc Godard’s film about filmmaking Le Mepris (1963), screenwriter Michel Piccoli and wife Brigitte Bardot have a half-hour conversation scene in a hotel room.  A year later, this glossy comedy confection goes one better by having screenwriter Richard Benson (William Holden) and typist Gabrielle Simpson (Audrey Hepburn) spend the whole film in a hotel suite, at once working on a screenplay (The Girl  Who Stole the Eiffel Tower, complete with Frank Sinatra theme song) and flirting outrageously.

Screenwriter George Axelrod, working from a story by Julien Duvivier and Henri Jeanson, poke fun at Gaby’s previous employer, New Wave director Roger Rossin, who has made a whole film about a party where they don’t play Scrabble – but this is at least as incisively cynical about Hollywood as it riffs on rom-com, heist, horror, western, espionage, censor-baiting sex and slapstick comedy with interesting asides about how movies work.  In proto-Charlie Kaufman style, Rick lays out blank script pages while expounding on where twists should come, notes that Frankenstein and My Fair Lady are the same story, and rues the wretched hollowness of his life – which involves spending five well-paid days a year writing trash so he can spend the rest of the time drunk on exotic locations.

In Le Mepris, Jack Palance is the stereotype crass producer.  Here, it’s Noel Coward as a decadent voluptuary surrounded by bikini babes or fancy-dressed as an emperor.  It’s also as blatant an exercise in semi-autobiographical wish-fulfilment (on Axelrod’s part, presumably) as anything.  I am a middle-aged writer and my fantasies about copping off with Audrey Hepburn aren’t as blatant as this film-length reverie … which extends to a bit where Holden punches out the heroine’s Bastille Day date and drags her off to be a proto-manic pixie dream girl and inspire him to better work.  But, as glossily directed by Richard Quine, this is a smart, funny picture and oddly avant-garde if not exactly nouvelle vague.  With Gregoire Aslan as the police inspector, Tony Curtis unbilled (and very funny) as a stooge cop, Marlene Dietrich, Fred Astaire on the soundtrack singing’That Face’, and Mel Ferrer impersonating Fredric March as Jekyll and Hyde.

The parody skits include a nicely art-directed horror lair – with bottles of vodka and ketchup amid bubbling mad science retorts and rubber bats on strings – and Holden lit red with huge fangs and a cloak as a vampire.  Music by Nelson Riddle, and a lot of invention – it’s not Billy Wilder, but it can hold a candle to Blake Edwards.

Share this:

• Click to share on Twitter (Opens in new window)
• Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window)
• Click to share on Pinterest (Opens in new window)
• Click to share on Tumblr (Opens in new window)
• Click to share on Reddit (Opens in new window)

2 thoughts on “ Film review – Paris … When It Sizzles ”

I have always greatly admired George Axelrod’s work.

Heart bleeds over working five days a year on wonderful Trash and hanging out with Audrey … surely a gripe with all the conviction of Bill Murray’s wish to be in ‘some play’ rather than on all-expenses spree in Japan (those Kook-ee Japs!). (haven’t seen Lost in Trans since it was released – does Scarlet call his bluff by saying ‘oh, I love theatre, I wanted to direct plays, etc. etc., what is your favourite play?’ and Bill clams, chokes, looks pale, etc. ‘… well … Shakespeare (cough)’ ‘Chekhov?’ ‘no, I can’t stand Star Trek…’)

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Blog post categories.

• Non-Fiction Books

Latest Blog Posts

• FrightFest review – The Substance
• Your Daily Dracula – Jack Maxwell as Dr John Stoker, Insane Like Me? (2024)
• Your Daily Dracula – Jeff Kirkendall, Sharkula (2021)
• FrightFest review – Bogieville
• FrightFest review – Cold Wallet
• FrightFest review – Scared Shitless
• FrightFest review – A Desert
• FrightFest review – Ladybug
• FrightFest review – Generation Terror
• FrightFest review – Charlotte (2024)
• FrightFest review – Fright (2024)
• FrightFest review – Schlitter: Evil in the Woods
• FrightFest review – The Dead Thing
• FrightFest review – Invader

Discover more from The Kim Newman Web Site

Subscribe now to keep reading and get access to the full archive.

Type your email…

Continue reading

Paris When it Sizzles (1964) - Blu-ray Review

Classic Hollywood making fun of itself? Count me in! Paris When it Sizzles goes full ridiculous in this charming, downright delightful romantic comedy so silly that you cannot help but smile the whole way through.

Starring legends Audrey Hepburn and William Holden , the film centers on famed screenwriter, Richard Benson ( Holden ) who is down to his last weekend of allotted time to deliver a 138-page script to his producer Alexander Meyerheim ( Noël Coward ). Too busy indulging in his playboy, alcohol-induced lifestyle, Benson hires a temp secretary, Gabrielle Simpson ( Hepburn ) to help him type up his non-existent story. Upon arriving in his hotel room in Paris, Simpson learns that since not a single page as been written, she must also aid Benson in coming up with the story. And in doing so, the two, of course, start falling in love in the process.

While Holden and Hepburn are no doubt, effortlessly good in the main story of Paris When it Sizzles , the sequences in The Girl Who Stole the Eiffel Tower show both stars, especially Hepburn, having so much fun embracing the heightened emotions of their alter egos. It is so nice to see a film from this era actively poking fun at Hollywood tropes to make something filled to the brim with absurd fun and is an all-around good time.

Considering the meta nature of the film, it is not super surprising that this film was not much of a success when it came out, nor has it really garnered much popularity over time. But I think that this film deserves much more attention than it has previously received. It is one of the rare times that Hollywood does its best to not take itself so seriously, and in doing so, there is an unpredictability to the picture that keeps it non-stop entertaining, engaging, and hilarious.

Directed by Richard Quine and written by George Axelrod and featuring cameos by Tony Curtis, Marlene Dietrich , and even the voice of the one and only Frank Sinatra, Paris When it Sizzles pulls out all the stops in this light-hearted, unique romantic comedy. If you’ve never seen it, now is the time to do yourself a favor and check it out. Courtesy of Paramount Pictures , you can now own this under-rated Hollywood gem on Blu-Ray with a new High-Definition transfer.

Home Video Distributor: Paramount Pictures Available on Blu-ray - May 3, 2022 Screen Formats: 1.85:1 Subtitles : English, English SDH, French, Spanish Audio: English: Dolby TrueHD Mono; French: Dolby Digital Mono Discs: Blu-ray Disc; single disc Region Encoding: Locked to Region A

William Holden and Audrey Hepburn reunited 10 years after SABRINA to star in this irresistible romantic comedy. Holden plays Richard Benson, a screenwriter being pressured by a movie producer ( Noël Coward ) to finish his script. Richard hired a live-in secretary ( Hepburn ) to help him, and soon they’re falling in love. But while they’re having fun enacting scenes from an unwritten screenplay, the deadline to deliver the script is fast approaching.

With the new 1080p high definition, this restoration is fairly good. With no imperfections on the print to be found, the picture is very clean. The color balance offers a more muted-tone for most of the film, and the amount of film grain is decent but can be a bit distracting at times.

With a Mono Dolby TrueHD audio track, everything comes in crystal clear with Nelson Riddle’s grand and sweeping score wonderfully mixed in throughout, though overall the track is a bit quieter than you would expect.

Supplements:

With nothing but a few trailers to show, the supplements included are virtually non-existent, and it leaves us wishing for much more!

Commentary :

Special Features:

MPAA Rating: Unrated. Runtime: 110 mins Director : Richard Quine Writer: George Axelrod Cast: William Holden; Audrey Hepburn; Grégoire Aslan Genre : Comedy | Romance Tagline: RELAX...IT'S ALL RIGHT TO LAUGH AT THIS TENDER LOVE STORY! Memorable Movie Quote: "Actually, depravity can be terribly boring if you don't smoke or drink." Theatrical Distributor: Paramount Pictures Official Site: Release Date: May 3, 2022 DVD/Blu-ray Release Date: May 3, 2022. Synopsis : Holden plays Richard Benson, a screenwriter pressured by a movie producer (Noël Coward) to finish his script. Richard hires a live-in secretary, Gabrielle Simpson (Audrey Hepburn) to help him, and soon they're falling in love, enacting scenes from an unwritten screenplay. Unfortunately, the deadline to deliver a script is fast approaching.

New in Theaters/VOD

New on Home Video

• Paramount Pictures Celebrates 100 Years with Fabulous New Poster
• Let the Fur Fly In First Trailer For Pet Sematary Remake
• Shaft (2000) - Blu-ray Review - Blu-ray Review
• My Fair Lady (1964) - Blu-ray Movie Review
• Breakfast at Tiffany's - Blu-ray Review

Movie Trailers

• Trailer Watch - APARTMENT 7A (2024)
• Trailer Watch - Megalopolis (2024)
• Trailer Watch - OUT COME THE WOLVES (2024)
• Trailer Watch - CHARLIE TANGO
• Trailer Watch - SLINGSHOT (2024)

Movie Reviews

Morbidly Hollywood

• Colorado Street Suicide Bridge
• Death of a Princess - The Story of Grace Kelly's Fatal Car Crash
• Joaquin Phoenix 911 Call - River Phoenix - Viper Room
• Screen Legend Elizabeth Taylor Dies at 79
• Suicide and the Hollywood Sign - The Girl Who Jumped from the Hollywood Sign
• The Amityville Horror House
• The Black Dahlia Murder - The Death of Elizabeth Short
• The Death of Actress Jane Russell
• The Death of Brandon Lee
• The Death of Chris Farley
• The Death of Dominique Dunne
• The Death of George Reeves - the Original Superman

Paris When It Sizzles (1964)

Directed by richard quine.

• AllMovie Rating 4
• User Ratings ( 0 )
• Your Rating
• Overview ↓
• User Reviews ↓
• Cast & Crew ↓
• Streams ↓
• Related ↓

Description by Wikipedia

Paris When It Sizzles is a 1964 romantic comedy film directed by Richard Quine and produced by Quine and George Axelrod. The screenplay is by George Axelrod based on the story and film Holiday for Henrietta by Julien Duvivier and Henri Jeanson. The music score is by Nelson Riddle, the cinematography by Charles Lang and Claude Renoir. The film stars William Holden and Audrey Hepburn, and features Grégoire Aslan, Raymond Bussières, Noël Coward and Tony Curtis.

Related Movies

Alternate Titles

Movie Monday: Paris When It Sizzles (1964)

It has been a while since I reviewed a Audrey Hepburn film and, in my opinion, that is just unacceptable! So today that changes! The featured film this Movie Monday, and one of my favorite Audrey Hepburn movies, is Paris When It Sizzles !

Back when this film premiered, Paris When It Sizzles was not a considered a classic. This was actually one of Hepburn’s more underrated movies, but I cannot understand why! The storyline in this film is full of creativity and excitement!

There is also a lot of humor that is found within the lines and story plot of Paris When It Sizzles . Typically, when I look for a classic film with a lot of humor I might turn to a Cary Grant movie, but this is one that should be added to all of our lists. Paris When It Sizzles is memorable in that way. It will become one of your favorite movies before you even get a chance to think about it. At least, that is what happened to me.

When I originally watched Paris When It Sizzles I felt an instant love for this movie! It seemed like both those who created this film and the actors had a fun time making the movie which transcended to the audience. For those who have not watched this movie yet, I will not spoil the plot for you. However, I will say that this may be a little confusing for the person who does not like stories within a story. That may be the very reason that the critic of the 1960’s did not like Paris When It Sizzles .

Of all of the movies I have watched, I must say that Paris When It Sizzles is the most original. Never have I seen a film quite the same or one this creative. Although it may seem like an unlikely duo, Audrey Hepburn and William Holden actually make a pretty great team!

Like any good Audrey Hepburn movie, Paris When It Sizzles has wonderful fashion. With hints of the 1960’s and a larger colors palette, Hepburn maintains her classic silhouettes and timelessness. Of course, this is the time era of French buns and fancy undos for Hepburn, but all of that just adds to the modernity of this point in her career.

Last but not lest, if you need a little more motivation to go watch this movie, there is a little segment of a special song sang by the one and only Frank Sinatra that is featured in Paris When It Sizzles ! I don’t know about you, but Sinatra is one of my all time favorite artists! This little special song is reason enough for me to make Paris When It Sizzles a regular film in my rolodex of movies to watch.

You May Also Like

Movie Monday: It Should Happen to You (1954)

Movie Monday: Special Birthday Edition!

Movie Monday: Nothing Sacred (1937)

• Cast & crew
• User reviews

Paris When It Sizzles

• The sprightly young assistant of a Hollywood screenwriter helps him over his writer's block by acting out his fantasies of possible plots.
• Basing himself in Paris for the purpose, American hack writer Richard Benson, with advance in hand, has been hired by movie producer Alexander Meyerheim to write the screenplay for his latest movie, Benson selling him only on the title, The Girl Who Stole the Eiffel Tower. Meyerheim, who knows about his drinking problem, has been assured by Benson that he is on the wagon. Benson hires Gabrielle Simpson through a secretarial service to be his typist. At the time she arrives for the job, Gabrielle learns that Benson has squandered away almost twenty weeks, with several drinks passing his lips over the course, without having written a word. With nary a story idea, Benson has only two days, on Bastille Day, until Meyerheim will be arriving from Cannes expecting a final product in Benson having continually implied he is near completion. Upon learning that Gabrielle originally came to Paris to experience life, Benson comes up with a brainchild to imagine the movie being a day, Bastille Day, in the life of someone like Gabrielle. As Benson and Gabrielle work through the screenplay, an espionage caper, they imagine themselves in the lead roles of "Rick" and "Gaby", they subconsciously and sometimes consciously steering the story in the direction of what they hope will happen between "Richard Benson" and "Gabrielle Simpson", both to the screenplay's benefit and detriment. — Huggo
• Hollywood producer Alexander Meyerheimer has hired drunken writer Richard Benson to write his latest movie. Benson has been holed up in a Paris apartment supposedly working on the script for months, but instead has spent the time living it up. Benson now has just two days to the deadline and thus hires a temporary secretary, Gabrielle Simpson, to help him complete it in time. — Col Needham <[email protected]>
• In Paris, the successful alcoholic forty-two years old screenplay writer Richard Benson has three days to write a script to his producer that has paid in advance. The typist Gabrielle Simpson arrives to his hotel to type the screenplay. Along the three days, she helps him to develop the story and they fall in love for each other. — Claudio Carvalho, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil

It looks like we don't have any synopsis for this title yet. Be the first to contribute.

Contribute to this page

• See more gaps
• Learn more about contributing

More from this title

More to explore, recently viewed.

Paris When It Sizzles (1964)

Movie Details

Stream & watch paris when it sizzles.

Cast & Crew

Featured news.

Similar Movies

Movie Reviews

Follow Moviefone

Latest trailers.

• Share full article

Advertisement

Supported by

Paris When It Sizzles

By Maureen Dowd

• July 4, 2015

PARIS — THE turquoise tranquillity of the Côte d’Azur was rocked a couple of times during the Cannes Lions Festival, the advertising world’s rosé-soaked answer to the Cannes Film Festival.

Al Gore snubbed Monica Lewinsky. Lewinsky, who was giving a speech for Ogilvy & Mather about how she became “patient zero” in the cyberbullying epidemic, was slated to sit in a V.I.P. box with the former vice president, who got an award for being a good brand.

But her invite got yanked.

The contretemps was a reminder that Gore’s prissy attitude toward l’affaire Monica helped cost him the election, because he was so angry at Bill Clinton that he leashed the Big Dog, curtailing the president’s campaigning, even in the South. If Al had been less eager to put baby in a corner, there would have been no phony action on Iraq and plenty of action on melting glaciers.

Monica’s main bullies were not of the cyber variety. The Internet was just getting up and running. Her chief bullies were flesh and blood, a raffish president and feminist first lady who are now vying to be a feminist president and raffish first lad. They’re the ones who tried to paint her as a “narcissistic looney toon,” as Hillary put it to her friend Diane Blair.

Sidney Blumenthal, Hillary’s Doberman and email correspondent, led the sliming of Monica as a fantasist and stalker. Hillary’s friends do not regard Monica as a victim, but a predator. They think she let herself in for trouble when she took up with a married president who was a magnet for right-wing bullies.

Yet, as Hillary’s advisers said, being the victim of the Monica mess gave Hillary the impetus, and public good will, to start her own political rise.

We are having trouble retrieving the article content.

Please enable JavaScript in your browser settings.

Thank you for your patience while we verify access. If you are in Reader mode please exit and  log into  your Times account, or  subscribe  for all of The Times.

Thank you for your patience while we verify access.

Already a subscriber?  Log in .

Want all of The Times?  Subscribe .

Dennis Schwartz Movie Reviews

• Top Ten Lists

PARIS WHEN IT SIZZLES

• Post author: eenableadmin
• Post published: August 5, 2019
• Post category: Uncategorized

(director: Richard Quine; screenwriters: George Axelrod/from the story by Julien Duvivier & Henri Jeanson; cinematographer: Charles Lang; editor: Archie Marshek; music: Nelson Riddle/Lew Spence; cast: William Holden (Richard Benson), Audrey Hepburn (Gabrielle Simpson), Gregoire Aslan (Police Insp. Gilet), Raymond Bussieres (Francois), Christian Duvaleix (Maitre d’Hotel), Noel Coward (Alexander Meyerheim); Runtime: 110; MPAA Rating: NR; producers: George Axelrod/Richard Quine/John R. Coonan/Carter De Haven, Jr.; Paramount Pictures; 1964) “A more appropriate title would have been Paris When It Fizzles.”

Reviewed by Dennis Schwartz

Paris When It Sizzles was a rewritten remake of the French film La Fete à Henriette (1952). It’s a well-intentioned bubbly romantic comedy built around star power that never comes off as intended. It never amounts to anything more than an uninteresting mess. Richard Quine (“Strangers When We Meet”/”The World of Suzie Wong”) directs from a story by Julien Duvivier and Henri Jeanson, while George Axelrod handles the screenplay. It reunites William Holden and Audrey Hepburn, who last appeared together in the 1954 Sabrina.

Middle-aged Richard Benson (William Holden) is a successful Hollywood screenwriter living in Paris who has a drinking problem that has put his career on hold. His producer Alexander Meyerheimer (Noël Coward) is in Cannes and wants the finished script turned in for their latest film entitled “The Girl Who Stole the Eiffel Tower.” Meyerheimer gives Richard a two-day ultimatum to finish the screenplay, unaware that Richard hasn’t even started the script. This results in Richard hiring a live-in secretary, Gabrielle Simpson (Audrey Hepburn), to come to the rescue. The two act out the characters they create for the script and soon fall in love for real. The suspense, if you really care, is if they will finish the screenplay before the deadline.

There was nothing in this film that sizzled, including the artificial story and romance. A more appropriate title would have been Paris When It Fizzles. The inside joke was that Holden in real-life was an alcoholic. It seems to have had a great effect on him during the shooting of “Paris,” as he was supposedly on a drinking binge and doesn’t even turn in his usual good performance. To try and spice up this dud, the following stars put in uncredited cameos: Tony Curtis, Mel Ferrer (Audrey’s husband) and Marlene Dietrich.

REVIEWED ON 2/2/2007 GRADE: C

Dennis Schwartz: “Ozus’ World Movie Reviews”

© ALL RIGHTS RESERVED DENNIS SCHWARTZ

You Might Also Like

Jungle fever, theory of everything, the, my life to live.

PARIS WHEN IT SIZZLES

PARIS WHEN IT SIZZLES [1964 / 2022] [Blu-ray] [USA Release] William Holden and Audrey Hepburn sparkle in Paris!

William Holden and Audrey Hepburn reunite 10 years after ‘SABRINA’ to star in this irresistible romantic comedy. William Holden plays Richard Benson, a screenwriter pressured by a movie producer Alexander Meyerheim [Noël Coward] to finish his script. Richard Benson hires a live-in secretary, Gabrielle Simpson [Audrey Hepburn] to help him, and soon they're falling in love, enacting scenes from an unwritten screenplay. Unfortunately, the deadline to deliver a script is fast approaching. Beautifully shot on location in Paris by famed cinematographer Claude Renoir.

FILM FACT: The film's title derives from the Cole Porter song “I Love Paris.” In addition to the uncredited role played by Tony Curtis, dressed in a red jumper, white pants and riding a Vespa, and the film also features uncredited cameo appearances by Marlene Dietrich as herself, dressed in white, stepping out of a white Bentley, and Mel Ferrer, Audrey Hepburn's real-life husband at the time, who plays a party guest dressed as Dr. Jekyll. In one scene, William Holden's character remarks that the film-in-the-film could have a theme song by Frank Sinatra whose voice is heard singing the laughable lyric, “The girl who stole the Eiffel Tower also stole my heart” over the fictional credit sequence. ‘My Fair Lady’ is mentioned as being the same story as “Frankenstein.” This line comes moments after a reference to a prostitute with "a heart of gold," which can be seen as an allusion to Audrey Hepburn's character, Holly Golightly, in the film ‘Breakfast at Tiffany's.’

Cast: William Holden, Audrey Hepburn, Grégoire Aslan, Raymond Bussières, Christian Duvaleix, Michel Thomass, Dominique Boschero, Evi Marandi, Noël Coward, Tony Curtis (uncredited), Marlene Dietrich (uncredited), Mel Ferrer (uncredited), Orestis Ganakis (uncredited), Henri Garcin (uncredited), Frank Sinatra (singing voice) (uncredited) and Dominique Zardi (uncredited)         

Director: Richard Quine

Producers: Carter De Haven Jr., George Axelrod, John R. Coonan and Richard Quine

Screenplay: Henri Jeanson (story), Julien Duvivier (story) and George Axelrod (screenplay)

Composer: Nelson Riddle

Costume and Wardrobe Department: Hubert de Givenchy (wardrobe: Miss Hepburn), Jean Zay (wardrobe coordinator) and Joan Joseff (costume jewellery) (uncredited)

Miss Hepburn’s Perfume: Hubert de Givenchy

Special Photographic Effects: Paul K. Lerpae, A.S.C.

Cinematography: Charles Lang Jr., A.S.C. (Director of Photography) and Claude Renoir (Director of Photography)

Image Resolution: 1080p (Technicolor)

Aspect Ratio: 1.85:1 (Anamorphic)

Audio: English: 2.0 Dolby TrueHD Stereo Audio German: 2.0 Dolby Digital Stereo Audio French: 2.0 Dolby Digital Stereo Audio

Subtitles: English, English SDH, German, Spanish [Latin America], French and Japanese,

Running Time: 110 minutes

Region: All Regions

Number of discs: 1

Studio: Paramount Pictures

Andrew’s Blu-ray Review: ‘PARIS WHEN IT SIZZLES’ [1964] stars Audrey Hepburn and William Holden reunite a decade later for the delirious romantic comedy. The Hollywood stars have a ball in Audrey Hepburn’s most clever and underrated film, poking fun at themselves and their images. A playful, fun screenplay by George Axelrod mocks the filmmaking process with a dazzling array of Hollywood in-jokes and intelligent gags. As a box office draw, the picture has a great star combination — William Holden and Audrey Hepburn create a light comedy and is a sly send-up of Audrey Hepburn’s earlier films and the film business itself. ‘PARIS WHEN IT SIZZLES’ is actually a remake of the 1952 French film ‘Holiday for Henrietta.’

Richard Quine and George Axelrod produced ‘PARIS WHEN IT SIZZLES.’ George Axelrod did the screenplay from a story by Julien Duvivier and Henri Jeanson and Richard Quine was of course the director. William Holden is the hero, the movie writer, who engages a secretary, Gabrielle Simpson [Audrey Hepburn], as his accessory in writing a screenplay. The simple facts of the picture are that in the course of their work they eventually fall in love, but the contrived vehicle for the film gets considerably more complicated.

The film met with mixed reaction upon its release, both critically and commercially. ‘PARIS WHEN IT SIZZLES’ was ahead of its time as a satire working on multiple levels. That didn’t sit well with audiences of the 1960’s, expecting a straight romantic opus starring the popular Audrey Hepburn. Nominally a romantic comedy, the film’s complex and whimsical structure took many of her fans by surprise. The romance is sweet but feels like an afterthought if you don’t buy the banter between Audrey Hepburn and William Holden, its two main stars in the film.

What Carter De Haven Jr., George Axelrod, John R. Coonan and Richard Quine are doing is to take a fairly routine story and attempt to enliven it by all manner of cinema tricks. When William Holden outlines his plot to Miss Audrey Hepburn, the plot takes visual form and William Holden and Miss Audrey Hepburn become the hero and heroine of the film. This allows for exceptional range of camera ideas and setups unrestricted by the customer plot dimensions. It allows for jokes about films themselves. It allows use of uncredited stars like Marlene Dietrich, Tony Curtis  and Mel Ferrer in big and rewarding brief roles.

A decadent Hollywood film producer Alexander Meyerheim [Noël Coward] demands a film script from Richard Benson [William Holden] within three days. The overpaid, alcoholic screenwriter has a title, “The Girl Who Stole The Eiffel Tower” and little else has been written down. The studio sends him the sweet ingénue Gabrielle Simpson [Audrey Hepburn] a typist who takes down Richard Benson’s fevered script ideas.

Locked together in Richard Benson’s Paris apartment for three days, and Richard Benson bounces preposterous plots off of Gabrielle Simpson as they start working closely together. Richard Benson’s under creative stress and Gabrielle Simpson is totally exasperated by his outlandish behaviour. Gabrielle Simpson is often placed in the centre of his wild ideas, imagined on the screen in elaborate set pieces. They start matching wits as the two grow ever closer and closer together, concocting insane outrageous film plots.

Audrey Hepburn and William Holden have immense fun in their roles. William Holden even shows up at one point playing a b-movie vampire. It’s clear as day that their characters are growing in love, playing out an amazing variety of characters as Richard Benson’s film-within-a-film keeps mutating from musical to comedy to thriller to even monster flick. Based on an earlier French film, but the film ‘PARIS WHEN IT SIZZLES’ is an unqualified gem.

Shot on location in Paris, the film is a gloriously decadent Hollywood production with cameos galore. Tony Curtis plays himself, Marlene Dietrich shows up for a split second; they even get Frank Sinatra singing a few unaccredited bars. It’s a testament to Hollywood’s studio system, though the film’s box office failure helped erode the system’s credibility and paved the way for more maverick filmmaking as Paramount Pictures started losing money.

Charles Lang’s Technicolor photography gives fresh beauty to the beautiful city of Paris, and his interiors have the distinctive warmth of Charles Lang’s lighting. Jean d’Eaubonne’s sets are rich and meaningful. Nelson Riddle’s composed film score is light and amusing. Sound by Joe de Bretagne and Charles Grenzbach is really good. Archie Marshek’s editing does a really slick job of making the many photographic tricks smooth and illusory. So all in all, the film to my mind is a great success and the two main stars William Holden and Miss Audrey Hepburn work their romantic and comedy magic up there on the silver screen

PARIS WHEN IT SIZZLES FILM TRACK LIST

THAT FACE (Music by Lew Spence) (Lyrics by Alan Bergman) [Performed by Fred Astaire] (Courtesy of Ava Records) [Played on the photograph as Gabrielle Simpson is going through her morning routine]

THE GIRL WHO STOLE THE EIFFEL TOWER (uncredited) (Music by Nelson Riddle) (Lyrics by Richard Quine) [Performed by Frank Sinatra] [Played when Richard Benson imagines the opening to his movie]

Blu-ray Image Quality – Paramount Pictures presents the film ‘PARIS WHEN IT SIZZLES’ with a 1080p anamorphic image that is from a 4K scan with gorgeous palette retention and incredible definition. The 1080p video consistently honours the original celluloid feel of the film with excellent grain reproduction. Detail fares better in Richard Benson’s swanky apartment. Exteriors favours very bold palette and more saturated primary colours. The film is shown in the anamorphic 1.85:1 aspect ratio. Almost certainly struck from the original camera negative, and the Technicolor elements are in fine shape with a solid contrast and even wonderful black levels. Flesh-tones maintain a healthy appearance. Colour fidelity is very pleasantly subtle. The best news here is that Paramount Pictures has employed a transfer devoid of any filtering and very rare for this upgraded High Definition Blu-ray effort.

Blu-ray Audio Quality – Paramount Pictures brings us the film ‘PARIS WHEN IT SIZZLES’ with the original theatrical soundtrack comes off fairly well in pleasant 2.0 Dolby TrueHD Stereo Audio. It’s a very dialogue-driven film with a wonderful composed film score by master composer and arranger Nelson Riddle. It’s not an overly dynamic recording but the dialogue is sharply delivered without any problems. The dialogue is very clear and easy to understand at all times, a more than solid overall audio presentation.

Blu-ray Special Features and Extras:

Theatrical Trailers: Here we get to view three Original Theatrical Trailers and they are as follows:

‘PARIS WHEN IT SIZZLES’ [1964] [1080i] [1.78:1] [2:47]

‘Breakfast At Tiffany’s’ [1961] [1080i] [1.78:1] [2:37]

‘My Fair Lady’ [1964] [1080i] [1.78:1] [2:58]

Finally, ‘PARIS WHEN IT SIZZLES’ is absolutely silly, but totally enjoyable, but also very charming and delightful and only works because of the chemistry between the gorgeous Audrey Hepburn and the ironic William Holden. There are many jokes with the cinema refrences, with many stories within the lead story, and the most hilarious scenes have the uncredited participation of Tony Curtis. Marlene Dietrich and Mel Ferrer have also uncredited participation. ‘PARIS WHEN IT SIZZLES’ is an attempt to cash-in on the popularity of Audrey Hepburn, the heart-winning starlet who rose to fame in a series of light romantic comedies in the 1950’s and 1960’s. In addition to Audrey Hepburn and William Holden, Noël Coward turns in a very funny cameo as the head of the studio. Witty and elegant as ever, and I would have liked to have seen more of Noël Coward in the film. Highly Recommended!

Andrew C. Miller – Your Ultimate No.1 Film Aficionado  Le Cinema Paradiso  United Kingdom

Review date: 28 May 2022

Ananya Panday on Call Me Bae's Comparisons With 2 Broke Girls, Emily in Paris: 'I Don't Like...' | Exclusive

Reported By : Dishya Sharma

Last Updated: September 02, 2024, 19:13 IST

Mumbai, India

Reddit compared Ananya Panday's Call Me Bae with 2 Broke Girls.

Ananya Panday talks about the internet comparing her new series Call Me Bae with 2 Broke Girls and Emily in Paris.

The moment the trailer of Call Me Bae dropped, the internet drew comparisons with several shows in the West. Reddit and X were filled comparisons with Two Broke Girls, which starred Kat Dennings and Beth Behrs, and Netflix’s Emily in Paris, starring Lily Collins. Although fans will have to wait to see if Call Me Bae is indeed inspired by the chick-flicks in the West but Ananya Panday urges people to watch the show before they speak. In an exclusive chat with News18 Showsha, Ananya addressed the comparisons.

“Just because this is the genre or the theme of the show, doesn’t mean it is the copy of something else. It’s like, if there’s a romcom that’s already been made, it doesn’t make it a copy. It is following a similar format or genre. It’s a template,” Ananya Panday told us exclusively. Her Call Me Bae co-star, Niharika Lyra Dutt added, “All the shows mentioned are good shows. I feel like if it is reminding the audience of these things then it means it is comforting them and they want to watch more.”

Ananya explained further, “I don’t like the fact that when something is made in Hollywood and then it’s made in India, people call it the sasta version of that. Why can’t you be proud of the content that is coming from your own country? You sit and watch these shows for hours. But it is coming from your own country… Without watching it, don’t judge it is what I would say.”

She added that the characters will be the highlights of the show. “I think the best part of this show is its characters. Even though the template maybe chick-flick or that format, all the characters of the show are so wonderfully unique. Once you watch the show, I think people will relate,” she added.

Call Me Bae is created by Ishita Moitra and the story was penned by her, Samina Motlekar and Rohit Nair. The eight-episode series stars Ananya Pandey, Vir Das, Gurfateh Pirzada, Varun Sood, Vihaan Samat, Muskkaan Jaferi, Niharika Lyra Dutt, Lisa Mishra and Mini Mathur. The series will stream on September 6.

• ananya panday
• Showsha Exclusives

• Action/Adventure
• Children's/Family
• Documentary/Reality
• Amazon Prime Video

More From Decider

New Shows & Movies To Watch This Weekend: 'Pachinko' on Apple TV+ and...

'Unfinished Beef': Netflix Reveals Hosts For Labor Day Hot Dog Showdown...

Andy Cohen Asks Brandi Glanville To Watch Him And Kate Chastain Have Sex...

Peacock Has Removed Raygun and the Entire Olympics Breaking Competition...

'WWHL': Bowen Yang Says One Terrible 'SNL' Host Once Made "Multiple Cast...

Peacock's Gary Coleman Doc Questions The Late Child Actor's "Suspicious"...

11 Best New Movies on Netflix: August 2024's Freshest Films to Watch

'Million Dollar Listing Los Angeles' Star Josh Flagg Gives Update On His...

Share this:.

• Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window)
• Click to share on Twitter (Opens in new window)
• Click to share on WhatsApp (Opens in new window)
• Click to email a link to a friend (Opens in new window)
• Click to copy URL

‘Wolfs’ Venice Film Festival Review: It’s the George Clooney/Brad Pitt Show … And Little Else

Where to stream:.

• George Clooney

Ranking the Best Olympics Movies To Get You Pumped for Paris 2024

‘jimmy kimmel live’: kumail nanjiani says trump “s*** the bed” with his movie career after he criticized george clooney, “mad” joy behar, sunny hostin call out george clooney for turning on biden: “aired this dirty laundry to the world”, alyssa farah griffin accuses the biden administration of “gaslighting” americans on ‘the view’ .

Pick any scene featuring George Clooney and Brad Pitt in Steven Soderbergh’s Oceans trilogy, and the power of two stars colliding may prove blinding. These two icons since the ‘90s possess such ease with themselves in front of a camera that their comfort naturally transfers to a contemporary. It’s not that Clooney and Pitt can finish each other’s sentences. It’s that one doesn’t even have to finish the other’s thought ; they just know because they’re locked in on the same frequency.

Jon Watts’ Apple TV+ original film Wolfs , the duo’s first reteaming since the beloved heist series, attempts to cash in on their effortless rapport. This action-comedy shamelessly casts their personas and does not even try to hide it. As dueling “cleaners” for high-profile individuals looking to avoid detection of criminal behavior, their characters don’t even have full names .

A District Attorney candidate, Margaret (Amy Ryan), looks to contract Clooney’s services when a young man (Austin Abrams) suffers an accident in her penthouse room. A few minutes after he shows up, Pitt enters to help contain the damage in the hotel for the owner Pam (voice of Frances McDormand). The credits refer to them, respectively, as “Margaret’s Man” and “Pam’s Man.” But names aren’t necessary in this transactional world – both among the characters in the film and the audience watching it. They might as well refer to each other as “George” and “Brad” because those are the associations the film trades on.

The two rivals have a history to which the script vaguely alludes. Watts parses out small morsels about their competition within the industry, which could be either banal banter to fill space or potential spinoff-generating loglines. But he could honestly just cut the banter and lean into their established history: the Oceans series and their associated press tours.

Wolfs has something of a plot, too, as it follows a single night on the job where this team of rivals must be both competitors and collaborators to preserve the reputations of their bosses. The two men dodge bullets and barbs alike in a whirlwind tour through New York’s criminal underbelly as complications arise from their seemingly simple fix. It’s slickly shot by cinematographer Larkin Seiple (best known for his work on Best Picture-winning Everything Everywhere All at Once ) but generically conceived by Watts. Any hopes of him returning to the clever genre play of his delightful directorial debut Cop Car appears squelched by his time directing three Spider-Man films within the Marvel machine.

But, in all honesty, the real sustaining tension proves seeing how long the film can coast on just being “George Clooney and Brad Pitt: The Reunion.” Watts gets far more mileage than expected out of a concept that could just as easily function in the context of a Saturday Night Live sketch (where applause greeting the two stars would take up half the duration of the scene). But he doesn’t understand what Soderbergh did: stardom is but an artificial sweetener. This sugar rush of watching two familiar faces interacting can only sustain a work so long in the absence of style or substance.

Wolfs provides good fun for a while, especially given the dearth of vintage George Clooney leading man roles of late. (Please, someone lure him out of the director’s chair!) Watts knows how to play the hits and lean into their well-established screen figures. Clooney gets to do his debonair, silver-tongued schtick while Pitt rattles off his soft-spoken, sardonic observations with aplomb.

It’s exactly in line with expectations, for better but mostly worse. There are some gags about the two men’s age – pulling out readers, needing to pop an Advil, cracking backs, yawning – yet little in the way of reflecting what all that time watching them means. Unlike Top Gun Maverick , which took Tom Cruise’s advancing age as a subject, Wolfs just wants to make it 2001 again with these two giants. That’s fine when the film can subsist solely by feeding off their energy, although it’s not enough to survive a third act that forces unnecessary crime genre twists and turns.

Sony Pictures will release Wolfs in theaters for a one-week engagement on September 20 before Apple TV+ premieres it for streaming on September 27.

Marshall Shaffer is a New York-based freelance film journalist. In addition to Decider, his work has also appeared on Slashfilm, Slant, The Playlist and many other outlets. Some day soon, everyone will realize how right he is about Spring Breakers.

• Wolfs (2024)

Is 'Power Book II: Ghost' On Starz Tonight? Season 4, Episode 6 Premiere Date

Does Jenn Tran End Up With Anyone On 'The Bachelorette'?

Gary Coleman's Friends "Appalled" By Ex-Wife's 911 Call For His Fatal Fall in 'Gary' Doc: "She Didn't Help Him"

'The Deliverance' True Story: What to Know About Latoya Ammons and the 200 Demons House

R.I.P. Julian Ortega: 'Elite' Actor Dead At 41 After Suddenly Collapsing On The Beach 

'The Bachelorette' Season 21, Episode 8 Recap: Who Went Home After Fantasy Suites?