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The Last Time I Saw Paris

1954, Drama, 1h 56m

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The last time i saw paris   photos.

Reporter Charles Wills (Van Johnson), in Paris to cover the end of World War II, falls for the beautiful Helen Ellswirth (Elizabeth Taylor) following a brief flirtation with her sister, Marion (Donna Reed). After he and Helen marry, Charles pursues his novelistic ambition while supporting his new bride with a deadening job at a newspaper wire service. But when an old investment suddenly makes the family wealthy, their marriage begins to unravel -- until a sudden tragedy changes everything.

Genre: Drama

Original Language: English

Director: Richard Brooks

Producer: Jack Cummings

Writer: Richard Brooks , Julius J. Epstein , Philip G. Epstein , F. Scott Fitzgerald

Release Date (Theaters): Nov 18, 1954  original

Release Date (Streaming): Jan 1, 2009

Runtime: 1h 56m

Distributor: Hollywood Classics, Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer, Take 2 Video, MGM/UA Home Entertainment Inc., Navarre Entertainment, Madacy Entertainment Group Inc. [us]

Production Co: Metro Goldwyn Mayer

Cast & Crew

Elizabeth Taylor

Helen Ellswirth

Van Johnson

Charles Wills

Walter Pidgeon

James Ellswirth

Marion Ellswirth

Mrs. Lorraine Quarl

George Dolenz

Claude Matine

Roger Moore

Kurt Kasznar

Richard Brooks

Julius J. Epstein

Philip G. Epstein

F. Scott Fitzgerald

Jack Cummings

Conrad Salinger

Original Music

Joseph Ruttenberg

Cinematographer

John D. Dunning

Film Editing

Randall Duell

Art Director

Cedric Gibbons

Jack D. Moore

Set Decoration

Edwin B. Willis

Costume Design

Sydney Guilaroff

Hair Stylist

William Tuttle

Makeup Artist

William Shanks

Assistant Director

Wesley C. Miller

A. Arnold Gillespie

Special Effects

Saul Chaplin

Music Supervisor

Critic Reviews for The Last Time I Saw Paris

Audience reviews for the last time i saw paris.

Way cheesy, but Widmark and Malden make it watchable.

A classic Hollywood tear-jerker. I may have to think again about Elizabeth Taylor's acting. Mostly, she leaves me flat. Being a beautiful child can only last so long. In this one, you can see that Donna Reed is the more subtle actress, the more smooth in her transition between moods -- displaying more ability to show range in real human transitions. But Taylor is impressive here, even if it's more a feeling of shoving in a clutch and jamming the stick, jumping from situation to situation. I'm glad I finally saw this gem. Taylor at her best.

This film wasn't very interesting and seemed really long and drawn out.

Lush not terribly faithful rendition of Fitzgerald's Babylon Revisited is hampered by the miscasting of Van Johnson in the lead. There is no way other than script demands that Elizabeth Taylor would pick the vapid Johnson let alone stay with him throughout the increasingly boorish behavior he subjects her too. Otherwise the film is beautifully shot with that MGM sheen and Walter Pidgeon gives a terrific performance as Liz's madcap father.

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Movie Review

The last time i saw paris.

US Release Date: 11-18-1954

Directed by: Richard Brooks

Starring ▸ ▾

• Elizabeth Taylor ,  as
• Helen Ellswirth/Wills
• Van Johnson ,  as
• Charles Wills
• Walter Pidgeon ,  as
• James Ellswirth
• Donna Reed ,  as
• Marion Ellswirth/Matine
• Eva Gabor ,  as
• Mrs. Lorraine Quarl
• Roger Moore ,  as
• Paul Lane (tennis pro)
• Kurt Kasznar ,  as
• Maurice (owner, Cafe Dhingo)
• George Dolenz ,  as
• Claude Matine
• Sandy Descher as
• Vicki Wills

Van Johnson and Elizabeth Taylor in The Last Time I Saw Paris .

I had a teacher in high school that compared all beautiful women to a 'young Liz Taylor'. In her opinion this was the epitome of female beauty. Watch The Last Time I Saw Paris and you will instantly see her point. Elizabeth Taylor at 22 was just about the most ravishingly exquisite creature I've ever seen. Her beauty is simply stunning.

Based on a story by F. Scott Fitzgerald, this sentimental movie, which pairs Miss Taylor with Van Johnson, tells of a struggling writers reminisces of his life in Paris immediately following World War II (in the original story it was the first World War). Although the plot is pure soap opera (you know - he drinks too much and suffers from writers block), still the characters and performances make this one quite enjoyable. In addition several scenes were shot on location in both Paris and Monte Carlo giving the movie a lush realism that was absent from many big studio productions of the era.

The supporting cast includes Walter Pidgeon – in a scene-stealing role as Taylor's expatriate gambler father – as well as Donna Reed as the jealous and vindictive older sister, Eva Gabor as (what else?) a rich man-eater, and a baby faced Roger Moore as a suave tennis star.

The plot deals with the ups and downs, and ins and outs of the marriage between Johnson and Taylor. Although it is all fairly formulaic stuff, there are several memorable scenes, including one at a fancy party where the spouses use Gabor and Moore to make each other jealous. And though I've never been a big fan of Van Johnson, he manages to sink his teeth into this role. The chemistry between him and Liz is believably tempestuous.

Though not a perfect movie, The Last Time I Saw Paris is a beautiful romantic drama, worth seeing just to feast your eyes on a young Liz Taylor.

Liz looks good but this is Van Johnson's movie. The scene where he walks into the house and up the stairs while acting out an argument he is expecting to have with his wife demonstrates just how well Johnson could juggled drama and comedy. Liz just has to look good.

What is with the people in this movie? They all seem to be after "happiness" as if it is some allusive concept. No matter how many parties they go to or how often they get drunk they just can't be happy. Helen jumps in a fountain but then later says it was not as fun as she hoped it would have been. When talking to Charles she has this line, "I want to enjoy things, have fun, live every day like it's the last day. Wouldn't that be nice, a lifetime full of last days."

The problem with the characters in this movie, and I believe a recurring theme in Fitzgerald's work, is that they don't know how to be happy. Early on Helen is a flirt with no responsibilities. Later she gets all moody from her husband's lack of attention so she spends time with Paul which does not make her happy either. Charles struggles early on with paying the bills. He has to borrow money from co-workers several times. Then when he becomes rich he becomes miserable because he has all of the time in the world to write and he can't get published. Marion is married to a man who loves her but she spends the entire movie pining for Charles. She is so preoccupied by her resentment of Charles that she exacts revenge when she can. These people are all comfortably living in Paris with the enormous responsibility of having to hangout at bars and go to parties and, other than Helen's father, are all miserable.

The Last Time I Saw Paris attempts some dramatic situations by showing hypocrisy in relationships. Husbands and wives who flirt constantly with other people but never have affairs. They love each other but make each other as miserable as much as they make each other happy. The secret to life is the pursuit of happiness, but according F. Scott Fitzgerald it does not come easy, if at all.

Elizabeth Taylor and Van Johnson in The Last Time I Saw Paris .

Regret is a common theme in Fitzgerald's work, but this movie lacks all of the things that make the Fitzgerald story, "Babylon Revisited", one of his greatest works. Yes, the plots are similar, but Fitzgerald's greatest strength was never his plots, but in the beauty of his writing, his turn of phrase.

He is able to say more in just a few lines of dialogue than this movie is able with scene after scene of melodrama.

"I heard that you lost a lot in the crash?"

"I did," and he added grimly, "but I lost everything I wanted in the boom."

"Selling short?"

"Something like that."

The worst change from story to movie is the changing of the time period. The story was set in 1931. A time when the world was waking up with a hangover from the decade long party that was the 1920s. The story of Charlie returning to Paris to find his child is more than the story of one man, it's the story of a generation trying to re-find their innocence. Changing the time period severely changes the scope of its meaning.

Without the larger theme of Fitzgerald's story all you are left with is one hell of a depressing story. Not sad or poignant, just depressing as hell. The only character I enjoyed was the father played by Walter Pidgeon, who not so coincidentally is the only character who isn't sad, but then by the end of the movie he's in a wheelchair so even he becomes depressing.

Yes, much of Fitzgerald's work was sad and filled with regret, but unlike watching this movie I never regretted reading it.

Photos © Copyright Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer (1954)

© 2000 - 2017 Three Movie Buffs. All Rights Reserved.

The Last Time I Saw Paris

The Last Time I Saw Paris is an engrossing romantic drama that tells a good story with fine performances and an overall honesty of dramatic purpose.

By Variety Staff

Variety Staff

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F. Scott Fitzgerald ‘s short story, Babylon Revisited was updated and revised as the basis for the potent screenplay. Elizabeth Taylor ‘s work as the heroine shows a thorough grasp of the character, whhich she makes warm and real. Richard Brooks’ direction also gets a sock response from Van Johnson.

Plot is laid in Paris in the reckless, gay period that followed V-E Day of World War II. There, Johnson meets and marries Taylor and starts a struggling existence as a day-time reporter for a news service and wouldbe author at night. Even the faith of his wife cannot balance the brand of failure he assumes after too many rejection slips and when some supposedly worthless Texas oil property suddenly gushes into wealth he becomes a playboy himself.

Popular on Variety

Threading through the footage is the Jerome Kern-Oscar Hammerstein II title song, hauntingly sung by Odette.

• Production: M-G-M. Director Richard Brooks; Producer Jack Cummings; Screenplay Julius J. Epstein, Philip G. Epstein; Camera Joseph Ruttenberg; Editor John Dunning; Music Conrad Salinger
• Crew: (Color) Available on VHS. Extract of a review from 1954. Running time: 116 MIN.
• With: Elizabeth Taylor Van Johnson Walter Pidgeon Donna Reed Eva Gabor Kurt Kasznar

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The Last Time I Saw Paris

Where to Watch

Elizabeth Taylor (Helen Ellswirth) Van Johnson (Charles Wills) Walter Pidgeon (James Ellswirth) Donna Reed (Marion Ellswirth) Eva Gabor (Lorraine Quarl) Kurt Kasznar (Maurice) George Dolenz (Claude Matine) Roger Moore (Paul Lind) Sandy Descher (Vicki) Celia Lovsky (Mama)

Richard Brooks

An American journalist returns to Paris - a city that gave him true love and deep grief.

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Saturday 8 June 2013

Movie review: the last time i saw paris (1954).

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The Last Time I Saw Paris

Time out says, release details.

• Duration: 116 mins

Cast and crew

• Director: Richard Brooks
• Screenwriter: Julius J Epstein, Philip G Epstein, Richard Brooks
• Elizabeth Taylor
• Van Johnson
• Walter Pidgeon
• Kurt Kasznar
• Roger Moore

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The Last Time I Saw Paris

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Film Details

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Brief Synopsis

Cast & crew, richard brooks, elizabeth taylor, van johnson, walter pidgeon, photos & videos, technical specs.

American Charles Wills returns to Paris, after a two-year absence, to see his daughter. He stops for a drink at a café owned by his old friend Maurice and reminisces about the days near the end of World War II: On VE Day, Charles, a reporter for The Stars and Stripes , is among the Americans celebrating in the streets with the joyous French citizens. He ducks into Maurice's café, where he encounters his friend, Claude Matine, and is introduced to American Marion Ellswirth, who has been in France throughout the war. Marion takes the men to a party thrown by her father James, a charming rascal with a talent for living beyond his means. Charles' eye is caught by Marion's beautiful, vivacious sister Helen, and the young woman stuns him with her description of the family's decadent lifestyle. Marion grows jealous as Helen flirts with Charles, and makes an appointment to meet him later. However, Helen learns about their assignation and shows up in Marion's place, and amid the victory festivities, they kiss. When Helen later comes down with a bad flu after being out in a storm, Charles visits her in the hospital, and they decide to marry. Helen wishes to stay in France, so Charles takes a job with a Paris news agency. Marion, who is still in love with Charles, soon announces her engagement to Claude. Charles and Helen marry, move in with James and have a daughter, Vicki. Charles devotes all his spare time to his writing, but after completing two novels is still unable to find a publisher. By 1950, Charles has grown despondent over his lack of success as an author, and tired of Helen's frivolous, often outlandish behavior. One night, Charles is assigned to interview socialite Lorraine Quarl, who is in Paris finalizing her most recent divorce. They spend the evening together, and when Charles returns home in the morning, Helen's lack of suspicion nettles him. Marion calls with the news that one of James's supposedly worthless oil leases, which he gave Charles and Helen as a wedding gift, has paid off. The family celebrates its newfound wealth with extravagant purchases and parties, and Charles quits his job to concentrate on his writing. Charles' third novel is also rejected, however, and he falls into a deep depression and bitterly declares himself a failure. One night, James invites Paul Lane, a suave "international tennis bum," to attend a party with them. At the party, Paul flirts with Helen, and the inebriated Charles encounters Lorraine, who is now divorcing her fifth husband. Helen asks her husband to take her home, but he insists on taking Lorraine for a drive instead. The following day, Helen treats the badly hung-over Charles coldly, despite his assurances that nothing happened between him and Lorraine. Helen admits that she joined Paul for a nightcap at his hotel and was strongly tempted to have an affair with him. She then tells Charles she is unhappy and asks to go back to America. Charles, who has been seduced by the decadence that Helen now finds unfulfilling, refuses. Instead, he takes Lorraine to Monte Carlo to compete in an automobile race. When they return to Paris, they find Helen at Maurice's café with Paul, and Charles takes a swing at him. Paul takes Helen to his hotel and declares his love for her, but makes it clear that he wishes her to stay with her husband and keep him on the side, pointing out that half the people in her social circle have such "arrangements." Disgusted, Helen walks out and returns home, but is unable to get into the house because Charles has chained the door and passed out, drunk. Helen walks through the snow to Marion and Claude's house, then collapses. Helen is hospitalized, and when the apologetic Charles visits, she asks him to take care of Vicki, and dies. Marion sues for custody of Vicki, and the grief- and guilt-stricken Charles yields without a fight, wishing only to return to America. Back in the present, Charles tells Maurice that the oil wells dried up a year before. Charles then goes to visit James, and is surprised to find him in a wheelchair, the victim of a stroke. James commends Charles on the book he has published, calling it very honest. After being reunited with his daughter, Charles tells Claude and Marion that he wants to take Vicki back with him, but Marion bitterly rejects his emotional appeal. After Charles leaves, shattered, Claude accuses Marion of still being angry that Charles chose Helen over her. Later that evening, Charles is at Maurice's café when Marion comes in and says Helen would not have wanted him to be alone. She takes him outside, where Claude and Vicki are waiting. As Claude and Marion exchange a warm glance, Charles and his daughter walk hand in hand down the boulevard.

Kurt Kasznar

George dolenz, roger moore.

Sandy Descher

Celia lovsky.

Peter Leeds

John Doucette

Luis urbina, gilda fontana, christian pasques, steve mitchell, don kennedy, dick simmons, richard emory, steve wayne, alvin greenman, albert d'arno, peter bourne, norman du pont.

John Farrow

Tao perchon, louise colombet, paul mcguire, loulette sablon, louis mercier, lomax study, john damler, angela stevens.

Alberto Morin

Art la forest, andre simson, jean heremans, josette deegan, mary ann hawkins, manuel paris, gabor curtiz, marcel de la brosse, leonidis ossetynski, maya van horn, bruno vesoto, gene coogan, arthur dulac, jean del val.

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Peter camlin, saul chaplin, jack cummings, randall duell, john dunning, alvord eiseman, julius j. epstein, philip g. epstein, cedric gibbons, a. arnold gillespie, sydney guilaroff, oscar hammerstein ii, conrad kahn, william kaplan, alexander kelly jr., jerome kern, kendrick kinney, wesley c. miller, jack d. moore, joseph ruttenberg, conrad salinger, william shanks, jack martin smith, william tuttle, finn ulback, edwin b. willis, fred a. young, photo collections.

Hosted Intro

The film is loosely based upon F. Scott Fitzgerald's short story "Babylon Revisited".

The working title of this film was Babylon Revisited . F. Scott Fitzgerald's short story, written in 1931, was set among American expatriates living in Paris after the excesses of the 1920s, the "Roaring Twenties," and the devastation of the Depression. The character of "Helen" is referred to, but does not appear in the short story. Although the film was copyrighted in 1954, the entry in the copyright book states "in notice: 1944," possibly due to a typographical error in the cutting continuity submitted.        The rights to Fitzgerald's story originally belonged to independent producer Lester Cowan, who had plans to produce it with his partner, Mary Pickford, according to a December 1946 Hollywood Reporter news item. Cowan sold the rights to Paramount in 1951, and a December 17, 1951 Daily Variety news item reported that Bernard Smith would produce the film and that screenwriters Julius and Philip Epstein would co-direct. The Last Time I Saw Paris marked Philip Epstein's last release; he died in February 1952. In November 1952, Variety reported that William Wyler would direct the film for Paramount, with Gregory Peck as "Charles Wills." M-G-M acquired the film rights from Paramount in 1953.        February and May 1954 Hollywood Reporter news items include Carlos Thompson and Murray Pollack in the cast, but their appearance in the final film has not been confirmed. Portions of the film were shot on location in Paris and Nice. Hollywood Reporter production charts indicate that background filming took place in Paris in late March 1954, although principal photography did not begin until mid-Apr. Jack Martin Smith is listed as art director in the first production chart only. The Last Time I Saw Paris marked the American film debut of British actor Roger Moore (1927-). Moore was under contract to M-G-M, then Warner Bros., in the late 1950s to early 1960s. He then returned to England, where he starred in the popular television series The Saint , which ran from 1963 through 1966 on CBS and from 1967 through 1969 on NBC. Moore went on to star in seven of the James Bond films in the 1970s and 1980s.

Miscellaneous Notes

Released in United States Fall November 1954

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• Home Entertainment Reviews

‘The Last Time I Saw Paris’ Blu-Ray Review – Elizabeth Taylor Breaks Your Heart In Transfixing Melodrama

• By Dillon Gonzales
• August 4, 2023
• No Comments

Academy Award winners Elizabeth Taylor and Donna Reed star with Van Johnson in this sweeping romance loosely based on F. Scott Fitzgerald’s “Babylon Revisited”, a story of love and dreams found and lost in The City of Lights–The Last Time I Saw Paris.

When reporter Charles Wills (Johnson) travels to Paris to cover the Allies’ victory in World War II, he falls in love with and marries the stunningly beautiful Helen Ellswirth (Taylor). The young newlyweds choose to stay in Paris, where Charles tries to make his way as a writer. But years of struggle, rejection and poverty take their toll on the Wills’ marriage, and the two drift into affairs with others as their love and dreams fade. Now, after years of disillusion and tragedy, Charles returns to Paris. But can he rediscover the passion and dreams that once came so easily?

For thoughts on The Last Time I Saw Paris, please check out our discussion on The Video Attic: 

Video Quality

Warner Archive presents The Last Time I Saw Paris with a miraculous new 1080p master transfer sourced from a 4K scan of each of the three Technicolor Negatives, each cleaned separately and recombined with precision alignment. Warner Archive always makes an impression with their Technicolor transfers, but this transfer is especially a beauty. The transfer unlocks a reservoir of detail and clarity that will make you swoon thanks to the natural film grain that remains intact. The film appears to be  entirely free of dirt and damage, achieving the level of perfection you expect from the company. The film features some lush colors within the costumes and set design that radiate off the screen. Black levels are very deep with unmoored stability throughout. There does not appear to be any unwanted digital anomalies such as compression artifacts, banding or any other such nuisances. Warner Archive is the best in the business. 

Audio Quality

Warner Archive has provided a DTS-HD 2.0 Master Audio presentation that has been restored, and the results are wonderful. Dialogue is the focus of this film, and it largely comes through crisp and clear with only brief instances where the source seems a bit less stable. There is very little in the way of pure kinetic moments, but what little pops up never appears less than completely stable. The score brings a deeper level of emotion to the material, and it comes through with remarkable fidelity. Warner Archive has provided a great audio presentation that does not exhibit any overwhelming instances of age-related wear-and-tear. The disc also comes with optional English (SDH) subtitles.

Special Features

• Touche Pussycat: A seven-minute Tom & Jerry animated short is provided here in which we veer into some “Mousketeer” territory with swordplay and gallant actions. 
• Original Theatrical Trailer: The nearly four-minute trailer is provided here. 

Final Thoughts

The Last Time I Saw Paris is a heartbreaking yet rewarding melodrama which keeps you transfixed throughout its plentiful runtime. The standout element of this feature is the performances, especially the versatile Elizabeth Taylor. What appears to be a one-note character at the beginning evolves quite believably over the course of the picture, and she is supported by an ensemble that are likewise giving their best. Warner Archive has released a Blu-Ray featuring a top tier A/V presentation and a brief selection of special features. If you are a fan of any of the talent involved or romantic melodrama in general, you will appreciate this release. Recommended 

The Last Time I Saw Paris can be purchased directly through MovieZyng or through various other online retailers. 

Note: Images presented in this review are not reflective of the image quality of the Blu-Ray.

Disclaimer: Warner Archive has supplied a copy of this disc free of charge for review purposes. All opinions in this review are the honest reactions of the author.

Dillon is most comfortable sitting around in a theatre all day watching both big budget and independent movies.

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A narrow street at dawn, our daily correspondent.

The art and life of Mark di Suvero

From a Bantam paperback edition of The Last Time I Saw Paris .

Over the weekend, I found myself picking up Elliot Paul’s 1942 memoir of prewar Montmartre,  The Last Time I Saw Paris . (It must have been a gift from my grandfather; at any rate, it’s a discard from the Salinas Public Library.) A novelist, journalist, and, later, screenwriter, Paul was in the thick of Lost Generation artistic circles. He was friends with Gertrude Stein, a coeditor of  Transition , an intimate of James Joyce. The book is unquestionably a “portrait” of that time, and an elegiac one: cafés, cheap rents, local characters, and literary cameos all abound. And yet it’s not wholly steeped in nostalgia; by its end, the series of vignettes has begun to illuminate the more sinister tendencies of some of his neighbors, and forecast an end to an era that was already rosy with setting-sun glory. Which makes it so strange that the cover—striped in the bleu , blanc , rouge , bearing a Montmartre street sketch—should be emblazoned with the following words: “A book about the France the whole world prefers to remember.”

This passage is from the chapter “A Narrow Street at Dawn”: 

In the place St. André des Arts I found myself staring with awe into a taxidermist’s window. Like all the other citizens of France, the taxidermists of France were individualists. Even French mothballs seemed to have slight differences, one from the other. The taxidermist in the place St. André des Arts made a specialty of stuffing pet dogs and cats with which their owners could not bear to part. Monsieur Noël, the tall stuffer of birds and animals, whom I learned to know very well in later days, made them look, if not lifelike, decidedly unique … Noël pointed out to me that men and women, like gods, choose pets in their own image. My friend took sly delight in accentuating these resemblances.

Sadie Stein is contributing editor of The Paris Review , and the Daily ’s correspondent.

Dennis Schwartz Movie Reviews

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LAST TIME I SAW PARIS, THE

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

THE LAST TIME I SAW PARIS

(director/writer: Richard Brooks; screenwriters : Julius J. and Philip G. Epstein / based on the short story “Babylon Revisited” by F. Scott Fitzgerald; cinematographer: Joseph Ruttenberg; editor: John Dunning; music: Conrad Salinger; cast: Elizabeth Taylor(Helen Ellswirth), Van Johnson (Charles Wills), Walter Pidgeon (James Ellswirth), Donna Reed (Marion Ellswirth), Eva Gabor (Lorraine Quarl ), Kurt Kasznar (Maurice), George Dolenz (Claude Matine), Odette (Singer), Roger Moore (Paul); Runtime: 116; MPAA Rating: NR; producer: Jack Cummings; MGM; 1954)

“ Somewhat engrossing but too much a dull and heavy-handed tragic melodrama.”

Reviewed by Dennis Schwartz

Somewhat engrossing but too much a dull and heavy-handed tragic melodrama. It’s directed with urgency by Richard Brooks (“In Cold Blood”/”Bite the Bullet”/”Looking for Mr. Goodbar”). It’s based on the short story “Babylon Revisited” by F. Scott Fitzgerald . Writer twins Julius J. and Philip G. Epstein turn in a syrupy and cliche-ridden script that’s, nevertheless, faithful to the book’s tone. The lavish MGM production made Paris shine and the leads all gave fine sensitive performances.

It’s set, just after WWII , in the 1920s, at a time the “lost generation” hung out in Paris. The aspiring writer, the ex-GI, Charles Wills ( Van Johnson ), hangs out in Paris and falls in love with the wealthy American Helen Ellswirth ( Elizabeth Taylor ). The heavy drinker shows little ability in writing, works as a reporter and tries to write a masterpiece novel. When he fails, he becomes depressed. When he’s out cold in a drunken stupor and Helen gets accidentally locked out of their place during a rainstorm, she catches pneumonia and later dies.

Helen’s sister Marion (Donna Reed), who always disapproved of Charles, raises their child.

Meanwhile Charles returns to the States and succeeds as a novelist.

The film begins with an older and reformed alcoholic, Van Johnson, returning to Paris and reminiscing about his romance in the City of Light with Liz. He then reunites with his child and makes peace Donna.

REVIEWED ON 5/24/2015 GRADE: B-

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The Last Time I Saw Paris (1954)

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Product Description

Academy Award winners Elizabeth Taylor and Donna Reed star with Van Johnson in this sweeping romance loosely based on F. Scott Fitzgerald's "Babylon Revisited", a story of love and dreams found and lost in The City of Lights--The Last Time I Saw Paris. When reporter Charles Wills (Johnson) travels to Paris to cover the Allies' victory in World War II, he falls in love with and marries the stunningly beautiful Helen Ellswirth (Taylor). The young newlyweds choose to stay in Paris, where Charles tries to make his way as a writer. But years of struggle, rejection and poverty take their toll on the Wills' marriage, and the two drift into affairs with others as their love and dreams fade. Now, after years of disillusion and tragedy, Charles returns to Paris. But can he rediscover the passion and dreams that once came so easily?

Product details

• MPAA rating ‏ : ‎ NR (Not Rated)
• Package Dimensions ‏ : ‎ 6.57 x 5.35 x 0.43 inches; 2.29 ounces
• Director ‏ : ‎ Richard Brooks
• Media Format ‏ : ‎ Blu-ray
• Run time ‏ : ‎ 1 hour and 56 minutes
• Release date ‏ : ‎ July 25, 2023
• Actors ‏ : ‎ Elizabeth Taylor, Van Johnson, Donna Reed
• Studio ‏ : ‎ Allied Vaughn
• ASIN ‏ : ‎ B0C7HFN8BQ
• Country of Origin ‏ : ‎ USA
• Number of discs ‏ : ‎ 1
• #2,879 in Drama Blu-ray Discs

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