by Hal Erickson
synopsis
It's the Paris Life (C'est La Vie Parisienne) is set at the turn of the century. The point of the film is summed up by the old French adage which begins "Plus ca change": The more things change, the more they remain the same. Director Alfred Rode uses two romantic subplots -- one set in the 1890s, the other in the 1950s -- to illustrate how little "affaires d'amour" have changed in 60 years. The characters in the modern portion of the film are the descendants of the people introduced in the earlier scenes, with the actors introduced in the 19th century scenes playing their own 20th-century grandchildren. The most interesting performance is offered by Philip Lemaire, cast in the dual role of a dissipated nobleman and a jaded jazz trumpeter.
