Could you imagine wandering the streets of Paris at night like Gil, Owen Wilson's character, and getting picked up by the Fitzgeralds, Hemingway, or T.S. Eliot?
This exchange makes me laugh every time:
Gil: Would you read it?
Ernest Hemingway: Your novel?
Gil: Yeah, it's about 400 pages long, and I'm just looking for an opinion.
Ernest Hemingway: My opinion is I hate it.
Gil: Well you haven't even read it yet.
Ernest Hemingway: If it's bad, I'll hate it because I hate bad writing, and if it's good, I'll be envious and hate all the more. You don't want the opinion of another writer.
Ernest Hemingway: Your novel?
Gil: Yeah, it's about 400 pages long, and I'm just looking for an opinion.
Ernest Hemingway: My opinion is I hate it.
Gil: Well you haven't even read it yet.
Ernest Hemingway: If it's bad, I'll hate it because I hate bad writing, and if it's good, I'll be envious and hate all the more. You don't want the opinion of another writer.
Hemingway then offers to take him to Gertrude Stein's house to have her critique Gil's novel. Wow!
I could go on and on about all the lines and twists that I love, but I don't want to spoil the movie for you, in case you haven't seen it. But let me tell you, I went to Paris four times the year I watched Midnight in Paris for the first time—easy to do when you live in Germany.
That was our last year in Europe. I was in the thick of trying to get published and after a day trip there with my husband, a weekend there with him and the kids, and a day trip with a friend, it was time to take a literary trip. Just me.
And yes, I did sit on the steps of Saint Etienne du Mont, where Gil sits waiting for the vintage Peugeot. Did I expect it to show up with one of my literary heroes in it? Of course not ... But for a brief moment, I looked at the road from where the Peugeot would have emerged, felt the rush of butterflies in my stomach, and wondered, what if?
How about you? Favorite movies about writing? Literary trips you've taken or would like to take? Thoughts on Midnight in Paris? Please say you love it :)
What's your trip?
She’s a 2015 Genesis semi-finalist and First Impressions finalist. She graduated magna cum laude from the University of Cincinnati in 1998 with a B.A. in English Literature and then worked as a public affairs officer for the U.S. Army for seven years. Now, after a 10-year break in service, she is an Army editor. She and her husband live in El Paso, Texas, with their two children.
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Hi Patricia, great post! I'm glad you discovered the movie while you were in Europe and could visit the setting. I haven't seen Midnight in Paris and it sounds like a fun movie. :)
ReplyDeleteThanks! Watch it, Narelle. It is a lot of fun :)
DeleteHi Patricia, Your post has made me want to watch Midnight in Paris again. I also loved the movie 'Miss Potter'about Beatrix Potter and 'Julia and Julia' about Julia Child. Lovely post, thanks!!
ReplyDeleteThanks, Cindy! I have to watch Miss Potter! I love Julia and Julia--super fun :)
DeleteWhat a lovely post, Patricia. I haven't seen Midnight in Paris yet but I must. I watched a surprising one the over day called ReWrite with Hugh Grant in it. He's a screen writer hanging on to the success of one script which happened to win him an Oscar. He can't get anything else produced and his agent gets him a gig teaching at a college. Good fun with some romance too.
ReplyDeleteThanks, Ian! I will check out the Hugh Grant movie. Sounds fun. The main character of Midnight in Paris is a screenwriter too. He's good and well paid, but loves Paris and longs for a different life, a slower pace, and a more fulfilling writing career :)
DeleteI love both Paris and writing, so I need to see this movie! Love how you took your own literary trip. One of the best movies I've seen lately is about a writer--True Memoirs of an International Assassin.
ReplyDeleteDefinitely watch Midnight then :) True Memoirs? Sounds good! I have to watch all these movies everyone is suggesting. Weekend fun ;) Thanks!
DeleteYes, I liked Midnight in Paris. How could we not? How about Romancing the Stone--a New York City romance writer who falls in love with a dashing action (anti?)-hero while she's trying to save her sister in Cartagena? I love the scene when a drug criminal deep in the heart of Columbia recognizes the author's name because he's a big fan. Fun post, Patricia!
ReplyDeleteThanks, Hope. I love Romancing the Stone! :)
DeleteI loved this movie, Patricia. When our local writing group got together for a 2-day writing retreat last year I brought the movie along to watch in the evening. Even my friend who never watches movies loved it. And yes, Romancing the Stone was very entertaining, esp. the beginning when you realize she is writing a scene and is overcome with emotion. Will be looking for the other suggestions.
ReplyDeleteHi, Janice! Thanks for stopping by. Definitely some great suggestions here. Pleasant surprise this week: La La Land. Put that on the list too ;) Mia (Emma Stone) does write a play, but I like it because it's all about daring to dream and not selling out... Worth a watch. Three days later my heart is still dancing to the gorgeous soundtrack.
DeletePatricia, thank you for a great blog post. I love movies about authors but so rarely come across them. Now, thanks to you, I have a list of them. I plan to watch every one. My favourite is Finding Forrester, in which a young writing prodigy finds a mentor (Sean Connery) in a reclusive author. I've watched it several times.
ReplyDeleteYou're welcome, Shirley! And thank you for mentioning Finding Forrester. I love that movie too but haven't watched it in a while - definitely one to watch again and again. I have the beautiful soundtrack :)
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