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6.1/10
Senior Film Conservator
A definitive 6.1/10 rating for a film that redefined the boundaries of cult cinema. I Met Him in Paris remains a cornerstone of transgressive art.
If you like old-school rom-coms where people wear fancy coats and talk fast in rooms that look like stage sets, you'll probably have a decent time with I Met Him in Paris. It’s light, it’s fluffy, and it doesn’t ask much of you. If you need your movies to have grit, high stakes, or logical plot progressions, you might want to look elsewhere. It feels like a movie made for a Sunday afternoon when you’re doing laundry.
Claudette Colbert is the whole reason to show up. She has this way of looking at the camera—or just looking at her co-stars—that makes you forgive how thin the story is. She’s playing Kay, and she’s trying to navigate a trip that goes sideways the second she lands.
Melvyn Douglas and Robert Young are the two guys fighting for her attention. Douglas is the sophisticated one, which usually means he’s kind of a jerk, and Young is the guy who seems like a total sweetheart. Of course, the movie spends a lot of time winking at the audience, letting us know that things aren't exactly what they seem. It’s all very predictable. Honestly, half the fun is just watching them try to out-charm each other.
There’s a scene involving a ski trip that goes on for a little too long. You can tell they were really proud of the set design, but by the time they get to the third conversation in the snow, you’re just waiting for someone to actually say something important. It’s a bit awkward, honestly.
Is it a masterpiece? No. It doesn't try to be. It’s just a movie about people being messy in Paris. Sometimes, that’s all you need. I wouldn't go out of my way to buy a physical copy, but if it pops up on the screen, just sit back and enjoy the banter. Just don’t think about the ending too hard, because it falls apart if you poke it even a little bit. 🥂
IMDb —
1919
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