Woody Allen's,
Midnight in Paris, is a film based on nostalgia in Owen Wilson's character, Gil Pender, the 1920's character, Adrianna, and Pender's protagonist in his novel. There are many different plot lines that are involved in this narrative film but all are centered around the motif of the need to look back upon the "greats" in order to move forward. Allen shows through this film a great deal of reflection within Wilson's character, Gil Pender. Pender seeks advice from those artists he admires so dearly from the 1920's to critique his novel. Through seeking their criticism he is able to blossom as a novelist and finish his work.
In the meantime, he realizes that his personal life is falling apart. He is engaged to a woman that does not appreciate his romantic and artistic side. He wants to walk in the rain in Paris, take midnight strolls to gather inspiration, and appreciate the grandeour but simplicity of the past of the 1920's. However, Inez (Rachel McAdams), does not want to participate in his antics and instead states that he must have a brain tumor. This is somewhat comical because indeed this type of time travel to the 1920's by getting into a 1920's automobile to then go a be in the presence of Fitzgerald, Hemingway, Picasso, Stein, Dali, etc. is quite impossible in the realistic world. Allen, however, uses the symbols of the clock striking 12am as a transforming part of the film.
As Gil continues to go back in time to the 1920's he is able to realize that what he perceives as the Golden Age of time is not so for the people of that time. Adrianna, the woman he falls in love with, thinks the 1920's are dull and boring and sees the 1890's as a perfect/golden age time period. This reflection takes Gil back to the present and as he strolls along the streets of Paris, he finds someone to walk in the rain with him, in his present. The film ending in this manner allows the viewer to understand that Gil, the writer, has grown up from the screenplays and is now a novelist. The film itself also grows by the homages Allen places throughout the film to all the "greats" of the past.
Woody Allen's, Midnight in Paris, is a film based on nostalgia in Owen Wilson's character, Gil Pender, the 1920's character, Adrianna, and Pender's protagonist in his novel. There are many different plot lines that are involved in this narrative film but all are centered around the motif of the need to look back upon the "greats" in order to move forward. Allen shows through this film a great deal of reflection within Wilson's character, Gil Pender. Pender seeks advice from those artists he admires so dearly from the 1920's to critique his novel. Through seeking their criticism he is able to blossom as a novelist and finish his work.
In the meantime, he realizes that his personal life is falling apart. He is engaged to a woman that does not appreciate his romantic and artistic side. He wants to walk in the rain in Paris, take midnight strolls to gather inspiration, and appreciate the grandeour but simplicity of the past of the 1920's. However, Inez (Rachel McAdams), does not want to participate in his antics and instead states that he must have a brain tumor. This is somewhat comical because indeed this type of time travel to the 1920's by getting into a 1920's automobile to then go a be in the presence of Fitzgerald, Hemingway, Picasso, Stein, Dali, etc. is quite impossible in the realistic world. Allen, however, uses the symbols of the clock striking 12am as a transforming part of the film.
As Gil continues to go back in time to the 1920's he is able to realize that what he perceives as the Golden Age of time is not so for the people of that time. Adrianna, the woman he falls in love with, thinks the 1920's are dull and boring and sees the 1890's as a perfect/golden age time period. This reflection takes Gil back to the present and as he strolls along the streets of Paris, he finds someone to walk in the rain with him, in his present. The film ending in this manner allows the viewer to understand that Gil, the writer, has grown up from the screenplays and is now a novelist. The film itself also grows by the homages Allen places throughout the film to all the "greats" of the past.
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