Otto, Writing in Midnight in Paris

Writer and Director Woody Allen’s film Midnight in Paris(2011), nominated for four Oscars including Best Writing, Original Screenplay, relays the struggles of writing and life through the protagonist Gil(Owen Wilson). Gil is a very successful screenwriter in Hollywood who has recently decided that he wants to be a novelist. His dream was always to be a writer but he got caught up in Hollywood making money and falling in love with his fiance, Inez(Rachel McAdams), a self-centered, high-maintenance woman who cannot help but critique everything she sees, much like her parents who believe they are of the highest class of society and look down upon others. Gil’s character appears to be much more relatable as he does not care as much for the things which Inez and her parents do, but he follows his finance like a puppy due to his own worries that he does not and will not deserve any better than her. He struggles with his writing and finds himself in Paris, in his mind, a romantic city where life can be perfect, if only it were about eighty years earlier. Wanting to live in the past, The Golden Age, is a fantasy for Gil, yet his fiance and soon-to-be in-laws disagree and believe him to be delusional. While in Paris, Gil continues his novel, however one night finds himself taken back, experiencing a truly surreal moment in his life, to Paris in the 1920s. There he feels accepted, however begins to realize that he doesn’t need the acceptance of others to be a good writer, just to get himself out of a bad situation with Inez and his upcoming marriage. Through his own writing and with the help of his new-found friends such as Ernest Hemingway, Gertrude Stein, and many others, Gil realizes his potential and begins to take control of his life in the present, as opposed to dreaming through it and wishing he lived in the past.

This first photo shows Helen(Mimi Kennedy), Inez, Gil, and Paul(Michael Sheen). Paul and Helen are friends of Inez, but Gil does not seem to be as taken with them as his fiance. Paul is described as pedantic and a pseudo intellectual who always is not consciously, inadvertently belittle Gil and his work. This shot also foreshadows the relationship between Inez and Paul that develops while Gil stands by oblivious until it is pointed out to him by Gertrude Stein. Due to the fact that Gil is always holding back his feelings when he is being critiqued, he holds back his writing from everyone until finally trusting Gertrude Stein. His writing and his novel develop along with the film until the end when we see he has taken control of his life, moves to Paris, and expresses himself freely with writing.

This second photo emphasizes Gil’s transformation both as a person and within his writing. Gil and his new-found friend walk off in the rain at night, only talking, and Gil’s fantasy comes more to life. She says to him that Paris is most beautiful in the rain. Relationships within this film are tested and break apart as important differences are discovered, and Gil realizes that many of his relationships are hindering his writing. From his time spent in Paris Gil learns how to accept his writing, and let other in to read it. His life revolves around his writing and is reflected in it. Midnight in Paris emphasizes this and the importance of freeing oneself from the judgment of others and criticism when it is not helpful.