"Midnight in Paris" makes money in U.S. It's Woody's biggest - ever!
Woody Allen's 42nd film in a 45-year directing career is also his most successful at the box office.
“Midnight in Paris” makes money in U.S. It’s Woody's biggest – ever!
Steven Rea, Inquirer Movie Columnist and Critic
Perhaps it’s the beautiful travelogue pans of the Seine and Montmartre, or the Django Reinhart music on the soundtrack, or the sight of Marion Cotillard in fetching flapper gear…. It can’t be Owen Wilson, can it?
Whatever the reason, Woody Allen’s Midnight in Paris – a cute and charming comedic reverie about a modern-day Hollywood screenwriter (Wilson) who finds himself hobbing and nobbing with such literary lions and art world greats as Hemingway, Fitzgerald, Picasso and Dali in a nostalgia-hued 1920s Paris – is now the certified hit of the Woodman’s career. Distributed by the always savvy Sony Pictures Classics, Midnight in Paris -- Allen’s 42nd film in 45 years of directing -- opened May 20 on just six screens and started doing explosive business from the get-go. Two months later, on more than 1,000 screens nationwide, Midnight in Paris has topped $42 million in ticket sales and is still going strong. Add another $34 million in foreign numbers (and it’s yet to open in most overseas markets) and you have what, for the prolific Mr. Allen, is a blockbuster.
So, forget Vicky Cristina Barcelona’s $23 million and Hannah and Her Sisters’ $40 million (and definitely forget You Will Meet a Tall Dark Stranger’s $3.2 million!). Midnight in Paris, it's the Deathly Hallows of Allen’s oeuvre.
So, look out for his 43rd picture, The Bop Decameron, coming to a theater near you in 2012. This one’s being shot in another iconic European burg: Rome. Jesse Eisenberg, Ellen Page, Penelope Cruz, Alec Baldwin, Roberto Benigni, Greta Gerwig, Judy Davis and Midnight in Paris’ Alison Pill are in it – it’s said to be a modern-day retelling of The Decameron. But will it have Midnight in Paris’ je ne sais quoi?
yeah, but are you comparing all these numbers in adjusted for inflation dollars? how much were movie tickets in 197whatever when sleeper or bananas came out? 3 or 4 bucks?— eaglesfillthesky
A very enjoyable movie. Inspired me to read Hemingway's A Moveable Feast.— pedge- And how much did Manhattan and Annie Hall gross?— Edward II
- Midnight in Paris was a delight -- the music, scenes of Paris, the story, the actors, and the direction made this a very enjoyable night of entertainment. My only disappointment is I can't get the musical soundtract - anybody know where it may be available??— joegable
- Midnight in Paris was a delight -- the music, scenes of Paris, the story, the actors, and the direction made this a very enjoyable night of entertainment. My only disappointment is I can't get the musical soundtract - anybody know where it may be available??— joegable
- Woody's movies have gotten a lot better since he gave up starring in them and (as someone said) psychoanalyzing himself on film. Not that I don't enjoy watching Woody, but it got to the point where I couldn't remember which film was which. I got a lot of laughs out of Owen Wilson using Woody's gestures and quirks. Yes, Wilson could be one of the reasons that "Midnight in Paris" is so enjoyable. He's a better actor than most of the material he's had to work with. As for "Bop Decameron," with a cast like that it's gotta be worth watching.— greenbox91
Steven Rea's previous blog posts can be found here. Read his most recent columns and reviews, here. He also curates the movie stars and bicycling photo blog, Rides A Bike. Reach Steven at srea@phillynews.com.
