Crappy film

Just intense enough to provide a much-needed diversion, just lightweight enough to make you forget about it soon after it’s over. It’s not exactly “good,” per se, but it does what it sets out to do in terms of putting us on edge, which makes it … successful?

The film's masterful storytelling did its job. The message was clear. No need to overdo.

The best films of this genre always show a path and provide a takeaway for being a better person.

Do not bother watching the version of French Postcards that you can buy today on DVD because they totally ruined it by replacing the original soundtrack which was perfect. This includes the opening scene on the bus ride when it used to be a french version of Do You Believe in Magic"! There was also a sweet scene near the end with Nicolette Larson's "Lotta Love" which is destroyed by its replacement. Many more scenes are ruined by the replacement music. I hate when this happens. Ridley Scott usually does this. I have same complaint of his LEGEND which is much better with the original soundtrack. I have the original version which I copied from A&E from the 1980s that I converted to DVD. Poor quality but it's the best version!The cast was tremendous including young future stars Mandy Pantinkin and Debra Winger in small but funny roles. Valérie Quennessen is a revelation..she went on to star in Summer Lovers 3 years later but died young in a tragic car accident. Miles Chapman does an awesome Woody Allen type performance and David Marshall Grant is fantastic. The writers Gloria Katz and Willard Huyck also penned the classic American Graffitti and the first draft of Star Wars (uncredited). I admit to loving this movie for personal reasons as I traveled abroad after high school and lived in Italy for a while and experienced life changing things like the characters in this movie. I highly recommend traveling whether you are young or old. It broadens your heart and mind.

i have just ordered "french postcards" from amazon.com. (a VHS version is the only thing i could find.) i am looking forward to seeing it for the first time. the reason i am curious about the film is that Valérie Quennessen. the reason i got curious is that i recently saw (for the first time in 25 years) "summer lovers." that movie was ALMOST a very good character study--it couldn't seem to decide whether it want to be as such, or a soft-porn erotic movie. anyway, i did a quick internet search on valerie and was kind of stunned to learn that she died in a car crash at age 31 in 1989. very sad. i also was enticed by the fact that after "summer lovers," she all but bagged Hollywood in favor of a family life. (i would like to know if she ever married and/or had children.) i respect the fact that she had just starred in a hit movie and then tossed it all away for a better purpose. anyone with some details on her life, please post them.

It's funny how cruising the internet will take us off on some of the most trivial tangents! I just purchased a film ("Sleep With Me" with Eric Stoltz, Meg Tilly and a cameo appearance -- NOT to be missed -- by Quentin Tarantino) and thought I'd look for "French Postcards" . . . another of my long-time favorites.I thought I was the ONLY one who had even SEEN this film much less had such fond memories of it!!Like so many, I first saw the film via cable . . . either on Cinemax or HBO. I was in Michigan on internship and while visiting my future (now ex-) wife, I caught this wonderful little film on her VERY little b/w television. I liked it so much that I watched it at almost every opportunity as it ran its repetitive course.As has been posted already here, I saw a little bit of me in many of the characters (not so much in Sayyid, of course!!). I also found many of the characters to be very believable — as well as the story. My guess is that it was probably written by someone who'd had such an experience.I suppose that I related mostly to Alex, who -- despite being somewhat of a lech — was an utter romantic. Like him, I'm a songwriter AND hopelessly drawn to romance. The song he sings ("Paris") was in my head for days and weeks . . . MONTHS after watching the film.I was particularly attracted to Laura (Blanche Baker's character), who — much like Alex — was in love with romance and tried so very hard to experience her preconceived notions about Paris. While Alex's affair with Madame Tessier was rather titillating (I mean, isn't it EVERY young man's dream to have an affair with an older, married woman?!?), I rooted for Laura and Alex to get together.Many of us here can probably also relate with the dweeb-y (initially), socially clumsy Joel. That he was able to finally come to grips with his feelings for Toni and EXPRESS them was — IS — something we'd all like to be capable of doing all the time. We probably all initially took affront to Toni's brusque responses to Joel, but (sigh!) fell in love with her as well (if ONLY for her accent!).Although Debra Winger's part is so very small, her character was entertaining.And while we're speaking "French" . . . I highly, highly, HIGHLY recommend "Le Fabuleux destin d'Amélie Poulain" (Amélie) if you haven't yet seen it.

This is the kind of movie the term "lighthearted" was made for. A group of American students is attending school in Paris and spending their time running around seeing the sights and finding new loves. The script may not be perfect but it's a fun and enjoyable time.The best thing this movie has going for it is the fine French actress (and stunning beauty) Marie France-Pisier, who plays the school's headmistress and the object of one of the young men's attention and affection. Also good in this film is Blanche Baker, an underappreciated actress.