THE LAST TIME I SAW PARIS (1954)

The Last Time I Saw Paris(1954). Romantic/drama loosely based on F. Scott Fitzgerald's short story "Babylon Revisited." Directed by Richard Brooks, produced by Jack Cummings and filmed on locations in Paris and the MGM backlot. The screenplay was by Julius J. Epstein, Philip G. Epstein and Richard Brooks. Cast: Elizabeth Taylor and Van Johnson in his last role for MGM, with Walter Pidgeon, Donna Reed, Eva Gabor, Kurt Kasznar, George Dolenz, Sandy Descher, Odette, and Roger Moore in his Hollywood debut. The film's title song, by composer Jerome Kern and lyricist Oscar Hammerstein II, was already a classic when the movie was made and inspired the movie's title. Though the song had already won an Oscar after its film debut in 1941's Lady Be Good, it is featured much more prominently in The Last Time I Saw Paris. It can be heard in many scenes, either being sung by Odette or being played as an instrumental.

Charles, a reporter for The Stars and Stripes, enters Maurice's cafe, where he runs into his friend, Claude Matine, and is introduced to Marion. Charles, is instantly attracted to Marion's sister Helen, but really does not know what to think of her..

Marion becomes jealous and invites Charles to meet her later. Helen, also attracted to Charles, wants to stop their secret meeting, and shows up to meet Charles instead. When Helen becomes ill from being out in the cold, Charles runs to her side, and they become engaged.

Helen wants to live in France, and Charles decides to find a job in Paris. Marion, still in love with Charles, becomes engaged to Claude.

Charles and Helen soon marry, and have a little girl. Charles is becoming frustrated over his dreams of a novelist not coming true, and worried about Helen's spending habits. Charles, gets an important assignment to interview Lorraine Quarl, who vacationing in Paris after her divorce. The interview last through the night, and Charles, does not get home until the next morning. Helen does not seem to care, Charles becomes concerned that they seem to be drifting apart.

Marion calls to let them know that one of James investments, has paid off. They all celebrate and Charles quits his job so he can concentrate on his dream of becoming a writer. Unfortunately, Charles third novel is also rejected.

James invites Paul Lane, a playboy to attend a party with them. At the party, Paul is attracted to Helen, and Charles runs into Lorraine, who is now divorcing another husband. Helen wants to go home, but Charles had made other plans to take Lorraine for a drive.

The next day, Helen is angry with Charles, and tells him that she wants to go back to America, but Charles refuses. He invites Lorraine to Monte Carlo to compete in a car race with him. When they return to Paris, they see Helen and Paul at Maurice's cafe.

Later Paul tells Helen that he is in love with her. Helen tells him that she does not want a divorce from her husband, but would be interested in an affair with him..

Helen walks home, but is unable to get into the house because Charles has locked the door. Helen with no where else to go, walks through the snow to her sister's house, by this time she is very ill. Will they be able to pick up the pieces of their shattered lives?

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I really enjoyed the chemistry between Elizabeth Taylor and Van Johnson. This is not just a fluffy romance, but a wonderful drama. I think it is my favorite performance given by Van Johnson.

Eva Gabor (11 February 1919 – 4 July 1995). Born in Budapest, Hungary, to a Jewish mother and a Hungarian father, Gabor was the third and last daughter. She was the first Gabor sister to emigrate to the United States.

She moved with her first husband, a Swedish osteopath, Eric V. Drimmer, in 1939, shortly after they married in London.

Her first movie role was in the United States, a bit part in Forced Landing at Paramount Pictures.

During the 1950's, she appeared in several “A”-movies, including: The Last Time I Saw Paris, starring Elizabeth Taylor and Artists and Models, which featured Dean Martin and Jerry Lewis.

In 1953, she was given her own television talk show, The Eva Gabor Show. It ran for one season (1953–54).

She appeared in one episode of the mystery series Justice, and was on the game show What's My Line?, as the "mystery challenger". Her film appearances during this era included a remake of My Man Godfrey, Gigi, and It Started with a Kiss.

She was probably best known for her performance in television show Green Acres. In 1965, Gabor played, Lisa Douglas, whose attorney husband (Oliver Wendell Douglas, played by Eddie Albert) who decides to leave the city. They buy and run a farm, forcing Lisa to leave her beloved New York City. Gabor's role of Lisa was that of a rich, pampered socialite, who disapproves of farm life. However, she learns to cook and a good housewife, while Oliver runs the farm.

Gabor did voice-over work for Disney movies: the European-accented voices of Duchess in The Aristocats, Miss Bianca in The Rescuers and The Rescuers Down Under, and the Queen of Time in the Sanrio film Nutcracker Fantasy.

She was also a panelist on the Gene Rayburn-hosted Match Game in the late 1970's.

From 1983–84 she reunited with Albert on Broadway as Olga in You Can't Take It with You.

Gabor toured post-communist Hungary on an episode of Lifestyles of the Rich and Famous after a forty year absence.

In 1972, Gabor launched the Eva Gabor fashion collection, the clothes were the work of Luis Estevez, a Cuban-born, Coty-award-winning fashion designer.

Gabor died in Los Angeles on 4 July 1995 due to respiratory failure and pneumonia, following a fall in the bathtub. The fall occurred in Mexico, where she had been on vacation. Although the youngest of the three sisters, she was the first to die, and she also predeceased her mother.

Her mother, Jolie, died on 1 April 1997 and her sister, Magda, died on 6 June 1997. As of 2013, Zsa Zsa Gabor is still alive, although in very poor health.