Movie Short Takes

A love letter to Paris

“Avenue Montaigne”

Rating: 5 boxes

How others rate it:

S.F. Chronicle: Little man clapping

Contra Costa Times: Three stars

The original title for this French film is “Fauteuils d'Orchestre,” the literal translation of which is “orchestra seats.” Here, that seat is occupied, albeit in an intermittent fashion, by a fresh-faced young woman, Jessica.

Orphaned at four, Jessica was raised by her adoring grandmother who, loving luxury, had situated herself near it by working as a jewelry saleswoman in the Ritz Hotel. Years later, when Jessica goes to Paris from Burgundy, she, too, succeeds in positioning herself near the wealthy and successful.

She talks her way into becoming a waitress at the Café des Thé'tres on the Avenue Montaigne where formerly only male waiters were employed. The café serves as a gathering place for the upscale denizens of the nearby concert hall, theater and auction house. Its coddling services even include providing external room service, and Jessica brings the orders of illustrious clients to these premises where they are working.

At first, she is almost invisible as a servant slipping in and out, but little by little she becomes a participant herself. She learns that though these people have achieved worldly success, they are troubled neurotics.

Catherine Versen is the beloved star of the most successful soap opera in France and she is constantly being accosted by adoring fans. She is paid a huge amount of money, but she despises the work. She is also in rehearsals for a Feydeau farce. High strung and tense, she fights with the director over how a single word is inflected or wearing a silly hat. When she learns that a famous director, Brian Sobinski, (Sidney Pollack), is in town to cast for his movie about Simone de Beauvoir and Satre, she is beside herself to meet him and play de Beauvoir.

Practicing in the concert hall is the renowned classical pianist, Jean-François Lefort, who is waited on hand and foot by his manager wife Valentine, and booked up for years in advance. He is miserable. Their marriage has deteriorated. He feels constricted by the formality of the traditional concert format and having to wear a tuxedo.

Jacques Grumberg is auctioning off his valuable collection of modern art accumulated over a lifetime. He started out in life as a taxi driver and became very rich. He and his now deceased wife shared a passion for collecting, but his children resented their fixation on it rather than, for example, attending PTA meetings. Neither one has expressed an interest in inheriting the collection. Rather than leaving it to them, Jacques is liquidating it. Among the treasures being sold is one that Jessica is attracted to, the stone sculpture by Brancusi, “Le Baiser” (The Kiss). “It makes you want to fall in love,” she says. Despite the son Frédéric's professed disinterest, influenced by Jessica's appreciation, and remembering his mother's love of it, his attitude is affected.

Complicating the father-son relationship is that Jacques, while facing the end of his life, relishes what remains to him of it while Frédéric seems to be preternaturally old. Wealthy, he spends little money. Though young, he suffers from back pain and ulcers and can only drink milk when others are enjoying elaborate cocktails.

One aspect of Jacques' attitude toward life is his relationship with the young and beautiful Valerie. Years before, she and Frédéric had a three-month love affair. In a remarkably human series of scenes, she tells Frédéric how she feels about his father compared to him. Similarly, his father reveals his own feelings about Frédéric's mother and his realistic assessment of Valerie.

When Catherine finally does connect with Sobinski, he shows her his proposed script. She is outraged by what she considers his clichéd treatment of de Beauvoir and vigorously disputes his version of the relationship between de Beauvoir and Satre.

This is a love letter to the Paris of dreams. There are no riots, no immigration problems and no poverty. It ranges from over the top farcical moments to passionately felt expressions of humanity. The performers include several who are members of the Comédie Française.

This movie has not yet been released on DVD.

April Special Events sponsored by Recreation

The following are the April Special Events sponsored by the Rossmoor Recreation Department. For more information on any of these events during the month, check the Special Events listing on the calendar page each week, look for the article in the Arts and Leisure section of the News, or call the Recreation Department at 988-7732. Events are free unless otherwise noted. This information is posted throughout the month of April on the Rossmoor News Web site at www.rossmoornews.com.

14th annual Concert at the Res set for May

The 14th annual free Concert at the Res is Saturday, May 19, from 1 to 4 p.m. at the Lafayette Reservoir. The afternoon event showcases local school music programs.

Ashmolean Singers present eclectic concert

Lyric soprano Elizabeth Hunter will be the guest soloist at the Ashmolean Singers' spring concert on Sunday, April 30, at 4 p.m. in the Fireside Room at Gateway Clubhouse.

Ballroom Dance Club sets its April dance

The Ballroom Dance Club will dance to the music of the Casuals Band on Saturday, April 21, at 7 p.m. in the Sierra Room of Del Valle Clubhouse.

Baritone Richard Fey will perform at Fun Day

Baritone Richard Fey will perform for Fun Day in the Sierra Room at Del Valle at noon on Thursday, April 19. Fey will be accompanied on the piano by Miles Graber.

Best Actress Helen Mirren stars in “The Queen” showing Wednesday

The 2006 drama “The Queen,” starring Helen Mirren in her Academy Award-winning role as Queen Elizabeth II, will be shown in Peacock Hall on Wednesday, April 25, at 4 and 7 p.m.; Thursday, April 26, at 1, 4 and 7 p.m.; and on Friday, April 27, at 10 a.m. and 1, 4 and 7 p.m.

Big Band performs at ballroom dance Memorial Day weekend in Lafayette

The Rossmoor Big Band will perform Friday, May 25, at its third Big Band Ballroom Dance at the Veterans Memorial Building in Lafayette.

“Seussical the Musical,” “Blue Door” and “Dearly Beloved”

Music, comedy, drama offered

Cantare All-Star Choir to perform a free concert in the afternoon at Del Valle

The Cantare Youth Choir All-Star singers will perform a free concert of music from spirituals to jazz favorites in the Sierra Room at Del Valle on Friday, April 27, at 4 p.m. (not in the evening as stated in earlier News articles).

Faces of Faith film series continues

The Interfaith Council and the Foreign Film Club combine to present two more movies as part of their Faces of Faith film series.

Fine Arts Sidewalk Festival set for Walnut Creek

Downtown Walnut Creek will celebrate the arrival of spring with its 58th Semi-Annual Fine Arts Sidewalk Festival on Friday and Saturday, April 27 and 28, from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m., and Sunday, April 29, from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.

Free recital of musical theater to be presented by teachers Saturday in the Fireside Room

A free recital of classical, art song, opera and musical theater will be presented in the Fireside Room at Gateway Clubhouse on Saturday, April 21, at 3 p.m., presented by the National Organization of Teachers of Singing (NATS).

Fulton Street Jazz Band to entertain Dixieland Jazz Club

The Dixieland Jazz Club will be entertained by Sacramento's Fulton Street Jazz Band on Wednesday, April 25, at 7:30 p.m. in the Sierra Room at Del Valle Clubhouse.

Grace Notes perform at Lesher Center

The Grace Notes, Rossmoor's women's barbershop chorus, will perform in the show, “A Salute to Women in the Arts,” on Tuesday, April 24, at 7:30 p.m. at the Lesher Center for the Arts in Walnut Creek.

Lions Club's annual luau in May will feature hula performance by Dances of the Pacific

The Lions Club will present its annual luau on Saturday, May 12, at 5 p.m. at Del Valle Clubhouse.

Movie Short Takes

A love letter to Paris

Music fraternity Mu Phi Epsilon to present free concert Sunday

The Berkeley Alumni Chapter of Mu Phi Epsilon, International Professional Music Fraternity, is proud to present the winners of its 2007 Young Artist Competition on Sunday, April 22, at 3 p.m. in the Fireside Room at Gateway.

Show and Tell Film Club to present “Little Miss Sunshine”

The Academy-Award winning film, “Little Miss Sunshine,” will be shown by the Show and Tell Film Club on Wednesday, May 2, at 3 p.m. in Peacock Hall. The film won 2006 Academy Awards for Best Original Screenplay and for Alan Arkin for Best Supporting Actor.

Stay healthy by dancing on the fourth Sunday

Rossmoor's Fourth Sunday Dance can help residents stay healthy, energetic and maintain a positive attitude. All residents are invited to attend the next dance at Del Valle Clubhouse from 7 to 9:30 p.m. on Sunday, April 22.

Sunday Funnies presents “The Englishman Who Went Up a Hill and Came Down a Mountain”

The 1995 comedy, “The Englishman Who Went Up a Hill But Came Down a Mountain,” starring Hugh Grant, will be shown in Peacock Hall at Gateway on Sunday, April 22, at 4 and 7 p.m. This film does not have a language captions option.

“The Departed” shows Thursday, Friday

The 2006 drama, “The Departed,” starring Jack Nicholson and Leonardo DiCaprio, will be shown in Peacock Hall at Gateway on Thursday, April 19, at 1, 4 and 7 p.m.; Friday, April 20, at 10 a.m., 1, 4 and 7 p.m.; and again on Saturday, April 21, at 1, 4 and 7 p.m. The showings at 10 a.m. and 1 p.m. will feature language captions.

Three films and panel discussion featured for last week of Faces of Faith film festival

Week four of the cross-cultural film festival, “Faces of Faith,” begins on Monday, April 23, with “The Son.”

Writers Club program will run on Channel 28 starting tomorrow, features three readers

The Writers Club will present three readers on its Channel 28 program this month, to be shown Thursday, April 19 through Wednesday, April 25.