
May 1889. Like many others, young-adult siblings Johnny and Victoria Barton, British nationals who have only each other in the world, have arrived in Paris, traveling from Naples via Marseilles, for the World's Exposition. While Victoria is a bundle of excitement about their 48-hour stay in Paris, to include the opening day of the Exhibition, Johnny is preoccupied by all the logistics of their extended vacation. The one day changes 180 degrees when first thing in the morning,... (Full plot summary below)
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May 1889. Like many others, young-adult siblings Johnny and Victoria Barton, British nationals who have only each other in the world, have arrived in Paris, traveling from Naples via Marseilles, for the World's Exposition. While Victoria is a bundle of excitement about their 48-hour stay in Paris, to include the opening day of the Exhibition, Johnny is preoccupied by all the logistics of their extended vacation. The one day changes 180 degrees when first thing in the morning, Victoria cannot only not locate Johnny, but there is no indication that he was ever at their hotel. The hotel owner Mme. Hervé, her brother Narcisse the front desk clerk, and bellboy who waited on them deny that anyone accompanied Victoria to the hotel, his name is not in the hotel register, and even his hotel room, number 19, has totally disappeared--Mme. Hervé shows Victoria that room 19 is only a lavatory. Beyond speaking to the British Consul and the police, who can do nothing to help her until she comes up with some proof that Johnny not only exists but was accompanying her, a panicked Victoria tries to find anyone, especially at the hotel, who can corroborate that Johnny was with her. She might have found that someone in George Hathaway, a fellow British national living in Paris eking out a living as an artist; friends of his are also staying at the hotel for the Exhibition. Victoria and George together try to discover exactly what happened to Johnny and why Mme. Hervé and others at the hotel are lying about his existence.
Leave your thoughts about So Long at the Fair.
| User ReviewLindsay GWell I may be biased since I tend to love anything british. But I found it incredible! Jean Simmons just radiates, and has a very Audrey Hepburn type quality. This movie is just a masterpiece, forgotten or not. |
| User ReviewJames DProbably one of Antony Darnborough's best films as the pairing of Jean Simmons and Dirk Bogarde makes the story believable |
| User ReviewMillo TAn interesting tale, almost like a Hitchcock. |
| User ReviewSteven OThis movie has an interesting atmosphere about it. It is mysterious, at the same time somewhat funny, but still with a pretty serious ending! |
| User ReviewMaria Vamazing stuff awesome performance by simmons as a sister trying 2 find her lost brother at the paris exhibition in 1889 so yes its a period piece/costume drama combined with a thriller mystery. |
| User ReviewGreg WAn oddball thriller. and mystery well acted |
| User ReviewScott RGreat thriller that makes you think of Hitchcock. |
| User ReviewFrances HAn interesting tale, almost like a Hitchcock. |
| User ReviewStella Donly seen once a long time ago need to see again |
| User ReviewSteve Allister FJust caught the second half of it tonight and the first thing I fixated on was how splendidly decorated and filled up with the proper atmosphere it was for its plot setting. Second I was hooked by Jean Simmon's voice which is sweet, but deep and determined. She looks beautiful in her costumes and she wears them well. The plot is mysterious and quirky, not what one would expect which brings an added bonus to the suspenseful parts as they come sneaking up on you. There is little danger in overacting from the cast and when Jean's character cries, you agree that she is entitled to it. She always gets her bearings back and thats great to watch in a performance. Its really just a smart little film that is smooth and genteel without being nauseating. Feels like a really fancy twilight zone episode. I don't think it would have been as successful had the story had been say, relocated to 30's, 40's New York. The exhibition chaos brings it all to life. |