Love in the Afternoon (1957 film)



Love in the Afternoon is a 1957 Romantic Comedy Film starring Gary Cooper, Audrey Hepburn and Maurice Chevailer, directed by Billy Wilder and based on a novel by Claude Anet.

Set in Paris France, Audrey Hepburn is Ariane Chavasse, a young music student and the daughter of private detective, Claude Chavasse who is investigating the trysts of American businessman Frank Flannagan (Gary Cooper). Upon learning that a jealous husband is about to shoot Flannagan, Ariane attempts to warn him personally, leading to a budding relationship between the two.

Tropes used in the film:

 * At the Opera Tonight: Both Ariane and Claude attend the opera with different people. Ariane can only focus on Claude, and Claude can only focus on how bored he is.
 * Blatant Lies: Ariane's romantic history.
 * Dogged Nice Guy: Michel makes his feelings for Ariane no secret, but she just brushes him off.
 * Fake-Out Make-Out: Flannagan and Ariane pretend to make out when a jealous husband breaks into Flannagan's hotel room.
 * Femme Fatale: Ariane pretends to be one.
 * Fur Coat Hits Floor: Probably because a dress wouldn't have gotten past censors.
 * Gay Paree: Everyone is in love in Paris; children, animals, even the undertaker at a funeral!
 * Greek Chorus: The Gypsies follow Flannagan everywhere to provide music. Even into the sauna.
 * May-December Romance: Audrey Hepburn was 27 at the time of the filming; Gary Cooper was 55, and looked it. Some critics declared him miscast because of this. It was not the first time Audrey Hepburn has been in this role, nor the last.
 * Missing Mom: Ariane's mother.
 * Overprotective Dad: Mr. Chavasse doesn't let Ariane read his case files and has a full dossier on Michel, though he is quite level headed when comes to confronting Flannagan.
 * Police Are Useless: They can't investigate until after a crime has been committed.
 * Pretty in Mink: Ariane borrows an ermine coat as part of her first seduction of Claude.
 * One of Claude's dates wears a white ermine wrap.
 * Really Gets Around: Frank Flannagan.
 * Running Gag: With the lady and her dog in the neighboring hotel room.
 * Sherlock Scan: While Mr. Cravasse takes a while to catch onto his daughter having an affair with Flanagan, he shows eerie observational skills in some situations. For example, he knows that Ariana hasn't been with Michel because she has a callus from carrying her own cello case.
 * Twin Threesome Fantasy: Frank Flannagan mentions meeting a pair of twins in Sweden.