When the story begins, Ram (Paul Newman) and Eddie (Sidney Poitier) are American musicians who have been living in Paris for some time. They love jazz and spend their evenings performing in various clubs. However, their bohemian lifestyle is about to be challenged in the form of two ladies who are traveling together (Joanne Woodward and Diahann Carroll). When love is in the air, there are problems--can such a lifestyle work with wives AND would these men be willing to return home to the States if need be?

This is a film I really enjoyed for a couple reasons. First, the acting was terrific and the characterizations were very nice. Second, the story is unusual. However, some of it being unusual is because the movie leaves the viewer wondering what will happen next...will they have a happy ending or not? Well, the film doesn't make this clear...which didn't bother me. Worth seeing.

Two visiting American girls strike up romance with two working American musicians, and it's "An American in Paris" times four. That means four times the love, four times the sadness, four times the desires, and four times the blues. Real life American couple Paul Newman and Joanne Woodward are joined by rising stars Sidney Poitier and Diahann Carroll, exploring the city of lights and romance, discovering each other and themselves, learning a little something about a society not quite as conservative as what they are used to, and hopefully finding out some valuable truths in the meantime.

This is a somewhat plot less romantic drama, opening its characters to a life far different than what they are used to, and yet not finding at least the same types of prejudices that were rampant on the other side of the Atlantic. But when you are surrounded by artists of all kinds, the only thing you see is the art, and often skin color becomes like the frosting on the cake. Each of the couples find their differences, question their ideas about commitment, and in the end, it's a holiday romance with bittersweet jazz (brought on by "Sachmo" himself) and that downbeat note that brings on the blues.

What you have here is an art house film made mainstream because of its cast, a delight to the ear but sad for the eyes because it's a black and white view of Paris, maybe a metaphor for the black couple and the white couple dealing with the highs (jazz) and the lows (blues),or from one extreme to the other with no real middle. I think this is a film you'd either have to be in a certain kind of mood to appreciate, or maybe revisit it several times. This is definitely not "Blues for dummies".

The story is about two young jazzmen Newman and Poitier who live in Paris…Newman is after a serious musical career… Poitier enjoys the tolerant atmosphere and the freedom from U.S. racial tensions… They work at a Left Bank cub owned by Barbara Laage who is having a casual affair with Newman… Serge Raggiani a gypsy guitarist who is a narcotics addict, and Louis Armstrong a trumpeter, are among their friends… Newman and Poitier meet a couple of American tourists, Joanne Woodward and Diahann Carroll who are visiting Paris on a two-weeks vacations…

A romance develops between Poitier and Carroll… Woodward and Newman also find that a feeling is growing between them… Woodward wants him to return with her to the U. S., but Newman believes that marriage would interfere with his career, and decides to remain…

As in "The Hustler," Newman plays a man whose devotion to making his talent better than second-rate prevents love… But he was natural as the pool player, and convinced us—through his movements, dialog and expressions—of his feelings for the music…

Woodward is more aggressive than Newman… Moved by his music, she displays genuine emotion, but Newman is so defensive, egocentric and selfish that he becomes hostile, stubborn, unpleasant and offensive… Woodward is determined to make something more of it, but he remains uninfluenced—willing to show slight affection but incapable of being sincerely tender… In their final bedroom scene, the two superb1y perform a progression from spontaneous domestic affection, to growing alienation, to his indifferent rejection of her love…

Legend Louis Armstrong shines in one flamboyant jazz interlude