Forget Paris
Mickey Gordon is a basketball referee who travels to France to bury his father. Ellen Andrews is an American living in Paris who works for the airline he flies on. They meet and fall in love, but their relationship goes through many difficult patches.
The film earned $33.2M at the global box office.
Plot Structure
Story beats plotted across runtime
Narrative Arc
Emotional journey through the story's key moments
Story Circle
Blueprint 15-beat structure
Arcplot Score Breakdown
Weighted: Precision (70%) + Arc (15%) + Theme (15%)
Forget Paris (1995) exemplifies deliberately positioned narrative architecture, characteristic of Billy Crystal's storytelling approach. This structural analysis examines how the film's 15-point plot structure maps to proven narrative frameworks across 1 hour and 41 minutes. With an Arcplot score of 7.1, the film balances conventional beats with creative variation.
Characters
Cast & narrative archetypes
Mickey Gordon
Ellen Andrews
Andy
Liz
Craig
Lucy
Main Cast & Characters
Mickey Gordon
Played by Billy Crystal
NBA referee who falls in love with Ellen while trying to bury his father in Paris. Struggles between career demands and relationship commitment.
Ellen Andrews
Played by Debra Winger
American airline employee in Paris who falls for Mickey. Must navigate long-distance relationship and eventual relocation to America.
Andy
Played by Joe Mantegna
Mickey's friend who narrates the story of Mickey and Ellen's relationship to the group at the restaurant.
Liz
Played by Julie Kavner
Andy's wife and part of the friend group listening to the story of Mickey and Ellen.
Craig
Played by William Hickey
Friend in the group who contributes his perspective on Mickey and Ellen's relationship struggles.
Lucy
Played by Cynthia Stevenson
Craig's much younger wife, part of the friend group dynamics.
Structural Analysis
The Status Quo at 1 minutes (1% through the runtime) establishes Mickey Gordon is introduced as a successful NBA referee, living a bachelor life on the road, committed to his work but emotionally disconnected from meaningful relationships.. Structural examination shows that this early placement immediately immerses viewers in the story world.
The inciting incident occurs at 13 minutes when Mickey's father dies, and the airline loses his father's coffin during the flight to Paris, forcing Mickey into an unexpected crisis in a foreign city.. At 13% through the film, this Disruption is delayed, allowing extended setup of the story world. This beat shifts the emotional landscape, launching the protagonist into the central conflict.
The First Threshold at 26 minutes marks the transition into Act II, occurring at 25% of the runtime. This illustrates the protagonist's commitment to Mickey and Ellen spend a romantic night together in Paris. Mickey makes the choice to pursue a real relationship with Ellen rather than just a fling, beginning a transatlantic romance., moving from reaction to action.
At 51 minutes, the Midpoint arrives at 51% of the runtime—precisely centered, creating perfect narrative symmetry. Significantly, this crucial beat Mickey and Ellen get married in a joyful ceremony. This false victory shows them believing love has conquered all, but they haven't yet faced the reality of their incompatible lifestyles., fundamentally raising what's at risk. The emotional intensity shifts, dividing the narrative into clear before-and-after phases.
The Collapse moment at 77 minutes (76% through) represents the emotional nadir. Here, Mickey and Ellen separate and divorce. The death of their marriage is complete. Both are miserable apart but seemingly incompatible together, representing the death of their dream of lasting love., illustrates the protagonist at their lowest point. This beat's placement in the final quarter sets up the climactic reversal.
The Second Threshold at 81 minutes initiates the final act resolution at 80% of the runtime. Mickey realizes he loves Ellen more than basketball and his career. He decides to make the sacrifice, understanding that real love requires compromise and putting the relationship first. He chooses Ellen over refereeing., demonstrating the transformation achieved throughout the journey.
Emotional Journey
Forget Paris's emotional architecture traces a deliberate progression across 15 carefully calibrated beats.
Narrative Framework
This structural analysis employs systematic plot point analysis that identifies crucial turning points. By mapping Forget Paris against these established plot points, we can identify how Billy Crystal utilizes or subverts traditional narrative conventions. The plot point approach reveals not only adherence to structural principles but also creative choices that distinguish Forget Paris within the comedy genre.
Billy Crystal's Structural Approach
Among the 2 Billy Crystal films analyzed on Arcplot, the average structural score is 7.2, reflecting strong command of classical structure. Forget Paris takes a more unconventional approach compared to the director's typical style. For comparative analysis, explore the complete Billy Crystal filmography.
Comparative Analysis
Additional comedy films include The Bad Guys, Ella Enchanted and The Evening Star. For more Billy Crystal analyses, see Mr. Saturday Night.
Plot Points by Act
Act I
SetupStatus Quo
Mickey Gordon is introduced as a successful NBA referee, living a bachelor life on the road, committed to his work but emotionally disconnected from meaningful relationships.
Theme
Friends at dinner discuss how relationships require sacrifice and compromise, foreshadowing the central question: can love survive when two people's lives pull them in opposite directions?
Worldbuilding
The framing device establishes couples telling Mickey and Ellen's story at a restaurant. Mickey's life as a traveling referee is shown, along with his promise to his dying father to bury him in Paris with his war buddies.
Disruption
Mickey's father dies, and the airline loses his father's coffin during the flight to Paris, forcing Mickey into an unexpected crisis in a foreign city.
Resistance
Mickey navigates Parisian bureaucracy trying to locate his father's body. He meets Ellen, an American airline employee in Paris, who helps him. Their attraction grows as she assists with the search and funeral arrangements.
Act II
ConfrontationFirst Threshold
Mickey and Ellen spend a romantic night together in Paris. Mickey makes the choice to pursue a real relationship with Ellen rather than just a fling, beginning a transatlantic romance.
Mirror World
The couples telling the story serve as a mirror, showing both successful marriages that survived challenges and the difficulty of maintaining relationships, reflecting what Mickey and Ellen must navigate.
Premise
Mickey and Ellen attempt a long-distance relationship between America and Paris. The fun of their romance plays out through visits, phone calls, and the mounting tension of separation. Ellen eventually moves to America to be with Mickey.
Midpoint
Mickey and Ellen get married in a joyful ceremony. This false victory shows them believing love has conquered all, but they haven't yet faced the reality of their incompatible lifestyles.
Opposition
The marriage deteriorates as Mickey's constant traveling for NBA games leaves Ellen alone and unhappy. She misses Paris and her old life. They grow apart, argue frequently, and the romance fades into resentment and loneliness.
Collapse
Mickey and Ellen separate and divorce. The death of their marriage is complete. Both are miserable apart but seemingly incompatible together, representing the death of their dream of lasting love.
Crisis
Both Mickey and Ellen struggle with the aftermath of divorce. Mickey questions whether he made the right choice prioritizing his career. Ellen returns to Paris but finds it empty without Mickey. Both process their loss and what truly matters.
Act III
ResolutionSecond Threshold
Mickey realizes he loves Ellen more than basketball and his career. He decides to make the sacrifice, understanding that real love requires compromise and putting the relationship first. He chooses Ellen over refereeing.
Synthesis
Mickey pursues Ellen to Paris and they reconcile. He makes concrete changes, finding work that allows them to be together. They remarry with a mature understanding that love requires sacrifice, compromise, and choosing each other daily.
Transformation
The final image shows Mickey and Ellen together with children, having built a life that works for both of them. Mickey has transformed from a commitment-phobic bachelor into a devoted family man who chose love over career.