I read the book before I saw the movie. This movie took a frothy, bubbly, champagne-like story and beat it down into a thick, greasy, too-filling cassoulet. Ugh. Should have been a nice little upbeat film about Paris. The book's author should have been consulted more on the script. Merchant Ivory were NOT the folks who should have produced this film! Such a pity, because I enjoyed the book very much.