An American [back] in Paris
PARIS Ñ They're back! After what seemed like a soured love affair for the past few summers, now appears to be a cautious rekindling of the relationship. Still the strained Franco/American ties have a long way to go to return to the halcyon days of the 1950Õs musical An American in Paris, where Gene Kelly and Leslie Caron present an almost lyrical view of post-war Franco/American relationsÑsingling and dancing through a stereotypical La Belle France.
But wait! While the French government has cynically encouraged the genie of political anti-Americanism Ñ really anti-Bush Administration ø to run wild through the media, the French people remain nonetheless still enthralled with American movies, music and pop culture, not to mention visiting the USA!
Just pass the Montparnasse district with its modern mega plex cinemas to see that the USA has conquered the silver screens of France. And despite liberal French government subsidies for its movie industry, Hollywood takes in the box office hands down.
Of the top six grossing films of mid-August, five are American Ñ I Robot, Spider Man 2, Fahrenheit 911, Home on the Range, and Shrek 2. Only one French produced comedy is number five. Over the past year the stats are even more impressive Ñ the top ten box office attractions in the City of Light lead with the NemoÕs World, Shrek 2, Pirates of the Caribbean, Spider man 2, Terminator 3, etc. Garfield and Hellboy are set to open this week. Hurray for Hollywood?
Given that the popular wags snicker that the French donÕt like Americans, all this seems a bit contradictory. ItÕs the same on the radio too. IsnÕt imitation a form of flattery?
Many French, including those on the political right, have a distinct grudge against the Bush Administration whom they collectively blame for a host of issues well beyond Iraq Ñ global warming, trade practices, Mac DonaldÕs food etc.
But despite Parisian politicos playing the anti-Bush Administration card for partisan domestic reasons, the plethora of American written Bush-bashing books and movies are used as prima facie documentation to rationalize their policies, make no mistake of it.
Though American tourists tended to boycott France last summerÑnot only because of the Iraq war and fears of terrorism, but the cost of a strong Euro currency exchange rate, tourist officials now claim that les Americans lead foreign visitors in Paris. The Le Figaro newspaper proudly reports that the Americans are back in force! Nonetheless during my peripatetic walks through the City of LightÑlooking decidedly foreign by not having a cell phone and cigarette ø I heard far more Spanish and Italian, than Anglais.
The untold story in Paris are the numbers of South Koreans and Mainland Chinese tourists Ñ and naturally the Japanese. Official figures show that the Japanese and Chinese spend more per capita than Americans do. Everywhere one goes, it seems young Koreans, many wearing Dynamic Korea tee shirts, are flooding the magnificent Avenues.
France faces its usual summer malaise, despite projected GDP growth rates of just over 2 percent for 2004, the French fear competition from the Far East Ñ especially PeopleÕs China. They should. Their statutory 35 hour work week has not only caused serious shortfalls in productivity and higher prices, but created strong incentives for French firms to invest overseas. Despite the high quality of French products, their price becomes prohibitive. Combine this with the crippling costs to sustain a social welfare state and one finds real reasons for pessimism.
Despite some impressive economic reforms early on, President Jacques ChiracÕs government has allowed powerful trade unions and the threat of general strikes to paralyze sustained economic dynamism. Rather than confronting the problems, the government has encouraged and indeed played a cheap political card against the Bush Administration, actions which continue to cause deep trans-Atlantic problems.
On 25 August, Paris will be commemorating the 60th anniversary of its liberation from the Nazis in 1944 Ñ a day of genuine pride. The extraordinary political and military roles of French Generals Charles De Gaulle and Philippe Leclerc are rightly celebrated Ñ but somewhere I recall the Americans playing a part there too Ñ but thatÕs another movie.
John J. Metzler is a U.N. correspondent covering diplomatic and defense
issues. He writes weekly for World Tribune.com.  |
