Little Romance, A

On the set of a film being made at a Château, an American diplomat (Broderick Crawford), is signing a treaty with his French counterpart as a French school party, seen in the distance, are about to ruin the shot. The Chambres des Muses at Nicholas Fouquet’s Château Vaux-Le-Vicomte at Maincy in the Seine-et-Marne department of Île-de-France

From the Chambres des Muses looking west along the first floor through the public rooms. The arrangement of some of the artefacts and the carpeting in the room has changed.

Film-obsessed maths prodigy Daniel Michon sneaks away from the school trip to explore behind the scenes of the shoot where finds the disinterested Lauren King (Diane Lane), an American schoolgirl living in Paris, who is there with her mother who knows the director of the film. Daniel knows his work too and tells Lauren “He stinks.” Taken in Le Cabinet de Jeux at Vaux, this is the first ever shot of Diane Lane on screen.

Le Cabinet de Jeux is at the extreme east end of the first floor of the Château and has had some significant renovation, but the unique quality of the painted details of the wood panelling and the view from the window make it clear that this scene was shot on location and not in a studio. The room is not now accessible to the public.

Lauren quietly joins Daniel’s school trip group outside on their tour on the Parterre de Broderies looking north towards the Château.

The footprint of the gardens and its careful topiary are so iconic and important to the French that it is no surprise to see that the scene has not changed much at all.

Sitting in the grounds of the Château, Lauren and Daniel Michon (Thelonious Bernard) eat lunch together while discussing politics, films and adults. From the Bassin de la Gerbe above the Grottoes which face the Grand Canal at Château Vaux-Le-Vicomte.

Looking north towards the unchanged Château and its gardens in all their glory.

Daniel and Lauren agree to meet the following week under the clock at Gare Saint-Lazare. George Delerue’s Oscar winning score introduces the Largo from Vivaldi’s Concerto for Lute, Violins and Basso Continuo in D Major which becomes the main characters’ theme. On the Bassin de la Gerbe at Château Vaux-Le-Vicomte, Maincy.

Some areas of grass have been planted here to replace the gravel of the scene as it was in 1979.

Lauren runs through the north western gates of Paris's Tuilleries Gardens, trailing the results of the computer programme which will help Daniel win money on a horse race at Longchamps that's needed for them to run off to Venice. They are intent on fulfilling the old Venetian legend which favours lovers who pass under the Bridge of Sighs in a gondola at sunset. Tuilleries Gardens in the 1st arrondissement of Paris.

The north western gates of the gardens, from the terrasse, with only minor changes to planting and the associated furniture.

Sitting on the terrasse looking east with the Bassin Octagonal at the Tuilleries in the background, a depressed Daniel tells Lauren they have been stupid - they need an adult both to place bets and to accompany them to Italy.

The type of ornate metal seat on which Daniel sits and we also see in the next scene has been replaced by those of a new design but these are still a distinctive part of the visitors’ experience of the Tuilleries.

Lauren realises that Julius Edmond Santorin, an elderly former French diplomat whom they met on their first date when Daniel accidentally knocked him over with a football, is the person they need to help them. The two run off along the terrasse towards the Place de la Concorde to find him. Julius told them about the Bridge of Sighs legend and gave them details of his colourful life.

A very similar scene although some of the major sculptures in this part of the gardens at the time of the film have been resited.

The teenagers walk down the Via Sottoriva in Verona, Veneto after having got up early to see Juliet’s Balcony. After a series of adventures they have been staying in Verona with Julius’ help before going on to Venice.

The Via Sottoriva has been extensively redeveloped in recent years, with much of the faded charm of this old Jewish quarter of the city available to George Roy Hill at the time of the film being replaced by some very smart shops and osteria.

Under the arches of the loggia on the Via Sottoriva in Verona, an angry Julius (Laurence Olivier) confronts the children; they have lied to him about why they wanted his help when Lauren told him she wants to visit her sick mother in Venice. He tells them that all their photographs are in the newspapers; the police are searching for them, and they will arrest him as a kidnapper because he is not who he has said he is.

A view from the street into the loggia of the Via Sottoriva, although the ancient wooden door in the background has been retained.

The three fugitives decide to join the bicycle festival underway in Verona in order to escape the inevitable police checks. This shot is the start of the race in the Piazza dei Signori, looking south west towards the Casa della Pietra. The cyclists are passing under the ancient arch and along the Via Santa Maria Antica.

A very similar scene, although the loggia around the ground floor of this municipal building are now protected by metal grills and are being used as an occasional exhibition space.

Lauren forges ahead on her bike on the Lungadige Cangrande along the north bank of the River Adige, in a scene shot from the Fontana Arsenale, Verona.

Apart from some resurfacing of the road and pavements and the removal of some of the ubiquitous concrete blocks the Italians use to mark the edge of their carriageways the scene is pretty much unchanged.

Daniel is amongst the leaders in the bike race along the Via Castello San Felice, Verona, looking south.

The climb to this point is much stiffer than it look - fair play to the cyclists in the film. This area seems a little more neglected and overgrown than in 1979.

Julius brings up the rear. Via Castel San Pietro, Verona, looking towards the bridge.

The top part of the bridge has been rebuilt but its 1970s safety markings, the black stripes on the left of the entrance to what is now a campsite and caravan park, can still just be made out.

Lauren realises she and Daniel will have to stop and help Julius. Piazzale Castel San Pietro in Verona, looking south east.

Bins, bins and more bins.

Julius is exhausted and has to stop. Piazzale Castel San Pietro, Verona, looking north west.

A few changes on the street here, including the redevelopment of the ramp at the far end.

Daniel and Lauren double back to find Julius. Piazzale Castel San Pietro in Verona.

The same three distinctive trees 45 years on.

The children find a gasping Julius downstairs at the city viewing point off the Castel San Pietro, Verona in Veneto.

Almost no change here apart from the replacement of some of the broken coping stones on the stairway and the installation of a more extensive metal gateway into the private gardens on the right.

At the viewing point off the Piazzale Castel San Pietro Julius confesses he is actually a pickpocket with a long criminal record and has hugely embellished the story of his life that he told the children. He was not a diplomat, never lived in Elizabeth Browning’s Villa in Venice, and did not have a wife called Emilienne with whom he sailed romantically under the Bridge of Sighs. He did however steal thousands of Francs at the racecourse, and robbed the American tourists they had been travelling with. Lauren also confesses that she must return to the USA in two weeks and this why she wanted to go to Venice with Daniel so urgently.

The poplar trees have gone, perhaps because the tourists were complaining that they spoiled their iPhone shots across the city. Progress?

“Police are police.” Julius agrees to carry on to Venice with Lauren and Daniel. The viewing point off the Piazzale Castel San Pietro, Verona.

This viewing point has had some update to its lighting but otherwise is unchanged.

In Venice, the three are sleeping in a quiet corner of St Mark’s Basilica when they are disturbed by Bob and Janet Duryea, the American tourists Julius robbed in Verona. They race from the Basilica across St. Mark’s Square followed by the irate Americans and the Italian police. St. Mark’s Square in Venice, Veneto, from the roof of the Torre dell' Orologio.

George Roy Hill takes a wee liberty with this location, in that it is shots of the bells of the Torre dell' Orologio being struck by the famous bronze “moors” as the sun sets which are used in the film and not those of the Campanile required by the legend Julius has told the teenagers.

The three run through the Venice calles just ahead of the police. Ramo dei Fuseri, Venice, past the famous Restaurant Da Ivo on the right at the far end.

Only the signage has changed really. Ivo’s restaurant, where George Clooney had his stag do, still serves the best risotto in the city.

On the Ponte Dei Fuseri, Lauren suggests they get a gondola immediately but Daniel refuses, saying the legend says that in order to remain in love forever they must pass under the Bridge of Sighs at sunset as the bells of the Campanile toll- it’s too early.

Different window dressing in the background is the only change.

“Gentlemen, I believe you are looking for me.” Julius gives himself up to the police outside the Malibran Theatre in order to distract attention from the children who are hiding inside.

The Corte del Teatro Malibran is largely the same.

Lauren and Daniel run along the Calle del Teatro from the Malibran Theatre to find a gondola. They are late, having fallen asleep whilst watching Daniel’s hero Robert Redford in “The Sting”.

George Roy Hill makes a joke at his own expense here, since it was he who directed 'La Stangata', the film that the children found so soporific. The stonework of the calle has had a clean but otherwise has changed little.

Lauren and Daniel race through Venice, here across the Ponte San Moisè, to try to find a gondola to take them under the Bridge of Sighs but they all seem to be taken.

Taken from the Calle Larga XXII Marzo. The Moses Church (Chiesa San Moisè) in the background has been cleaned since the time of the film and the signage of the gondola station has been updated.

A Gondolier calls to Daniel and Lauren who are standing on the Ponte de la Bande, Venice.

Taken from the Campo Santa Maria Formosa. The bridge has had an overhaul but the scene is largely unchanged.

Despite not having quite enough money, Daniel and Lauren manage to secure the last available Gondola. Campo Santa Maria Formosa, Venice, from the Ponte de la Bande.

The florists have gone and a cafe has opened.

The Gondolier refuses to take them under the Bridge of Sighs because they haven’t paid him enough, and stops at the Rughetta San Apollonia. Daniel shoves him in the canal and he and Lauren push the gondola towards the bridge to fulfil the legend.

Looking back towards the Ponte de Canonica, we see that some of the street furniture has gone.

Back in Paris on the day Lauren and her family are leaving for Houston, Lauren runs across the street from her home to say goodbye to Daniel who is watching from the roadside. Boulevarde Maurice-Barrès, Neuilly-sur-Seine, Île-de-France.

The facade of the building serving as Lauren’s family home has been extensively remodelled, but that of the building next to it to the east is unchanged.

Lauren’s father Richard King (Arthur Hill) calls to her to come to the car. Boulevarde Maurice-Barrès in Neuilly-sur-Seine.

Although the building has changed the entrance to it and the trees either side are recognisable.

Lauren sees Julius for the last time. Boulevarde Maurice-Barrès, Neuilly-sur-Seine in Paris, looking south west from the northern edge of the Bois de Bologne.

The typical “backwards and forwards” bench on which Julius sits, and which you used to see in every French park, has now gone, as have some of the older trees in this part of the Bois de Bologne.

Daniel runs after Lauren’s car, waving. Boulevarde Maurice-Barrès, Neuilly-sur-Seine.

After 45 years this well-to-do Parisian suburb looks just the same.

In the last scene of the film, George Roy Hill freezes the action as Daniel jumps and waves for the third time as Vivaldi’s Largo ends. Boulevarde Maurice-Barrès in Neuilly-sur-Seine.

Finis