Martin Teller It's an intriguing experiment. Go up and down a couple of blocks on a busy Parisian street and strike up conversations with random people. Malle stops to chat with all kinds: retirees, shoppers, homeless, immigrants, salespeople, and one woman who says "I'm not racist" and then proceeds to say some pretty racist stuff. There's no common thread to the questions asked, just getting people to talk about their lives, their frustrations, their opinions. It's such a simple documentary concept that you wonder why it isn't done more often. After a while it becomes apparent: a little of this goes a long way, but 90 minutes goes too far. Like HUMAIN, TROP HUMAIN, this film eventually wears out its welcome and even the cameraman and editor seem to get restless. It's not that the discussions are too mundane (some are quite interesting and/or charming), it's just not enough to sustain one's interest for that long.

Film_critic_Lalit_Rao The title of French director Louis Malle's documentary film "Place De La République" can be interpreted in two distinctly different manners.For many viewers it is a decent documentary film about a famous area in Paris known as "Place De La République".Those who know French language well and are well versed with various subtle intricacies of French culture would not forfeit even a single minute to make out that this title is talking about the status of the French republic as a nation. Louis Malle has nicely blended these two elements while filming his film by choosing "Place De La République" area for a film shoot and republic of France as its political focus.Although the primary focus is on Paris as a French city,concerns of France as a country have not been overlooked as viewers get to hear and see many regional voices from different French areas.One big problem with this film is that Louis Malle follows a very primitive,raw form of documentary film making in which there is no narration.His choice of interviews is also very haphazard and it discourages viewers to form any kind of cohesive association with various people's lives which have been filmed.Louis Malle was a better director of fiction films but his documentary films also deserve to be watched as they provide interesting glimpses about how human beings behave in a social environment.However,this aspect is not fully developed in this film.

maureen-omalley I thought this was utterly riveting - I couldn't turn the TV off even though I was exhausted. It is 1 1/2 hours of an interviewer/camera crew on the streets of Paris trying to speak to people about anything. There are a few dull moments but it gives a fantastic view on life in Paris - some of the people are survivors of World War II; nearly everyone seems to either be sick or have a spouse who is sick; there's the poor man who regularly goes in and out of psychiatric hospitals and considers himself a "playboy"; there's the lottery ticket woman who is stating how angry she is that they're filming her but then turns around and coyly peeks at the camera to make sure they're still filming her; there's the Polish Jew who was able to hide with his French Jewish wife during world war II who was a tailor and recently quit because of a heart attack - and admits shortly before he leaves that his wife died only 9 months ago - sorry I could go on and on but thought it was lovely for anyone who wants a peek at France's social/cultural life of everyday Parisians.

dbborroughs I'm very torn about this film. This is an interesting film that makes you want to get up and change the channel. Here's the problem, this film is nothing more than Louis Malle and his film crew on a street corner interviewing or following people who pass by.Thats it. There is no plot. No grand revelation. Nothing except people being people. Its absolutely wonderful...except that it goes on for 95 minutes. Since there is no plot or narrative there is nothing to hold your attention for more than a certain amount of time, you start to drift. Don't get me wrong what you're seeing is great, it really is, the problem is that after four or five people you'd wish it went some where. I mean its great having it on DVD since I can stop it and come back to it later,but at the same time I don't know if this is the sort of thing I could watch in a theater for 95 minutes in one sitting. I think the best way to describe it is as a absolutely wonderful candy that is the finest in the world, but its not the sort of thing you can eat more than a few of lest you get sick. This movie is like gorging on your favorite candy until you feel sick. That said, if you can see this is small bites I highly recommend it.