The Moderns 1988
"Paris, 1926... there was nothing more modern."
Dive into the glittering expatriate world of 1920s Paris with *The Moderns (1988)*, Alan Rudolph's stylish blend of comedy, drama, and romance.
Director: Alan Rudolph
Cast
Frequently Asked Questions
What is The Moderns (1988) about?
*The Moderns* follows Nick Hart, an American painter adrift in 1926 Paris, who gets caught up in a high-stakes forgery scheme orchestrated by a wealthy art patroness. As he navigates bohemian cafés, rival artists, and a tangled romantic history, Nick's pursuit of success forces him to confront the consequences of chasing fame at any cost.
Who directed The Moderns?
The film was directed by Alan Rudolph, known for his atmospheric and character-driven dramas like *Welcome to L.A.* and *Trouble in Mind*.
Who stars in The Moderns?
The cast features Keith Carradine as Nick Hart, Linda Fiorentino as Libby Valentin, Wallace Shawn as Bertram Stone, Geneviève Bujold as Nathalie de Ville, and Geraldine Chaplin in a supporting role.
Is The Moderns (1988) worth watching?
While not widely rated on IMDb, *The Moderns* offers a visually lush and witty dive into 1920s Parisian life, blending comedy and drama with a strong ensemble cast. Fans of period films or character-driven stories will appreciate its nostalgic charm and subtle satire of the art world.
How long is The Moderns?
*The Moderns* runs for 126 minutes, or just over two hours, delivering a richly textured narrative with room for both intrigue and atmosphere.
🎥 Trailer
About The Moderns (1988) — A Jazz Age Tale of Art, Deception, and the Price of Modernity
Dive into the glittering expatriate world of 1920s Paris with *The Moderns (1988)*, Alan Rudolph's stylish blend of comedy, drama, and romance. Keith Carradine stars as Nick Hart, a charismatic but financially struggling American painter whose days are filled with café-hopping, creative frustrations, and a relentless pursuit of gallery owner Libby Valentin (Linda Fiorentino) to sell his work. When a wealthy art patroness, Nathalie de Ville (Geneviève Bujold), ropes him into a risky scheme to forge three masterpieces, Nick finds himself entangled in a web of deception that pits him against Bertram Stone (Wallace Shawn), a shrewd American tycoon and ex-father-in-law. Rudolph's film captures the decadent glamour and artistic ferment of the Jazz Age while exploring themes of authenticity, ambition, and the blurred lines between love and money.
Set against a backdrop of smoky bistros, art-filled salons, and sun-drenched boulevards, *The Moderns (1988)* paints a vivid portrait of an era where tradition collided with modernity. With an ensemble cast that includes Geraldine Chaplin and Kevin J. O'Connor rounding out its eclectic mix of characters, the movie weaves humor and drama into a tale as rich in contradiction as the paintings Nick so desperately wants to sell. It's a story about the lengths people go to for recognition—and the price they pay when the line between art and illusion dissolves.