"A Little Romance" has become one of my favorite movies of all time. It's both innocent yet sophisticated, well-paced, impeccably cast, and has a beautiful, bittersweet finale. Best of all, it shows us the sweeping, guileless way kids first experience love before puberty and thoughts of sex get in the way. "A Little Romance" tells the story of such a love between two 13-year-olds: French boy Daniel, (Thelonius Bernard), an impish, quick-witted movie lover; and Lauren (Diane Lane), a prim, well-read American. They meet cute when Daniel tells Lauren to "call me Bogey", and then has to explain to non-movie buff Lauren about the famous romance between Humphrey Bogart and Lauren Bacall. But they do have plenty else in common: they both have genius IQs, read philosophy for fun, and love math. It doesn't take them long to realize that they've found in each other a kindred spirit. One day, they have a chance encounter with the charismatic Julius (Laurence Olivier), an elderly, carefree dandy who enchants them with stories, poetry. and of an old Italian legend: if two lovers kiss under Venice's Bridge of Sighs at sunset when the church bells toll, their love will last forever. When Lauren discovers that her family is moving back to America, she becomes determined to run away to Venice with Daniel to make the legend come true and seal their fate of eternal love. Despite being terribly fanciful, "A Little Romance" touches on so many levels that people of all ages can relate to: the innocent joy of young love, the willingness to do anything to make that love last, and questions about destiny and eternity. Yet it never becomes too heady and you're just swept away in this lush tale. Diane Lane, a mere 13 in her film debut, already showed her trademark talent, poise, and beauty. Thelonius Bernard never acted before or since "A Little Romance", but he's incredibly charming as a young rogue. Laurence Olivier is predictably good as Julius, a smooth talker who isn't all he says, but at the same time isn't as bad as he seems. This is a superbly made cult classic directed by George Roy Hill (notice the shameless self promotion, as the movies Daniel watches include "The Sting" and "Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid"), and the perfect film to watch with your own true love.

Few films command the lasting affection of A Little Romance. An indictment of the cinematic cynicism of the 1970s, here is a wonderful, often magical film awash in sentiment, but never sentimental. In spite of its title and even the story itself, its genre is somewhat ambiguous. It is, rather, an evocative survey of several: romance, melodrama, mystery, comedy, and above all, fantasy. Set in Paris, it's the story of two children (Diane Lane and Thelonious Bernard) who meet by accident at Versailles amidst the confusion and hubbub of a film shoot. One is the prodigious, mathematically savvy young son of a cab driver, while the other is the equally facile daughter of a wealthy, vivacious, and spoiled American woman (Sally Kellerman) and her new husband, an ironically compassionate corporate executive (Arthur Hill). The two kids "click", but their burgeoning love is soon compromised by a kind, well meaning, if incompetent petty thief. (Laurence Olivier) If there is a single theme upon which its endearing appeal continues to thrive, nearly thirty years after its release, it's innocence: the innocence of children, the innocence of adults who behave like children, and the surprising innocence -- naiveté, really -- of a society that would still, in the end, respect it. It's about fate, too, and how it favors and rewards innocence uncorrupted, even if it is only in the movies that such an emotional Shangrila is possible. That the filmmakers send up, with comical gentility, the film industry itself as a source of such corruption is certainly testimony to that.The legendary, fairy-tale quality that informs A Little Romance was no accident. Removed from the splendid châteaux and opulent gardens of Versailles, or the gentle slopes of rural Italy, or the pristinely elegant, aquatic antiquity of Venice, A Little Romance would have been shorn of its resonance. Director George Hill was nothing if not savvy, exploiting as he did the rich geographical and architectural environments as characters in their own right. Had this story been set in New York, for example, along with a more indulgent, self-conscious script populated exclusively with adults, it would have ended up emulating the gooey sentimentality of Love Story. The 13 year old Diane Lane's radiant debut was complimented by the no less engaging Thelonious Bernard, who has long since disappeared from film, and from public view altogether for that matter. (Word has it he is now a dentist in Nantes, famous for its opera company). Of course, neither of them had to move too far out of their own gifted skins to portray the prodigies they do here. Their abundant intelligence and wit take no time at all to succumb, in this story of real and not merely puppy love, to adolescent longings. In fact, Ms. Lane and Mr. Bernard are so convincing as to lead to speculation about their relationship off screen. That's probably unfair, though; the odds are that they, like their characters, were just two brainy, fabulous kids and consummate professionals who had mastered the craft of acting and grasped, with unerring precision, the subtext of the Allan Burns' superbly crafted screenplay.The wonderful Arthur Hill, who died just today (and whose passing inspired me to write this), exudes firm but caring authority in his role as Ms. Lane's father and the beleaguered husband of the philandering Sally Kellerman, seen here in one of her edgier, bitchier performances. Both Hill and Kellerman's thoughtful readings, deftly defined, provided the perfect counterpoint to the developing feelings explored by Ms. Lane and Mr. Bernard. But rather than glibly extolling, like two proud parents, the innocence of those feelings, both actors expose instead what spoiled cynicism and lack of faith can do to corrupt them. The miracle of this movie, its heart, if you will, is Mr. Olivier. His performance is pure confection, as delicious as the French pastry he fawns over in a café early on in the film, yet no less detailed and picaresque than the Doge Palace in Venice where he ends up. As he confessed in his autobiography, acting was, for Mr. Olivier, an artificial construct; he was no fan of the method or realism. He preferred to invent a character from the outside, like a painting, rather than cultivating it from the inside whilst tipping his hat to every possible motivation. Whatever attendant techniques he engaged to create his Julius, no matter. It is in the end a most remarkable bit of thespian virtuosity, a performance of enormous buoyancy at once playful and passionate, vulnerable and astute. Mr. Olivier is the angel of this fantasy, while Ms Lane and Mr. Bernard are the cherubs under his wing, making a perfect match and underlying metaphor for the old world paintings and frescoes to which the viewer's gaze is often drawn. The final scene -- the penultimate "adieu" you might say -- remains in memory long after the last celluloid flicker for the unmistakable authenticity of its poignant denouement. Smart turns by an eminently sober Broderick Crawford as himself, Graham Fletcher-Cooke as Daniel's randy young friend, and Jacques Maury as a deadpan, unintentionally hilarious police inspector round out one of the most charming G-rated films of the 20th century. -John Bell Young

This movie is very special to me. I saw it with my first girlfriend. I thought, "Wow, they made a movie about me." This is a truly amazing movie. Sure there are contrivances but really the romantic angle works.This movie has everything, philosopy, romance, adventure, love, discovery of self love and France. Who could ask for more. It has a wonderful cast. Diane Lane is absolutely wonderful. Sir Laurence Olivier is just fabulous. The rest of cast is a wonderful collection of oddballs and nuts that are done superbly.There is no overt sex, no violence but the movie manages to do very well without those things. It makes you wonder why they can't make more movies like this anymore. It is a complete movie. Thankfully they did not make a sequel to this one. It stands on its own. The test of a good movie is that after it ends you care and wonder about the characters. This movie really makes you wonder what happened after the movie ends.Did she write back? Did he find another love? Will they find true love? Very few movies I have seen ever made me wonder what happened after the end.

This movie is very romantic and fantastic.Beautiful scenes ,fantastic story,great director, cute and lovely little stars, respectful and kindly-minded grandpa,graceful attitude towards love and life.It's very relax and humor,I love this french love story.Wonderful! I think it's one of the best love stories in all kinds of films.Though they are boy and girl,they are very pure and courage toward their love.Under the bridge, they eventually made their love promise and wishes.And the grandpa is very kind though he is a thief,he tried his best to help these little "pals" and made his best wish for them.I will never forget their smile,promise and experience,it's very very impressive.I suggest everybody could have chance to appreciate this great movie,you will be impressed by this pure love story--a little romance!