Today is Bastille Day, a national holiday in France–think of it as “French National Day”–and it celebrates the storming of the Bastille (a prison) that took place on 14 July 1789 and started the French Revolution, signifying the eventual end of the King’s power.

So, to celebrate France’s independence and the arguably most important day in it’s history, let’s explore five American movies set in France, chosen by Danny Miller, and entertainment writer for MSN.  Of course there are MANY beautiful films about the beautiful country of France, but today we will focus on Mr. Miller’s article, “Five Movies to Watch on Bastille Day,” where he recommends these five classics:

An American in Paris (1951)–The musical starring the great Gene Kelly won the Oscar in 1952 for Best Picture (and five other Oscars) and follows an American painter as he struggles with finding work, falling in love, and the beautfy of Paris.

Casablanca (1942)–Of course, this 1944 Oscar-winner for Best Picture is actually set in Casablanca (Morocco), but fans of this movie (and romantics) will surely remember the scene in Paris…

Silk Stockings (1957)–Another musical that explores romance and the difficulties of Communism (isn’t that the topic of a lot of musicals?) against the backdrop of Paris (isn’t that the standard backdrop for Communism?), but this one stars Fred Astaire and Cyd Charisse–two truly classic stars.

Two for the Road (1967)–Audrey Hepburn and Albert Finney (so young!) explore the difficulties of falling in love, marriage, children, and more while on road trips through France.  It’s poignant, thoughtful, beautiful, and honest.

French Postcards (1979)–The movie doesn’t star anyone famous and didn’t win any awards, but it’s an intimate exploration of American exchange students navigating their way through France’s language and culture in a funny, heartwarming, honest kind of way.

France, enjoy your special day as we enjoy these American-made movies in your honor!

(What “French” movies will you be watching today?)

One of the most well-known directors in the world, Woody Allen, often uses locations in his movies–and New York City, his hometown, is often featured in his films.  (He even made a rare appearance at the 2002 Academy Awards to implore the movie industry to continue filming in New York City after the 9/11 attacks.)

Four of Allen’s five latest movies, however, have also explored beyond those borders:

Barcelona: Two girlfriends, played by Rebecca Hall and Scarlett Johansson, travel to Barcelona and fall under the spell of a seductive artist, played by Javier Bardem–whose ex-wife, played by Penelope Cruz, is also in the picture in Vicky Cristina Barcelona (2008)

 London: You Will Meet a Tall Dark Stranger  (2010), starring Anthony Hopkins, Naomi Watts, Josh Brolin, and Antonio Banderas, follows a pair of married couples and the dreams, ideas, and anxieties that plague them.

Paris: Starring Owen Wilson and Rachel MacAdams, Midnight in Paris (2011), has been Allen’s most successful movie at the box office.  In it, an engaged couple travels to Paris with her parents and discover that they may have different ideas about their ideal life.

Rome: And his latest release, To Rome With Love (2012), follows a similar pattern: stories of several characters intertwine in Italy’s oldest (and arguably most romantic) city.  Penelope Cruz, Alec Baldwin, and Jesse Eisenberg help bring the beautiful city to life–as The Huffington Post’s Paolo Barisani says “To Rome With Love, Woody Allen’s New Film, Is An Ode To Rome.”

Woody Allen brings a quirky approach to all of his movies…and they can all be a fun way to explore major European cities.

Exploring Allen’s skills through these movies could be an ideal topic for a movie club.  Compare and contrast how he treats each city, discuss how his international movies differ from those set in New York City, and analyze how he attempts to capture the essence of each of these four well-known cities.