Passport to Paris 1999

13-year-old twin sisters Mary-Kate Olsen as Melanie Porter and Ashley Olsen as Allyson Porter have only one concern: boys.

To broaden their world, their parents send them to Paris to spend spring break with their estranged grandfather, Peter White, the American Ambassador to France. They expect a carefree visit, but the reality is a tightly scheduled life at his swanky mansion, where the ambassador’s no-nonsense assistant, Matt Winston as Jeremy Bluff, runs everything with precise rules and a strict dinner-hour routine.

The girls quickly discover that life at the embassy comes with a set of harsh, unspoken rules: no loud music, no jumping on the bed, and always dressing appropriately for dinner—never a minute late. Yet Paris itself calls louder than the imposed timetable. They strike up a friendship with Brigitte, a striking French fashion model, Yvonne Sciò whose charm opens up the city’s sights for them. They also meet two charming teenage French boys, Jean and Michel, Brocker Way and Ethan Peck, who shower them with roses and invite them to swap the constraints of Jeremy Bluff for the thrill of exploring Paris on mopeds.

Their adventures lead to a brief stumble when, one afternoon, they and the boys end up in police custody for trespassing on private property. The setback costs them some time with the boys until Grandpa Edward steps in, and he makes it clear that the girls must steer away from their newfound companions. Dinner one night becomes a turning point as they challenge the embassy’s leadership and manage to persuade Monsieur De Beauvoir, Robert Martin Robinson as Mssr. De Beauvoir, to back an important proposal initiated by their grandfather—aimed at providing clean drinking water for the Embassy. This achievement helps Melanie and Allyson regain their grandfather’s trust, and he relents, allowing them to see Jean and Michel again and to attend a dance together where they share their first kisses.

As the spring unfolds, the girls grow more confident and curious about the world beyond their earlier concerns, experiencing Paris in a way that blends lighthearted rebellion with learning and responsibility. When the time comes to go home, Grandpa Edward decides to take a pause from his ambassadorial duties and join them back to the United States, reuniting with his family after a long separation, and offering a gentle sense of closure to a trip that changed the girls’ perspectives—teaching them that growth can come from both curiosity and care.