A New Kind of Love

A New Kind of Love

Year: 1963

Runtime: 110 mins

Language: English

Director: Melville Shavelson

RomanceComedy

It’s time for a change, it’s time for a new attitude on a new kind of love! A down-and-out reporter and a fashion designer fall in love in Paris.

Warning: spoilers below!

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Timeline – A New Kind of Love (1963)

Trace every key event in A New Kind of Love (1963) with our detailed, chronological timeline. Perfect for unpacking nonlinear stories, spotting hidden connections, and understanding how each scene builds toward the film’s climax. Whether you're revisiting or decoding for the first time, this timeline gives you the full picture.

1

Exiled to Paris after scandal

Steve Sherman, a charming but self-absorbed American columnist, is sent to Paris after unintentionally sleeping with his publisher's wife. The scandal derails his career in New York and leaves him seeking a fresh start abroad. He arrives in Paris to continue writing while avoiding the uproar back home.

Paris, France
2

Encounter with Sam on the plane

On the flight to Paris, Steve meets Samantha 'Sam' Blake and immediately misreads her because of her tomboy look, thinking she is a man or a high-class prostitute. Their instant animosity sets the tone for their evolving feud-turned-romance. The plane encounter seeds the rivalry that drives the events in Paris.

Airplane to Paris
3

Sam joins the Paris fashion mission

Sam travels with her boss Joe Bergner and colleague Lena O'Connor to Paris to scout couture houses for inspiration. She is determined, practical, and ready to prove her professional worth while navigating the male-dominated fashion world. The journey establishes the professional and romantic tensions yet to unfold.

Paris, France
4

St. Catherine's Day vision and makeover

During St. Catherine's Day celebrations, Sam has a vision that gives her advice on attracting husbands. She then undergoes a dramatic makeover at a beauty salon, emerging as a glamorous, blonde, lipstick-clad version of herself. The change marks a pivot in how others perceive her and how she will interact with Steve.

Paris, St. Catherine's Day celebration
5

Mimi is born and first meeting with Steve

Sam encounters Steve in a Paris café, where he fails to recognize her and assumes she is a high-class prostitute. She plays along to get back at him for the plane incident, adopting the alias 'Mimi' and spinning him fabricated stories of romantic liaisons. His reaction triggers the sensational column that makes her infamous across Europe.

Paris, café
6

The Mimi column becomes a sensation

Steve publishes Mimi's sensational tales in his new column, and the pieces quickly capture readers and create a media storm. The once-discredited exile discovers a new form of power in Sam's fabricated stories, fueling both his career and their volatile dynamic. The column cements their public personas and ignites their personal chemistry.

New York City, newspaper office
7

Romance and rivalries unfold

As Steve and Sam grow closer, Sam's colleagues and Joe's relationship with Felicienne complicate matters. Felicienne's past resurfaces in Steve's column, causing Joe to end their engagement, while Lena begins to see Joe in a new light. The tangled relationships heighten the stakes for both Sam and Steve.

Paris, various locations
8

Steve introduces Mimi to Joe to lift his spirits

A desolate Joe encounters Steve and, in an effort to cheer him up, introduces him to 'Mimi'—not realizing that Mimi is actually Sam and the boss's partner. The deception deepens the professional rift and raises the stakes for their fragile trust. This moment foreshadows the tangled reveals to come.

Paris, Steve's apartment
9

Sam declares love and seeks to change

Sam confesses to Lena and Joe that she loves Steve and that she wants to reform her life. She tries to persuade Steve to accept a change, even taking him to see a priest to facilitate her transformation. However, the moment backfires when she runs away in fear and confusion.

Paris, church
10

Steve discovers Mimi's true identity

Steve studies a photograph of 'Mimi' and realizes that Mimi is actually Sam. Although he feels betrayed, he admits to Lena that he is in love with Sam. This realization solidifies the central conflict and sets up the ultimate reconciliation.

Paris, Steve's apartment
11

Final confrontation and confession

Steve invites Sam to his apartment and pretends to offer money for a night with her, planning to leave Paris the next day. When Sam leans in for a kiss, Steve unmasks her by pulling off her wig and reveals he knew all along. Sam apologizes for deceiving him, and Steve forgives her, cementing their love.

Steve's apartment, Paris
12

Fantasy wedding sequence and new beginnings

In a final twist, Steve declares he will become Sam's sales manager, resisting her plan to abandon her past. Their kiss seals the reconciliation, but a fantasy sequence shows Steve in a football uniform chasing Sam in a wedding dress to a nuptial bed, illustrating their playful love and bright future together.

Steve's apartment / dream sequence

Last Updated: October 09, 2025 at 09:31

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A New Kind of Love Summary

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A New Kind of Love Summary

Characters, Settings & Themes in A New Kind of Love

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Characters, Settings & Themes in A New Kind of Love

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