2 of the long center-of-the-grid answers in today's puzzle were AN AMERICAN IN PARIS and THE FRENCH CONNECTION, which meant that it was a very good day for a movie buff working his way through the AFI top 100. i just finished my 70th the other night (sophie's choice), and picked up a second-hand copy of the book on my way home today -- it's one of the styrons i somehow inadvertently missed in my youth. of course, a lot of that youth was spent not realizing that i was allowed to read novels by american authors, so i excuse myself on that count.