An American in Paris

Rating:
Summary: A showcase for many great talents becomes a great movie
Review: What works best about "American in Paris" is so many great talents coming together. Gershwin, Kelly, Minelli and Levant are each giants in their fields at the top of their games.

A musical with all Gershwin tunes can never go wrong, and this one brings together the best. "Our Love Is Here To Stay," "I Got Rhythm," "'S Wonderful," "Nice Work if You Can Get It." Quite a collection of hits! Oscar Levant provides sharp wit and musical talent, with "Concert in F for Piano and Orchestra" in a dream sequence where he plays every instrument.

Gene Kelly is at his most cavalier best, playing the type of character he likes to play. He is a struggling penniless painter of the blue-collar variety. Leslie Caron is an impish match for Kelly, and holds her own in both banter and dancing. Nina Foch brings dignity to the somewhat absurd role of the wealthy woman pursuing Kelly. The final ballet sequence is justly famous, as Kelly dances through Paris as seen by several impressionist artists.

The strength of this film lies in each of these parts coming together for a greater whole. Gershwin's music, although George Gershwin was dead by this time, is used to great strength as both lyrics and score. Kelly made a stand with his dancing, moving it beyond standard musical hoofing and into that abstract realm known as "art."

All together, a great film, well-deserving of both the 1951 Best Picture Oscar and your time. Enjoy!

Rating:
Summary: An MGM masterpiece of the best quality
Review: This colorful, fanciful film added a splash of zestful excitement and entertainment to audiences of 1951, in the year of "A Streetcar Named Desire" and "A Place In The Sun". The MGM musicals don't get any better than this one because it's got everything: romance, excitement, music, song, dance, and thrills. Vincente Minnelli's expert direction and cinematography captures some of the most enchanting sights of post-WWII Paris, as seen through the eyes of a light-hearted painter (Gene Kelly, whose indescribably brilliant choreography for this film won him a special Oscar). Accidentally meeting up with a young French girl (Leslie Caron, in her film debut), he is immediately smitten and courts her... though she is secretly engaged to another man (Georges Guetary). Kelly also manages to get himself tangled with a wealthy heiress (Nina Foch) who tries to bring his work to the attention of Paris' art critics. In the background, Oscar Levant's acid wit shines as Kelly's pianist friend. Any scene in the film is worth seeing the whole film: Kelly's charming take on "I Got Rhythm", teaching the song to a group of French youngsters, Kelly's achingly romantic wooing of Caron "Our Love Is Here To Stay" by the Seine, or best of all, the incredible 17-minute dream sequence ballet. This marvelous piece of cinematic achievement combines George Gershwin's "American In Paris" symphony along with the great works of Paris's greatest artists as backgrounds, sparking the most innovative dance number of all time, and perhaps best represents the MGM musical. This masterpiece should be enjoyed by every generation.

Rating:
Summary: S'Wonderful
Review: A glorious movie that showcases Gene Kelly's breathtaking talent. Forget the silly story and just watch him dance and dance and dance. He does more with a turn of a shoulder than most dancers can do with their whole body. This movie also introduced the lithe and lovely Leslie Caron as the object of Kelly's affection. The film builds to its dramatic hallucinatory conclusion as Kelly dances his way across a Paris dreamscape, that brings all the elements of modern dance together in a tour-de-force that was unprecedented in musicals of that time. You can't help getting swept away in the feel-good spirit of this movie. It was another time and place.

Rating:
Summary: ONE GREAT AMERICAN MOVIE
Review: Gene Kelly had been a Hollywood star for almost ten years when he made this film, but his best work was just starting. "An American in Paris" was a huge success upon initial release in 1951, winning six oscars, and a rating as one of the best musicals of all time. It is still every bit as delightful today. That chemistry between Kelly and Leslie Caron is still existant when they dance or act together, like in "Our Love is Here to Stay". The wit of Oscar Levent is still every bit as hysterical. The glory of George Gershwin's beautiful music still fills a true music lovers soul with joy, especially in the thrilling (though slightly overdone) 20 minute ballet at the film's conclusion. The breathtaking locales in Paris are simply stunning for the eye to behold. To top it off, where else are you going to go to see Kelly dance and converse with cute French kids to the music of "I've Got Rythem"? While this film can't compare to Kelly's massive triumph of the next year, "Singin' in the Rain",it's still amazing. Stop reading this: GO GET IT!

Rating:
Summary: It's Very Clear This Movie's Here to Stay
Review: 1951 was a tense year in America. Julius and Ethel Rosenberg were convicted of selling U.S. nuclear secrets to the Soviet Union. In North Korea, truce negotiations failed. McCarthyism reigned and Hollywood suffered as many of its key players were blacklisted. It is no wonder, then, that the movie-going public sought lighter fare. With its simple script, lush color, and innovative choreography, An American in Paris was just the ticket.

An American in Paris is the story of boy meets girl, boy gets girl-with not much in between. Gene Kelly plays Jerry, an ex-GI trying to make a go of it as an artist in the city of artist's garrets and cheap cheese. When he spots Lise (Leslie Caron) he knows instantly that she's the gal for him, and he sets about wooing and winning her, ignorant of the fact that she's dating Henri (Georges Guetary). Complicating things (but not much) is his wealthy patroness Milo (Nina Fochs). Another ex-patriot, Adam (Oscar Levant), plays the fifth wheel, adding comic relief to a script that doesn't need it. But people don't really watch this movie for the script, they watch it for the beautiful cinematography and the singing and dancing.

The set design is gorgeously colorful, making Paris dangerously magnetic to anyone who might be making travel plans. This is the Paris of sweet children seeking bubble-gum, kind elderly Parisian ladies who break into dance in cafes, a happy nightclub scene on clean stone streets, and of course lavish flowers, safe riverbanks, and Parisian churches. It's a perfect setting for the score, which includes such songs as "Our Love is Here to Stay," "I Got Rhythm" (sung by Kelly with a team of little urchins), and "'S Wonderful". And the dancing is. Quite wonderful, culminating in a 17-minute ballet (choreographed by Kelly) at the climax. That things resolve just a little too quickly and easily thereafter will bother no dance fan-and all the moviewatchers who have a low tolerance for song-and-dance will have been flushed out of the room long before then.

An American in Paris was Leslie Caron's first American film, shot when she was a just-turned 18. Her inexperience with movie making shows on the screen as kind of a gamine innocence and plays well with Kelly's confident American mien. The chemistry of all cast members (or should I say "the troupe") coalesces to make this musical a don't-miss. 4 stars for the average movie watcher; 5 if you're a big fan of dance.

Rating:
Summary: Oscar Levant Is In Fine Form
Review: AN AMERICAN IN PARIS is one of my favorite Gene Kelly movies. It has so much going for it - great music, dancing and cast. The music is by George and Ira Gershwin and of course it never hurts to have Vincente Minnelli as director.

The film marks the Hollywood debut of Leslie Caron and she makes the most of it. Oscar Levant is mostly himself with several memorable lines such as this particularly self-deprecating one: "It's not a pretty face, I grant you, but underneath its flabby exterior is an enormous lack of character."

AN AMERICAN IN PARIS won Academy Awards for Best Picture, Story and Screenplay, Color Cinematography, Color and Direction, Score for a Musical Picture and Color Costume Design. The main competition for awards in 1951 came from THE AFRICAN QUEEN, A STREETCAR NAMED DESIRE and A PLACE IN THE SUN.

Rating:
Summary: Just Another Musical
Review: I found this film to be average. I find most musicals (especially MGM productions) to be tedious, so that probably contributes to my lack of enthusiasm for it. The only redeeming aspect of this movie is Gershwin's great music. For fun with friends, or by yourself, wait for the "An American in Paris" ballet at the end of the film. When the section comes on, where Gene Kelly is dressed in an off-white outfit, and wearing a Ty Cobb style baseball hat, watch with the sound off.

Rating:
Summary: The Best
Review: This is one of the best musicals MGM has ever made.
I just watch it over & over. Top film

Rating:
Summary: A True All Time Classic
Review: The plot of the film is simple enough. Jerry Mulligan (played by Gene Kelly) is an American ex-GI trying to become an artist in Paris. He is an all around nice guy who seems to get by more on charm than talent. He meets up with a perfume girl named Lise (played by Leslie Caron) who steels his heart, but she is engaged to Henri (played by Georges Geutary), the man who protected her during World War II. The movie centers on how Jerry and Lise finally are able to get together. There is a colorful cast of supporting characters including piano player Adam Cook played by Oscar Levant, feminine tease/American debutante Milo Roberts played by Nina Foch, and the people who inhabit the streets of Paris.

The music and dancing truly make this film a magical spectacle. The songs that are used in the film are from the George and Ira Gershwin songbook and each is performed rather well. Probably the most notable musical performance in the film is Georges Geutary singing "Stairway to Paradise" staged in a manner that could only be done by MGM. Other great scenes include Gene Kelly dancing with a café matron and flower seller. The dance with the flower seller is particularly moving. She is much older than Kelly and when we watch this scene, we get a sense she is reliving a special moment in her life. Kelly's version of "I Got Rhythm" teams the great dancer with the neighborhood children who are only after one thing-Kelly's American bubble gum. We see some fancy footwork by Kelly as well as amusing interactions with children. The final dance number of the film, called "The American In Paris Ballet" is probably Hollywood's best dance scene. At least MGM thinks so since it ends MGM's historical documentary THAT'S ENTERTAINMENT!

While it's true that renting AN AMERICAN IN PARIS in a video store is not all that difficult, this is a film that can give enjoyment over and over again, so why not add it to your collection?

Rating:
Summary: A Wonderful Movie, One of Kelly's Best
Review: AN AMERICAN IN PARIS is a wonderful movie musical with great songs, a touching story, brilliant choreography, and lush sets and costumes. Gene Kelly, one of the greatest dancers of all time (he also choreographed many of his own films, including this one), is always a joy to watch. He is especially well-cast here as Jerry Mulligan, a somewhat gauche would-be artist living in Paris. The thing I find attractive about Kelly is that, even though the characters he generally plays are tough and even slightly boorish, Kelly himself projected a charm and a graciousness that are often disarming. Similarly, while his dancing style was athletic and masculine, his physical movements (even normal ones, like standing up and walking -- watch him in the first scene, when he gets up out of bed and moves around his room) were graceful, like a ballet dancer's. The "American in Paris ballet" is an undoubted highlight of the film and of Kelly's great career. Leslie Caron's dancing ability and lovely appearance, Georges Guetary's "legit" tenor voice, and Oscar Levant's acid wit and genuine musical talent all add to the film's value. And of course, there is that Gershwin score! All Gene Kelly fans should watch AN AMERICAN IN PARIS -- it's one of his best movies, along with SINGIN' IN THE RAIN and ON THE TOWN.