An American in Paris is a 1951 American musical romantic comedy film inspired by the 1928 jazz-influenced symphonic poem (or tone poem) "An American in Paris" by George Gershwin.
The film was directed by Vincente Minnelli and starred Gene Kelly, Leslie Caron (in her film debut), Oscar Levant, Georges Guétary, and Nina Foch. The story revolves around three friends who struggle to find work in Paris, and things become more complicated when two of them fall in love with the same woman.
Plot
The plot of "An American in Paris" (1951) revolves around an American World War II veteran, Jerry Mulligan, who lives in Paris trying to succeed as an artist. His friend and neighbor, Adam Cook, is a struggling concert pianist. Things become more complicated when two of them, along with another friend, struggle to find work in Paris, and both Jerry and Adam fall in love with the same woman, Lise Bouvier.
The film is set against the backdrop of post-war Paris and features a romantic storyline intertwined with music and dance numbers choreographed by Gene Kelly and set to George Gershwin's music. The film's plot has been both praised for its charm and criticized for its pacing and problematic aspects.
Trailer
Key aspects of the film include:
Music: The film features a soundtrack with music by George Gershwin, lyrics by his brother Ira, and additional music by Johnny Green, and Saul Chaplin, the music directors.
Dance: The story of the film is interspersed with dance numbers choreographed by Gene Kelly and set to Gershwin's music.
Cast: The film showcases the star power of Gene Kelly and Leslie Caron, as well as the supporting cast members such as Oscar Levant and Georges Guétary.
Direction: Vincente Minnelli's colorful and sympathetic direction adds depth to the film, despite some critics arguing that the plot is problematic.
Overall, An American in Paris is a classic film that has been praised for its music, dance, and performances, but has been criticized for its plot and pacing
Cast
- Gene Kelly as Jerry Mulligan
- Leslie Caron as Lise Bouvier
- Oscar Levant as Adam Cook
- Georges Guétary as Henri "Hank" Baurel
- Nina Foch as Milo Roberts
- Eugene Borden as Georges Mattieu
These are the main cast members of the film, with Gene Kelly and Leslie Caron in the leading roles, supported by Oscar Levant, Georges Guétary, Nina Foch, and others.
Director: Vincente Minnelli
Writer: Alan Jay Lerner
Box Office Gross: $272,619
Distributor: Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer
Release Date (Theaters): Nov 9, 1951
Release Date (Streaming): Aug 15, 2008
Themes & Reception
The themes of An American in Paris (1951) include love, art, and the contrast between American and French culture. The film explores the struggles of American artists trying to make a living in post-war Paris and the romantic entanglements that arise between them and the French locals. The film's music, composed by George Gershwin and arranged by Johnny Green and Saul Chaplin, is a key aspect of the film and features jazz-influenced classical music that originated from Paris.
It was generally well-received upon its release, with praise for its music, dance, and performances, particularly that of Leslie Caron. The film won six Academy Awards, including Best Picture, Best Director for Vincente Minnelli, and Best Original Screenplay for Alan Jay Lerner.
Overall, "An American in Paris" is a classic film that has been praised for its music, dance, and performances, but has been criticized for its plot and pacing.
Visual Styles & Techniques
An American in Paris (1951) is known for its innovative visual styles and techniques, which were influenced by the art movements of Impressionism and Post-Impressionism. Some key aspects of the film's visual style include:
Artistic inspiration: The film's sets and costumes are based on the styles of renowned artists such as Raoul Dufy, Henri Rousseau, Pierre Auguste Renoir, Maurice Utrillo, Vincent Van Gogh, and Henri de Toulouse-Lautrec.
Ballet sequences: The film features a 17-minute-long dance sequence that showcases a blend of classical and modern dance, as well as vaude-style tapping. Each sequence in the ballet is shot in a different color scheme, with costumes, sets, and choreography reflecting the mood of the various sections of George Gershwin's musical suite.
Transitions: The film's transitions between different artist-inspired sets are achieved by using dancers dressed as "Furies" (women) and "Pompiers" (men), with the Furies in red ballet outfits and the Pompiers in traditional French firefighter uniforms.
Color and lighting: The film's visual style emphasizes artwork, design, graphics, and animation, with each sequence in the ballet featuring a unique color scheme.
Innovative techniques: The film's decision to include a lengthy dance sequence was bold and risky, as it had not been done in an American film before. The film's visual style and techniques have contributed to its status as a classic and influential film in the history of cinema.
Setting
"An American in Paris" (1951) is set in post-World War II Paris, a time when the city was known for its vibrant artistic scene and the influence of Impressionist and Post-Impressionist art movements. The film's setting reflects this atmosphere, with the story revolving around American artist Jerry Mulligan, played by Gene Kelly, and his interactions with French artist Lise Bouvier, played by Leslie Caron.
The film's visual style and techniques are heavily influenced by the art movements mentioned above, with the sets and costumes designed to evoke the styles of renowned artists such as Raoul Dufy, Henri Rousseau, Pierre Auguste Renoir, Maurice Utrillo, Vincent Van Gogh, and Henri de Toulouse-Lautrec. The film's opening scene, for example, is in the style of Raoul Dufy's Place de la Concorde. The movie's emphasis on artwork, design, graphics, and animation further enhances the setting and theme of creativity and inner fulfillment.
Trivia
The 17-minute ballet sequence in "An American in Paris" is considered one of the most iconic dance sequences in film history. It features a blend of classical and modern dance, as well as Vaude-style tapping, and each sequence in the ballet is shot in a different color scheme, with costumes, sets, and choreography reflecting the mood of the various sections of George Gershwin's musical suite.
The film's sets and costumes are based on the styles of renowned artists such as Raoul Dufy, Henri Rousseau, Pierre Auguste Renoir, Maurice Utrillo, Vincent Van Gogh, and Henri de Toulouse-Lautrec.
The film's star, Gene Kelly, was initially hesitant to cast Leslie Caron as his leading lady because she was unknown at the time, but he was ultimately won over by her audition.
The film's budget was $2.7 million, making it one of the most expensive musicals of its time.
The film's soundtrack features music by George Gershwin, lyrics by his brother Ira, and additional music by Johnny Green, and Saul Chaplin, the music directors.