An American in Paris (film)
"An American in Paris" is a 1951 musical film produced by Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer, inspired by George Gershwin's orchestral suite of the same name. The film stars Gene Kelly as Jerry Mulligan, an ex-GI who stays in post-World War II Paris to pursue a career in painting, and Leslie Caron, making her film debut as Lise Bouvier. The narrative intertwines themes of love and ambition, showcasing Jerry’s romantic entanglement with Lise, who is engaged to another man, Henri Baurel.
Notable for its integration of ballet into musical storytelling, the film features a groundbreaking seventeen-minute dance sequence choreographed by Kelly and directed by Vincente Minnelli, inspired by the works of renowned impressionist painters. The film's soundtrack includes classic Gershwin tunes such as "S'Wonderful" and "I Got Rhythm," contributing to its vibrant and artistic portrayal of Paris.
"An American in Paris" received critical acclaim, winning multiple Academy Awards, including Best Picture, and is recognized as a significant precursor to musicals like "West Side Story." The film was digitally restored in 2010 and adapted into a successful Broadway musical in 2015, reflecting its enduring legacy in American cinema and culture.
An American in Paris (film)
- Release Date: 1951
- Director(s): Vincente Minnelli
- Writer(s): Alan Jay Lerner
- Principal Actors and Roles: Gene Kelly (Jerry Mulligan); Gene Kelly (Jerry Mulligan); Leslie Caron (Lise Bouvier); Georges Guetary (Henri Baurel); Oscar Levant (Adam Cook)
The film An American in Paris was built around MGM’s purchase of the film rights to George Gershwin’s An American in Paris suite. The film also featured a number of classic Gershwin songs including "S’Wonderful" and "I Got Rhythm." Additional Gershwin songs and music are used throughout the film’s soundtrack. Shot almost entirely on a soundstage, An American in Paris also includes some establishing shots of Paris, France.
An American in Paris was strongly influenced by the 1948 film The Red Shoes. The earlier film was loosely based on the Hans Christian Anderson story of the same name. In the Anderson story a pair of red dance shoes, once put on, can never be taken off until the owner dances herself to death. The film includes a dance sequence based on the Anderson story. It was one of the first films to incorporate a long ballet sequence, and Kelly used the concept to create his ballet featuring himself, Leslie Caron in her film debut, and the "American in Paris Ballet."
The film’s seventeen-minute ballet, conceived by director Vincente Minnelli and actor/choreographer Gene Kelly, was choreographed to the An American in Paris suite. The high energy, high budget extravaganza was intended to represent Paris from the point of view of a painter. It included multiple sequences, each with its own set, costumes, and color scheme based on the works of impressionists including Raoul Dufy, Pierre Renoir, Marice Utrillo, Henri Rousseau, Vincent Van Gogh, and Henri de Toulouse-Lautrec. Multiple additional dance sequences were also included in the film, including the famous "Stairway to Paradise" and "Dance in the Mirror."
Plot
An American in Paris takes place just after the end of World War II. Jerry Mulligan is an ex-GI who decided to stay on in Paris after the war, to try his hand at painting. So far he has not been terribly successful; as a result he lives in a tiny garret on the left bank. Jerry’s friend Adam Cook, a concert pianist, is now reduced to playing in the bistro in Jerry’s building.
Adam was once the accompanist for a French entertainer, Henri Baurel; Henri is in the bistro when he shows Adam the photograph of his girlfriend Lise and waxes poetic about her many virtues. Henri explains that his family took her in when she was orphaned during the war; as she grew to adulthood, he fell in love with her. As Henri talks, the viewer sees Lise in a series of ballet-based vignettes acting out each aspect of her personality.
Jerry meets Henri briefly as he stops to greet Adam, and then heads out to the street corner to sell his paintings. He is delighted when a wealthy American woman, Milo Roberts, purchases two of them, and invites him back to her hotel to receive payment. There, Milo invites Jerry to a party while also offering to promote his work.
When Jerry arrives at Milo’s hotel room, he discovers he’s the only guest. Assuming that Milo is trying to seduce him in exchange for her patronage, he is offended and heads for the door. Milo assures him that she is interested only in his artwork. Jerry finally agrees to have dinner with Milo—but only at a restaurant that he can afford: Cafe Flaubert on Montparnasse.
At the nightclub, Milo introduces Jerry to an art dealer, Tommy Baldwin. As they talk, a young girl at the club, Lise Bouvier, captivates Jerry. He asks Tommy to introduce him to Lise, and insists upon dancing with her to the Gershwin melody "Our Love Is Here to Stay." Lise is not immediately attracted to Jerry, but she gives him her phone number. Milo is angry, and tells Jerry so in no uncertain terms.
The next day, Jerry goes to the perfume shop where Lise works, and, after verbal sparring, convinces her to meet him for a date. He visits his friend Adam to tell him the good news, and the two sing and tap dance to the song "Tra-la-la."
That evening, Jerry and Lise meet by the Seine. They talk, and then dance to the song "Our Love Is Here to Stay." When the song is done, Lise runs off to watch her fiancé, Henri, as he performs the number "I’ll Build a Stairway to Paradise." Henri talks to Lise about his plans for their future, including a world tour after they are married.
Back at Adam’s apartment, Jerry and Adam discuss Jerry’s relationship with Milo. Jerry and Milo leave together, and Adam imagines himself a famous piano performer, playing Gershwin’s "Piano Concerto in F" to an adoring audience.
Milo tells Jerry her plans for him: she will provide him with his own studio, and plan for a one-man show of his art in a few months. She is in no hurry for him to pay her back. After some reluctance, Jerry throws himself into his work, producing a number of works one after the other.
At the bistro under Jerry’s apartment, Adam learns from Jerry that he is in love with Lise—Henri’s fiancé—and from Henri that a marriage is imminent. Jerry and Henri, not realizing they are in love with the same girl, join together in singing "S’Wonderful," each singing about the girl of his dreams.
At the bridge over the Seine, Lise and Jerry meet and talk. Lise finally tells Jerry about Henri, while Jerry explains about his relationship with Milo. Assuming they will never be together, Jerry goes with Milo as her date to a masquerade ball where they meet up with Adam, Henri, and Lise. Jerry and Lise bid each other a fond adieu.
Jerry looks sadly out the window, and fantasizes about the love he has lost. His fantasy takes the form of an elaborate seventeen minute ballet. When the dance concludes and reality returns, Jerry sees Lise and Henri together in the street. Lise is kissing Henri goodbye: he has released her from her engagement, and she rushes inside, straight into Jerry’s arms.
Significance
An American in Paris won Academy Awards for best picture, screenplay, musical score, art design, costume design, and cinematography. It also received nominations for best editing and director. The Academy also presented Gene Kelly with a special award for his work in film choreography.
An American in Paris was one of the first American films to make extensive use of ballet as a musical comedy dance form. It was thus an important forerunner to movies such as West Side Story.
In many ways, An American in Paris was similar to an even more significant Minnelli-Kelly collaboration, Singin’ in the Rain, produced in 1952. Singin’ in the Rain features a set of very similar characters in almost identical relationships, along with extensive and complex song and dance numbers.
The film was digitally restored and re-released in 2010, and was turned into a successful Broadway musical which opened in New York in 2015.
Awards and nominations
Won
- Academy Award (1951) Best Art Direction (Color)
- Academy Award (1951) Best Cinematography (Color)
- Academy Award (1951) Best Music ()
- Academy Award (1951) Best Picture ()
- Academy Award (1951) Best Picture
- Academy Award (1951) Best Screenplay (Original): Alan Jay Lerner
- Academy Award (1951) Best Costume Design (Color): Orry-Kelly, Walter Plunkett, Irene Sharaff
- Golden Globe (1952) Best Motion Picture (Musical or Comedy)
Nominated
- Academy Award (1951) Best Director: Vincente Minnelli
Bibliography
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Dirks, Tim. "An American in Paris: Movie Review." AMC Filmsite. American Movie Classics, 2015. Web. 24 Nov.2015. <http://www.filmsite.org/amer.html>.
Ebert, Roger. "An American in Paris." RogerEbert.com. Ebert Digital, 2 Oct. 1992. Web. 24 Nov. 2015. <http://www.rogerebert.com/reviews/an-american-in-paris-1951>.
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