An American in Paris (1951)

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Gene Kelly does his patented Pal Joey bit as Jerry Mulligan, an opportunistic American painter living in Paris' "starving artists" colony. He is discovered by wealthy Milo Roberts (Nina Foch), who becomes Jerry's patroness in more ways than one. Meanwhile, Jerry plays hookey on this setup by romancing waif-like Lise Bouvier (Leslie Caron) -- who, unbeknownst to him, is the object of the affections of his close friend Henri (Georges Guetary), a popular nightclub performer. (The film was supposed to make Guetary into "the New Chevalier." It didn't.) The thinnish plot is held together by the superlative production numbers and by the recycling of several vintage George Gershwin tunes, including "I Got Rhythm," "'S Wonderful," and "Our Love Is Here to Stay." Highlights include Guetary's rendition of "Stairway to Paradise"; Oscar Levant's fantasy of conducting and performing Gershwin's "Concerto in F" (Levant also appears as every member of the orchestra); and the closing 17-minute "American in Paris" ballet, in which Kelly and Caron dance before lavish backgrounds based on the works of famed French artists. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide

Theatrical Feature Running Time:

114 mins

Complete Cast:

Director(s):

Vincente Minnelli

Writer(s):

Alan Jay Lerner

Producer(s):

Arthur Freed

Categories:

Music & Performing Arts

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• 1998 - An American in Paris - American Film Institute - 100 Greatest American Movies
• 1951 - An American in Paris - Golden Globe - Best Picture - Musical or Comedy
• 1951 - An American in Paris - Hollywood Foreign Press Association - Best Picture - Musical or Comedy
• 1992 - An American in Paris - Library of Congress - U.S. National Film Registry