"An American in Paris"
There is a wonderful and lengthy
sequence towards the end of Vincente Minnelli's An American in Paris that
plays to actor Gene Kelly's greatest strength, dancing. Kelly looks to be
having too much fun. I don't know how he does it. Kelly is one of
those Hollywood legends that could do it all. He could sing, dance, act,
direct, and choreograph. For this film, Kelly did all five, but was
credited with only the first three. We are treated to a mesmerizing arrangement
of beautiful movement and glorious Technicolor in this film. The music of
George Gershwin is fully realized in such stunning and grand fashion you can't
help but fall in love with this picture.
Jerry Mulligan (Kelly) is a
struggling and starving artist living in a space so cramped and small it makes
a studio apartment look substantially spacious. He seems content with his
life though. The man loves Paris. Jerry's buddy Adam (Oscar Levant)
is a musical genius who earned a scholarship because really knows how to tickle
the ivories on his piano, but alas he is also going nowhere as well. They
both are waiting for their big break. The two also have a mutual friend,
Henri (Georges Guetary,) who's dating a girl that embodies all the greatest
qualities a guy could ever want. While opening his street corner studio
for the day, Jerry's paintings attract the eye of the rather wealthy and
somewhat older Milo Roberts (Nina Foch.) She admires his work and adores
him. Milo wants Jerry's dreams to come true. She offers him the
chance to have his own legitimate art studio where he can create masterpieces
so they can be unveiled at his own private showing. Milo is also looking
for some male companionship out of Jerry as well but he has his sights set on
the graceful and lovely Lise (Leslie Caron.) Little does Jerry know, Lise
is the girl who Henri is smitten with and soon a love triangle is formed.
An American in Paris is a
ballad set to the works of Mr. Gershwin. Imagine a blank canvas, and
story of Jerry's life is the subject with Gershwin's compositions used as a
reference. Minnelli uses his brush to paint broad strokes of lively
characters, a refreshing storyline, and bright, attractive costumes and
sets. I found myself enjoying this film much more than Minnelli's other
film, Gigi. The story is much easier to get into and the
characters more interesting and relatable. I understand the motives that
drive Jerry to something more than just a starving artist. He wants to
better himself but also have a good time doing it through song and dance.
Something that most impressed me
about Kelly in this film was his utilization of space when performing a musical
number. It didn't matter how big or small the set was, he really knew how
to take advantage of every square inch of whatever space he was
occupying. It takes special level of talent to make an audience fall in
love with a character. A certain high level of on screen presence and
showmanship follows Kelly through every minute of this film. His
relentless approach to creating a character that is so charming and likable
seems so effortless for him. The same could be said about how I felt
about Kelly's performance in Singin' in the Rain.
Lovers of musicals and Gershwin
will truly appreciate what this film was to offer. The picture brims with
confidence from start to finish in truly fantastic fashion. I've said
this before and I will continue to say it, I wish that Hollywood would revive the lost genre of musical
cinema. An American in Paris boasts a caliber of pleasant
filmmaking that is rarely seen nowadays which is another reason I was so
impressed with the picture. I don't know what sort of person Mr. Kelly
was like in his personal life, but his on screen persona is incredibly
delightful. Lots of fun scenes, breathtaking choreography, and an
original, stimulating screenplay makes An American in Paris a memorable and enchanting piece of cinema
that left me pining for more. I envy Kelly for being so talented.
He and Minnelli really know how to put on a good show!
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