Gigi (1949)

Gilberte is a sixteen year old girl raised by her aunt and grandmother to be a demimondaine. But she's not ready for that yet, and spends her days in lessons and in teasing Mamita's old ... See full summary »

Director:

Jacqueline Audry

Writers:

Colette (novel), Pierre Laroche (adaptation)

Stars:

Gaby Morlay, Jean Tissier, Yvonne de Bray

Cast

Complete credited cast:
Gaby Morlay	...	Tante Alicia
Jean Tissier	...	Honoré
Yvonne de Bray	...	Mamita
Franck Villard	...	Gaston
Paul Demange	...	Emmanuel
Madeleine Rousset	...	Liane d'Exelmans
Pierre Juvenet	...	Monsieur Lachaille
Michel Flamme	...	Sandomir
Colette Georges	...	Minouche
Yolande Laffon	...	Madame Lachaille
Hélène Pépée	...	Andrée
Danièle Delorme	...	Gilberte dite 'Gigi'

Storyline

Gilberte is a sixteen year old girl raised by her aunt and grandmother to be a demimondaine. But she's not ready for that yet, and spends her days in lessons and in teasing Mamita's old friend, the rich playboy Gaston LaChaille, and following his affairs from afar. But when Gaston throws off his latest mistress, it looks as if Gigi just might be ready to begin her destined career.

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Plot Keywords:

based on novel | character name in title

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Genres:

Comedy

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Details

Country:

France

Language:

French

Release Date:

5 October 1949 (France)

Also Known As:

Gigi, i poniri parthena

Filming Locations:

Studios Eclair, Epinay-sur-Seine, Seine-Saint-Denis, France

Company Credits

Production Co:

Codo Cinéma

Technical Specs

Runtime:

82 min

Sound Mix:

Mono

Color:

Black and White

Aspect Ratio:

1.37 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

The main theme that permeates the score was not composed by the film's credited composer, but by F.D. Marchetti, who wrote it in 1932. It was the basis for the popular song, "Fascination", with English lyric by Dick Manning. The song's copyright was renewed in 1945 and again in 1954. It was used to great effect, resulting in its most successful run on the hit parade, in the film Love in the Afternoon.

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Connections

Version of Gigi (1925)

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Soundtracks

"Fascination"
(uncredited)
Music by F.D. Marchetti
Played during the opening credits and often in the score

User Reviews

"She raised her gloved bird-like hands....

....to shield her eyes from the klieg lights ,and dramatically pointed at Audrey (Hepburn) "Voilà ,she said.That's my Gigi! (Diana Maychicks ,A.H.,an intimate portrait) It was not to be ;Hepburn told writer Colette she could not act,could never play a leading act and finally they cast new-comer Danielle Delorme as Gigi .

Jacqueline Audry was the first real female French director in history;some will argue and say the Germaine Dulac and Alice Guy came before;but it was in the silent age and Audry was the first modern woman Metteuse En Scene ,ten years before Agnes Varda;both Audry and Varda were interested in woman 's psychology;both were sometimes ambiguous though.

You can hardly call "Gigi" woman's lib: a young girl trained by her aunt to be a courtezan ,two men who are not particularly handsome,even French buck Frank Villard Audry will be used with better results in Sartre 's "Huis Clos" .I must confess I do not like Gigi's story ,I cannot feel "the coquettish child who develops into a warm ,loving woman";this is old hat stuff ,straight from the Ark.

It is somewhat better than Minnelli's remake : a musical,none of the songs is memorable and Maurice Chevalier is as unbearable as Jean Tissier.

There are fine lines by Colette though "we 're not ordinary people!-Who are they? -They are married " and a funny "lesson in jewels" .