An American in Paris (1951)

Director:

Vincente Minnelli

Writers:

Alan Jay Lerner (story)
Alan Jay Lerner (screenplay)

Release Date:

11 November 1951 (USA)

Genre:

Musical | Romance

Tagline:

What a joy! It's M-G-M's Technicolor musical!

Plot:

Three friends struggle to find work in Paris. However, things become more complicated when two of them fall in love with the same woman.

Plot Keywords:

Singer | Painter | Pianist | Art | French

Awards:

Won 6 Oscars. Another 4 wins & 7 nominations

Cast

Gene Kelly	...	Jerry Mulligan
Leslie Caron	...	Lise Bouvier
Oscar Levant	...	Adam Cook
Georges Guétary	...	Henri Baurel (as Georges Guetary)
Nina Foch	...	Milo Roberts
The American In Paris Ballet	...	Ballet Dancers
rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Robert Ames	...	Ballet Dancer (uncredited)
Joan Anderson	...	Child in Ballet (uncredited)
Marie Antoinette Andrews	...	News Vendor (uncredited)
Martha Bamattre	...	Mathilde Mattieu (uncredited)
Felice Basso	...	Ballet Dancer (uncredited)
Charles Bastin	...	Smiling Young Man (uncredited)
Joan Bayley	...	Ballet Dancer (uncredited)
Janine Bergez	...	Girl (uncredited)
Rodney Bieber	...	Ballet Dancer (uncredited)
Madge Blake	...	Edna Mae Bestram (uncredited)
Ralph Blum Jr.	...	Patron at Flodair Café (uncredited)
Nan Boardman	...	Maid (uncredited)
Dino Bolognese	...	Bartender (uncredited)
Eugene Borden	...	Georges Matthieu (uncredited)
Ann Brendon	...	'Stairway to Paradise' Dancer (uncredited)
Florence Brundage	...	Fury (uncredited)
Monica Bucky	...	Girl (uncredited)
Peter Camlin	...	Artist (uncredited)
David Carlin	...	Strongman (uncredited)
Sue Casey	...	'Stairway to Paradise' Dancer (uncredited)
Monique Chantal	...	Audience Member (uncredited)
Andre Charisse	...	Patron at Flodair Café / Dancing Partner (uncredited)
Jack Chefe	...	Audience Member (uncredited)
Ann Codee	...	Therese (uncredited)
Louise Colombet	...	Woman with Cats (uncredited)
Allan Cook	...	Ballet Dancer (uncredited)
Adèle Coray	...	Honeymooner (uncredited)
Susan Cummings	...	Patron at Flodair Café (uncredited)
Albert D'Arno	...	Waiter (uncredited)
Viola Daniels	...	Patron at Flodair Café (uncredited)
George Davis	...	François (uncredited)
Paul De Corday	...	Bartender (uncredited)
René de Loffre	...	Boy (uncredited)
George Dee	...	Waiter (uncredited)
Ralph Del Campo	...	Ballet Dancer (uncredited)
Gloria DeWerd	...	Ballet Dancer (uncredited)
Jeannine Ducasse	...	Girl (uncredited)
Art Dupuis	...	Driver (uncredited)
John Eldredge	...	Jack Jansen (uncredited)
Carli Elinor	...	Ballet Dancer (uncredited)
Marietta Elliott	...	'Stairway to Paradise' Dancer (uncredited)
George Ellsworth	...	Ballet Dancer (uncredited)
Eugene Faccuito	...	Ballet Dancer (uncredited)
Ernie Flatt	...	Dancing G.I. (uncredited)
Marie Francoise	...	Girl (uncredited)
Eric Freeman	...	Ballet Dancer (uncredited)
Mary Jane French	...	'Stairway to Paradise' Dancer (uncredited)
Captain Garcia	...	Man at Shutters (uncredited)
John Gardner	...	Child in Ballet (uncredited)
Mary Ellen Gleason	...	'Stairway to Paradise' Dancer (uncredited)
Shirley Glickman	...	Ballet Dancer (uncredited)
Ricardo Gonzáles	...	Ballet Dancer (uncredited)
Madeline Gradin	...	Child in Ballet (uncredited)
André Guy	...	Boy (uncredited)
Claude Guy	...	Boy (uncredited)
Judy Hall	...	Girl at Ball (uncredited)
Patricia Hall	...	'Stairway to Paradise' Dancer (uncredited)
Betty Hannon	...	Ballet Dancer (uncredited)
Jack Harmon	...	Ballet Dancer (uncredited)
Jean Harrison	...	Ballet Dancer (uncredited)
Linda Heller	...	Child in Ballet (uncredited)
Marian Horosko	...	Ballet Dancer (uncredited)
Don Hulbert	...	Ballet Dancer (uncredited)
Dickie Humphreys	...	Dancing G.I. (uncredited)
Harvey Karels	...	Ballet Dancer (uncredited)
David Kasday	...	Child in Ballet (uncredited)
Stephen Kirchner	...	Ballet Dancer (uncredited)
Isabel La Mal	...	Audience Member (uncredited)
Tommy Ladd	...	Ballet Dancer (uncredited)
Jeanne Lafayette	...	Nun / Artist / French Girl (uncredited)
Judy Landon	...	'Stairway to Paradise' Dancer (uncredited)
Richard Landry	...	Ballet Dancer (uncredited)
Michele Lange	...	Audience Member (uncredited)
Numa Lapeyre	...	Girl (uncredited)
Louise Laureau	...	Nun / Woman at Table (uncredited)
Louis Laurent	...	Bearded Painter (uncredited)
Janet Lavis	...	Fury (uncredited)
Meredith Leeds	...	'Stairway to Paradise' Dancer (uncredited)
Dick Lerner	...	Ballet Dancer (uncredited)
Ruth Lewis	...	Girl at Ball (uncredited)
Eileen Locklin	...	Ballet Dancer (uncredited)
Shirley Lopez	...	Ballet Dancer (uncredited)
Wanda Lucienne	...	Woman on Phone (uncredited)
Ralph Madlener	...	Ballet Dancer (uncredited)
Bert Madrid	...	Ballet Dancer (uncredited)
Dudley Field Malone	...	Winston Churchill (uncredited)
Bob Mascagno	...	Ballet Dancer (uncredited)
Charles Mauu	...	Ballet Dancer (uncredited)
Paul Maxey	...	John McDowd (uncredited)
Anthony Mazzola	...	Boy with Bubble Gum (uncredited)
Leonard A. Mazzola	...	Young Man at Mirror (uncredited)
Greg McClure	...	Rugged G.I. (uncredited)
Svetlana McLe	...	Fury (uncredited)
Bonnie Menzies	...	Ballet Dancer (uncredited)
Mary Menzies	...	Fury (uncredited)
Sheila Meyers	...	Fury (uncredited)
Charles Millsfield	...	Man with Books (uncredited)
Leo Mostovoy	...	Audience Member (uncredited)
Noel Neill	...	American Girl (uncredited)
Anna Q. Nilsson	...	Kay Jansen (uncredited)
Allen O'Locklin	...	Undetermined Role (uncredited)
Roy Ossorio	...	Ballet Dancer (uncredited)
Alfred Paix	...	Postman (uncredited)
Jetsy Parker	...	Ballet Dancer (uncredited)
Christian Pasques	...	Boy with Bubble Gum (uncredited)
Lucien Plauzoles	...	Boy with Bubble Gum (uncredited)
Pierre Plauzoles	...	Boy (uncredited)
Albert Pollet	...	Man at Table (uncredited)
Don Quinn	...	Honeymooner (uncredited)
Anne Belle Rasmussen	...	Child in Ballet (uncredited)
Ricky Ricardi	...	Ballet Dancer (uncredited)
Carol Risser	...	Ballet Dancer (uncredited)
Marilyn Rogers	...	'Stairway to Paradise' Dancer (uncredited)
Jean Romaine	...	'Stairway to Paradise' Dancer (uncredited)
Alex Romero	...	Dancing G.I. (uncredited)
Hayden Rorke	...	Tommy Baldwin (uncredited)
Dennis Ross	...	Child in Ballet (uncredited)
Albert Ruiz	...	Ballet Dancer (uncredited)
Marilyn Russell	...	Ballet Dancer (uncredited)
Betty Scott	...	Ballet Dancer (uncredited)
Linda Scott	...	Ballet Dancer (uncredited)
Rudolph Silva	...	Ballet Dancer (uncredited)
Pat Simms	...	Ballet Dancer (uncredited)
Melba Snowden	...	Ballet Dancer (uncredited)
John Stanley	...	Ballet Dancer (uncredited)
Sam Strangis	...	G.I. (uncredited)
Phyllis Sutton	...	Fury (uncredited)
Beverly Thompson	...	'Stairway to Paradise' Dancer (uncredited)
Yves Troendle	...	Boy (uncredited)
Peter Troiekouroff	...	Boy (uncredited)
Dee Turnell	...	Fury (uncredited)
Dorothy Tuttle	...	Ballet Dancer (uncredited)
Maya Van Horn	...	Audience Member (uncredited)
Pat Volasko	...	Ballet Dancer (uncredited)
Dorothy Ward	...	Ballet Dancer (uncredited)
Ray Weamer	...	Ballet Dancer (uncredited)
Pamela Wells	...	Child in Ballet (uncredited)
Dick Wessel	...	Ben Macrow (uncredited)
Herbert Winters	...	G.I. (uncredited)
Mary Young	...	Flower Lady (uncredited)
Lila Zali	...	Ballet Dancer (uncredited)

Directed by
Vincente Minnelli

Writing credits
Alan Jay Lerner		(story)
Alan Jay Lerner		(screenplay)

Produced by
Arthur Freed	....	producer
Roger Edens	....	associate producer (uncredited)

Original Music by
Conrad Salinger		(uncredited)

Cinematography by
Alfred Gilks		(director of photography)

Film Editing by
Adrienne Fazan

Art Direction by
E. Preston Ames		(as Preston Ames)
Cedric Gibbons

Set Decoration by
Edwin B. Willis

Costume Design by
Orry-Kelly		(costumes designed by)

Makeup Department
Sydney Guilaroff	....	hair styles designer
William Tuttle	....	makeup creator
Robert J. Schiffer	....	makeup artist (uncredited)

Production Management
J.J. Cohn	....	unit manager (uncredited)
Jay Marchant	....	unit manager (uncredited)
Walter Strohm	....	production manager (uncredited)

Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
Hugh Boswell	....	assistant director (uncredited)
Alfred Raboch	....	assistant director (uncredited)
Edward Woehler	....	assistant director (uncredited)

Art Department
F. Keogh Gleason	....	associate set decorator (as Keogh Gleason)
Gene Grant	....	paintings: Gene Kelly's
Henry Greutert	....	lead sculptor (uncredited)

Sound Department
Douglas Shearer	....	recording supervisor
Van Allen James	....	sound editor (uncredited)
Standish J. Lambert	....	sound (uncredited)

Special Effects by
Warren Newcombe	....	special effects
Irving G. Ries	....	special effects

Stunts
Russell Saunders	....	stunt double: Gene Kelly (uncredited)

Camera and Electrical Department
John Alton	....	ballet photographer
Richard Borland	....	grip (uncredited)
Al Lane	....	camera operator (uncredited)
Sid Moore	....	electrician (uncredited)
Wes Shanks	....	gaffer (uncredited)

Costume and Wardrobe Department
Walter Plunkett	....	costumes designer: Beaux Arts Ball
Irene Sharaff	....	ballet costumes designer
Joan Joseff	....	costume jeweller (uncredited)

Editorial Department
Peter Ballbusch	....	montage sequences
William LeVanway	....	editorial supervisor (uncredited)

Music Department
Saul Chaplin	....	musical director
George Gershwin	....	music by
Ira Gershwin	....	lyricist
Johnny Green	....	musical director
Conrad Salinger	....	orchestrator
Samuel Albert	....	musician (uncredited)
Alex Alexander	....	musician (uncredited)
Gus Bivona	....	musician (uncredited)
John Boudreaux	....	musician (uncredited)
Benny Carter	....	orchestrator (uncredited)
Alec Compinsky	....	musician (uncredited)
David Crocov	....	musician (uncredited)
Robert Franklyn	....	orchestrator (uncredited)
Jakob Gimpel	....	musician: piano (uncredited)
Max Gralnick	....	musician (uncredited)
Saul Grant	....	musician (uncredited)
Johnny Green	....	composer: additional music (uncredited)
Wally Heglin	....	orchestrator (uncredited)
Glen Johnston	....	musician (uncredited)
Sol Kindler	....	musician (uncredited)
Arthur Maebe	....	musician (uncredited)
Jack Marshall	....	musician: guitar (uncredited)
Skip Martin	....	orchestrator (uncredited)
Peter Mercurio	....	musician (uncredited)
Uan Rasey	....	musician: trumpet soloist (uncredited)
Milton Raskin	....	musician: piano (uncredited)
Albert Sendrey	....	orchestrator (uncredited)
Jack Teagarden	....	musician: trombone (uncredited)
Si Zentner	....	musician (uncredited)

Other crew
James Gooch	....	Technicolor color consultant
Henri Jaffa	....	Technicolor color consultant
Gene Kelly	....	choreographer
Kenton Andrews	....	researcher (uncredited)
Alain Antik	....	technical advisor (uncredited)
Jeanne Coyne	....	dance-in (uncredited)
Howard Dietz	....	unit publicist (uncredited)
Carol Haney	....	assistant dance director (uncredited)
Gene Kelly	....	director: Lise introduction dance sequence (uncredited)
Jane Loring	....	production assistant (uncredited)
Mack McLean	....	voice double: Oscar Levant (uncredited)
Rudi Monta	....	legal department (uncredited)
Alex Romero	....	assistant choreographer (uncredited)
Howard Strickling	....	director of publicity (uncredited)
Frank Whitbeck	....	trailer producer (uncredited)

Production Companies

• Loew's (produced by) (as Loew's Incorporated)

Distributors

• Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer (MGM) (1951) (USA) (theatrical) (as Metro Goldwyn Mayer)
• National Broadcasting Company (NBC) (1971) (USA) (TV) (original airing)
• Chapel Distribution (1997) (Australia) (theatrical)
• Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer (MGM) (1951) (Argentina) (theatrical)
• Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer (1953) (Austria) (theatrical)
• Argentina Video Home (2001) (Argentina) (DVD)
• Argentina Video Home (2001) (Argentina) (VHS)
• MGM Home Entertainment (1999) (USA) (DVD)
• MGM/CBS Home Video (1981) (USA) (video) (CED Videodisc)
• MGM/UA Home Entertainment (USA) (laserdisc)
• Vídeo Arte (Brazil) (VHS)
• Warner Home Video (2000) (USA) (DVD)
• Warner Home Video (2008) (USA) (DVD)
• Warner Home Vídeo (Brazil) (DVD)

Other Companies

• Pacific Title  titles (uncredited)
• Turner Entertainment  current copyright proprietor

Also Known As:

Runtime:

113 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English | French | German

Color:

Color (Technicolor)

Aspect Ratio:

1.37 : 1

Sound Mix:

Mono (Western Electric Sound System)

Certification:

Argentina:Atp | Australia:G | Australia:PG (alternate rating) | Finland:S | Peru:PT | Sweden:Btl | USA:Approved (certificate #14898) | UK:U | Portugal:M/6 | West Germany:12 (nf) | New Zealand:G | Canada:G (video rating) | USA:Passed (National Board of Review) | South Korea:All | UK:U (re-issue) (2011) | UK:U (video rating) (1987) (2003) | UK:U (tv rating) | USA:Unrated

Filming Locations:

Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer Studios - 10202 W. Washington Blvd., Culver City, California, USA

Company:

Loew's

Trivia:

At 38 Gene Kelly was 19 years older than his co-star Leslie Caron.

Goofs:

Continuity: In the café before "'S Wonderful", the level in Henri Baurel's sherry glass fluctuates wildly between shots. Also, Adam Cook knocks over his brandy glass and it falls under the table; then it reappears, then disappears.

Quotes:

[first lines]
Jerry Mulligan:This is Paris, and I'm an American who lives here. My name is Jerry Mulligan, and I'm an ex G.I. In 1945 when the army told me to find my own job, I stayed on. And I'll tell you why: I'm a painter, and all my life that's all I've ever wanted to do.

Movie Connections:

Referenced in "Jeopardy!: Episode #22.96" (2006)

Soundtrack:

I Got Rhythm

Response to comments

I felt it necessary to respond to the comments posted on the front page of this film's page because some of it was slightly misinformative.

Originally I posted quotes from the original poster, but I wasn't sure if it was proper given that this is the "comments" index and not a message board (though we used to use 'em that way back before IMDb added the film message boards) so I will edit this to make it unnecessary.

Well, first of all you may not be aware of this, but Gene Kelly first became famous for playing "Pal Joey" on Broadway in the original production. When Vincente Minnelli decided to make a Gershwin "panorama" film, he wanted Kelly's character to be more sophisticated than the "goody two shoes" roles he had been playing in most his films (with the exception of "For Me and My Gal"). Alan Jay Lerner was instructed to construct a new story set in Paris based on the story of "Pal Joey". This gave Kelly a chance to play his famous role from Broadway even though Warners had outbid MGM for the rights to "Pal Joey." In my opinion, the WB film "Pal Joey" is a wreck, though Sinatra was suitable for the role, but other problems sunk the film (script changes and poor direction. ===================================================

You complain that Kelly's pictures are not well done, even citing your art education to prove the point. But you miss the fact that Kelly's bad art was clearly designed to be bad, and it is necessary for the story/characters. The pictures are so bad, the audience knows that Kelly isn't ready for an exhibition. Even he knows it, though Milo has sort of sugared him up to the point where he almost believes her. But it's important that the audience not be sitting there saying "but, he's a great artist, if he only had the chance!". You want the audience to be fully aware of his deficiencies.

Then you complain that he sabotages his interest in the show; again you are not understanding the structure of the story. He refuses because he doesn't want to feel like a gigolo, and because he knows he's not really ready for the exhibition. His enthusiasm for the exhibition is certainly not as great as "Joey's" enthusiasm to "start a nightclub". But it serves the same function in the plot. Remember, it's essential in "Pal Joey" (the play) that Joey gives up his nightclub after he realizes that he doesn't deserve it. Same with the art show. If Kelly's paintings were actually good, it would undermine this whole point. ===================================================

Then you complain that Caron and Kelly have no "chemistry". I guess it's in the eye of the beholder. I agree, the chemistry between them is not as strong as it should be, but for me it was fine. Compare it to even worse "forced" romances like the one between Cary Grant and Sophia Loren in "The Pride and the Passion". ====================================================

When you say that the big dance finale has nothing to do with anything else in this film, it just shows that you haven't dug beneath the surface of the film into its symbolism. Many elements in the dance sequence relate to the story and characters, and through the dance the plot is resolved through images and symbolism. It's about finding love, enjoying love, then losing love (he looks around and his love is gone). The movements of the symphony are constructed so that part of each dance scene mirrors a separate phase of Parisian Art and also a separate phase of their relationships. If you didn't' see that, it's not the movie's fault. It's certainly not a "load of crap". ==================================================