An American in Paris (1951)

User Rating:

7.3/10   

Director:

Vincente Minnelli

Writers:

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

Release Date:

4 February 1952 (Denmark)

Genre:

Musical | Romance

Tagline:

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

Plot:

Jerry Mulligan, a struggling American painter in Paris, is "discovered" by an influential heiress with an interest in more than Jerry's art...

Plot Keywords:

Art | Painter | Paris | Pianist | Dance

Awards:

Won 6 Oscars. Another 3 wins & 7 nominations

US TV Schedule:

Sun. July 19

8:00 PM

TCM

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	...	Bit Role (uncredited)
Joan Anderson	...	Bit Role (uncredited)
Marie Antoinette Andrews	...	News vendor (uncredited)
Martha Bamattre	...	Mathilde Mattieu (uncredited)
Charles Bastin	...	Smiling Young Man (uncredited)
Joan Bayley	...	Bit Role (uncredited)
Rodney Bieber	...	Bit Role (uncredited)
Madge Blake	...	Edna Mae Bestram (uncredited)
Nan Boardman	...	Maid (uncredited)
Dino Bolognese	...	Bartender (uncredited)
Eugene Borden	...	Georges Matthieu (uncredited)
Ann Brendon	...	'Stairway to Paradise' dancer (uncredited)
Peter Camlin	...	Artist (uncredited)
Sue Casey	...	'Stairway to Paradise' dancer (uncredited)
Monique Chantal	...	Audience Member (uncredited)
Andre Charisse	...	Patron at Flodair Cafe (uncredited)
Jack Chefe	...	Audience Member (uncredited)
Ann Codee	...	Therese (uncredited)
Louise Colombet	...	Woman with cats (uncredited)
Allan Cook	...	Bit Role (uncredited)
Adèle Coray	...	Honeymooner (uncredited)
Susan Cummings	...	Patron at Flodair Cafe (uncredited)
Viola Daniels	...	Patron at Flodair Cafe (uncredited)
Albert D'Arno	...	Waiter (uncredited)
George Davis	...	François (uncredited)
Paul De Corday	...	Bartender (uncredited)
George Dee	...	Waiter (uncredited)
René de Loffre	...	Bit Role (uncredited)
Gloria DeWerd	...	Bit Role (uncredited)
Jeannine Ducasse	...	Bit Role (uncredited)
Art Dupuis	...	Driver (uncredited)
John Eldredge	...	Jack Jansen (uncredited)
Carli Elinor	...	Bit Role (uncredited)
Marietta Elliott	...	'Stairway to Paradise' dancer (uncredited)
Eric Freeman	...	Bit Role (uncredited)
Mary Jane French	...	'Stairway to Paradise' dancer (uncredited)
Captain Garcia	...	Man at shutters (uncredited)
John Gardner	...	Bit Role (uncredited)
Mary Ellen Gleason	...	'Stairway to Paradise' dancer (uncredited)
Shirley Glickman	...	Bit Role (uncredited)
Claude Guy	...	Bit Role (uncredited)
Pat Hall	...	'Stairway to Paradise' dancer (uncredited)
Betty Hannon	...	Bit Role (uncredited)
Jack Harmon	...	Bit Role (uncredited)
Jean Harrison	...	Bit Role (uncredited)
Marian Horosko	...	Bit Role (uncredited)
Don Hulbert	...	Bit Role (uncredited)
Harvey Karels	...	Bit Role (uncredited)
David Kasday	...	Bit Role (uncredited)
Stephen Kirchner	...	Bit Role (uncredited)
Tommy Ladd	...	Bit Role (uncredited)
Isabel La Mal	...	Audience Member (uncredited)
Judy Landon	...	'Stairway to Paradise' dancer (uncredited)
Richard Landry	...	Bit Role (uncredited)
Michele Lange	...	Audience Member (uncredited)
Numa Lapeyre	...	Bit Role (uncredited)
Louis Laurent	...	Bearded Painter (uncredited)
Meredith Leeds	...	'Stairway to Paradise' dancer (uncredited)
Dick Lerner	...	Bit Role (uncredited)
Ruth Lewis	...	Girl at Ball (uncredited)
Shirley Lopez	...	Bit Role (uncredited)
Ralph Madlener	...	Bit Role (uncredited)
Dudley Field Malone	...	Winston Churchill (uncredited)
Bob Mascagno	...	Bit Role (uncredited)
Charles Mauu	...	Bit Role (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)
Leo Mostovoy	...	Audience Member (uncredited)
Noel Neill	...	American girl (uncredited)
Anna Q. Nilsson	...	Kay Jansen (uncredited)
Allen O'Locklin	...	Bit Role (uncredited)
Alfred Paix	...	Postman (uncredited)
Jetsy Parker	...	Bit Role (uncredited)
Albert Pollet	...	Man at table (uncredited)
Don Quinn	...	Honeymooner (uncredited)
Ricky Ricardi	...	Bit Role (uncredited)
Marilyn Rogers	...	'Stairway to Paradise' dancer (uncredited)
Jean Romaine	...	'Stairway to Paradise' dancer (uncredited)
Hayden Rorke	...	Tommy Baldwin (uncredited)
Dennis Ross	...	Bit Role (uncredited)
Albert Ruiz	...	Bit Role (uncredited)
Betty Scott	...	Bit Role (uncredited)
Linda Scott	...	Bit Role (uncredited)
Rudolph Silva	...	Bit Role (uncredited)
Pat Simms	...	Bit Role (uncredited)
Melba Snowden	...	Bit Role (uncredited)
John Stanley	...	Bit Role (uncredited)
Sam Strangis	...	G.I. (uncredited)
Beverly Thompson	...	'Stairway to Paradise' dancer (uncredited)
Dorothy Tuttle	...	Bit Role (uncredited)
Maya Van Horn	...	Audience Member (uncredited)
Pat Volasko	...	Bit Role (uncredited)
Dorothy Ward	...	Bit Role (uncredited)
Pamela Wells	...	Bit Role (uncredited)
Dick Wessel	...	Ben Macrow (uncredited)
Mary Young	...	Flower Lady (uncredited)
Lila Zali	...	Bit Role (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
Saul Chaplin		(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

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

Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
Alfred Raboch	....	assistant director (uncredited)

Art Department
F. Keogh Gleason	....	associate set decorator (as Keogh Gleason)
Gene Grant	....	painter: Gene Kelly's paintings

Sound Department
Douglas Shearer	....	recording supervisor
Van Allen James	....	sound editor (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	....	photographer: ballet

Costume and Wardrobe Department
Walter Plunkett	....	costume designer: Beaux Arts Ball
Irene Sharaff	....	costume designer: ballet

Music Department
Saul Chaplin	....	musical director
George Gershwin	....	composer: songs
Ira Gershwin	....	lyricist
Johnny Green	....	musical director
Conrad Salinger	....	orchestrator
Benny Carter	....	orchestrator (uncredited)
Robert Franklyn	....	orchestrator (uncredited)
Johnny Green	....	orchestrator (uncredited)
Wally Heglin	....	orchestrator (uncredited)
Skip Martin	....	orchestrator (uncredited)
Albert Sendrey	....	orchestrator (uncredited)

Other crew
Peter Ballbusch	....	montage sequences by
James Gooch	....	technicolor color consultant
Henri Jaffa	....	technicolor color consultant
Gene Kelly	....	choreographer
Carol Haney	....	assistant choreographer (uncredited)
Gene Kelly	....	director: Lise introduction dance sequence (uncredited)
Alex Romero	....	assistant choreographer (uncredited)

Production Companies

• Loew's

Distributors

• Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer (MGM) (1951) (USA) (theatrical)
• National Broadcasting Company (NBC) (1971) (USA) (TV) (original airing)
• Chapel Distribution (1997) (Australia) (theatrical)
• MGM Home Entertainment (1999) (USA) (DVD)
• 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)

Runtime:

113 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English | French

Color:

Color (Technicolor)

Aspect Ratio:

1.37 : 1

Sound Mix:

Mono (Western Electric Sound System)

Certification:

Portugal:M/6 | West Germany:12 | New Zealand:G | Canada:G (video rating) | USA:Passed (National Board of Review) | Argentina:Atp | Australia:G | Australia:PG (alternate rating) | Chile:TE | Finland:S | Peru:PT | Sweden:Btl | USA:Approved (certificate #14898) | UK:U

Filming Locations:

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

Company:

Loew's

Trivia:

Despite the objections of Gene Kelly who wanted to shoot on location in Paris, the movie was shot at MGM Studios in California, on 44 sets built for the film. It was reportedly difficult for the studio to secure travel arrangements or locations for shooting. Two shots in the picture are from Paris, but they don't involve Kelly.

Goofs:

Crew or equipment visible: Shadow tracks across Henri while he is seated singing "'S Wonderful", as the camera begins to pull back.

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:

Featured in Iskanderija... lih? (1978)

Soundtrack:

Our Love Is Here To Stay

Experiencing Paris With Gershwin

Gene Kelly came up with some really grand ideas for musicals while with MGM. Here he's at the top of his creative powers working with the Arthur Freed musical unit. Hard to believe when you watch An American In Paris that the players never left the back lot at MGM.

The magic of An American In Paris is due to the creative editing under the direction of Vincent Minnelli and the sets that MGM designed blended with some background establishing shots. The idea of the film originated with Kelly who wanted simply to do a film with a lengthy ballet sequence involving George Gershwin's tone poem An American in Paris. It sounded good to Arthur Freed who approached Ira Gershwin who said fine with him as long as they used other Gershwin material.

Gershwin got the kind of deal for Gershwin music that Irving Berlin normally got. Not one note of non-Gershwin music is heard in An American in Paris. Listen to some of the background music and you will hear things like Embraceable You and But Not For Me which are not real musical numbers.

Another guy who was a fair hand at writing lyrics, Alan Jay Lerner, wrote the story which admittedly is a thin one. All about an ex-GI played by Gene Kelly who after World War II never left France, just settled into an apartment on the Left Bank and proceeded to become a starving artist. He lives with eccentric composer Oscar Levant and does that ever sound like a redundancy.

Two women are interested in him. Another expatriate American played by Nina Foch who wants to sponsor him as a painter if he'll reciprocate in other matters. But Kelly falls for a shop girl played by Leslie Caron in her film debut. Caron also has musical comedy star Georges Guetary interested in here.

Of course the plot is just an excuse to sing and dance to the music of George Gershwin. An American in Paris happens to be the first film I ever saw as an in flight movie on the first airplane trip I ever took. I still remember flying back from Phoenix Arizona to Kennedy Airport seeing Gene Kelly doing I've Got Rhythm. My favorite number in the film however is Tra-La-La which Kelly sings and dances all over the apartment with Oscar Levant playing the piano. At one point Kelly dances on top of the baby grand piano.

In a book about Arthur Freed, I read a quote where he said in the American in Paris ballet sequence was to be done with the background of the French impressionists which he felt the public would take to rather than a realistic setting on the streets or back lot. So it happened that way. Kelly had done lengthy ballet sequences in Words and Music, The Pirate, and On the Town. But this one topped them all. Still does in my opinion and that includes some of Gene Kelly's later films.

In a surprise upset at the Oscars, An American In Paris was chosen best picture for 1951, beating out the heavily favored A Streetcar Named Desire. I guess fantasy trumped realism that year. Big budgets also have an upper hand in these things as well.

Still An American in Paris is one of the best movie musicals ever done and since the studios no longer have all that creative talent under one roof, something less likely to be repeated.