Gigi (1958)

Director:

Vincente Minnelli

Writers:

Alan Jay Lerner (screenplay)
Colette (novel)

Release Date:

4 August 1958 (Brazil)

Genre:

Comedy | Musical | Romance

Tagline:

The First Lerner-Loewe Musical Since "My Fair Lady"

Plot:

Weary of the conventions of Parisian society, a rich playboy and a youthful courtesan-in-training enjoy a platonic friendship, but it may not stay platonic for long.

Plot Keywords:

Playboy | 1900s | Love | Ice Rink | Courtship

Awards:

Won 9 Oscars. Another 16 wins & 5 nominations

Cast

Leslie Caron	...	Gigi
Maurice Chevalier	...	Honoré Lachaille
Louis Jourdan	...	Gaston Lachaille
Hermione Gingold	...	Madame Alvarez
Eva Gabor	...	Liane d'Exelmans
Jacques Bergerac	...	Sandomir
Isabel Jeans	...	Aunt Alicia
John Abbott	...	Manuel
rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Marie-Hélène Arnaud	...	Girl at Maxim's (uncredited)
Jack Ary	...	Waiter at "Palais de Glace" (uncredited)
Richard Bean	...	Harlequin (uncredited)
Cecil Beaton	...	Gentleman in Park (uncredited)
Jacques Bertrand	...	Maitre d'Hotel Maxim's (uncredited)
Hubert de Lapparent	...	Gaston's Private Secretary (uncredited)
Cilly Feindt	...	Girl on Horseback at Pré Catelan (uncredited)
Edwin Jerome	...	Charles - Alicia's Butler (uncredited)
Corinne Marchand	...	Young Lady with White Sunshade (uncredited)
Maurice Marsac	...	Prince Berensky (uncredited)
Anne-Marie Mersen	...	Girl at Maxim's (uncredited)
Bernard Musson	...	Guest at Maxim's (uncredited)
Dorothy Neumann	...	Designer (uncredited)
Jean Ozenne	...	Monsieur Lachaille (uncredited)
Maruja Plose	...	Mannequin (uncredited)
Roger Saget	...	Pierre (uncredited)
Pat Sheehan	...	Blonde (uncredited)
Marilyn Simms	...	Redhead (uncredited)
Lydia Stevens	...	Simone (uncredited)
Jack Trevan	...	Coachman (uncredited)
François Valorbe	...	Henri - Gaston's Butler (uncredited)
Monique van Vooren	...	Showgirl (uncredited)
Betty Wand	...	Gigi (uncredited) (singing voice)
Leroy Winebrenner	...	Lifeguard (uncredited)

Directed by
Vincente Minnelli

Writing credits
Alan Jay Lerner		(screenplay)
Colette		(novel)

Produced by
Arthur Freed	....	producer (uncredited)

Original Music by
André Previn		(uncredited)
Conrad Salinger		(uncredited)

Cinematography by
Joseph Ruttenberg		(director of photography)
Ray June		(uncredited)

Film Editing by
Adrienne Fazan

Casting by
Bobby Webb		(uncredited)

Production Design by
Cecil Beaton

Art Direction by
E. Preston Ames		(as Preston Ames)
William A. Horning

Set Decoration by
F. Keogh Gleason		(set decorations) (as Keogh Gleason)
Henry Grace		(set decorations)

Costume Design by
Cecil Beaton		(costumes design by)

Makeup Department
Sydney Guilaroff	....	hair stylist
Guillaume	....	hair stylist
Charles E. Parker	....	makeup artist (as Charles Parker)
William Tuttle	....	makeup artist
Robert J. Schiffer	....	makeup artist (uncredited)
Jack Wilson	....	makeup man (uncredited)

Production Management
Bill Ryan	....	unit manager (uncredited)

Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
William McGarry	....	assistant director
William Shanks	....	assistant director
E. Darrell Hallenbeck	....	second assistant director (uncredited)
Noël Howard	....	assistant director (uncredited)
Hank Moonjean	....	assistant director: France (uncredited)

Art Department
Cecil Beaton	....	scenery designer
Matty Azzarone	....	swing lead (uncredited)
Bill Graham	....	second prop man (uncredited)
Harry Lazzarre	....	props (uncredited)
David Stone Martin	....	drawings (uncredited)

Sound Department
Wesley C. Miller	....	recording supervisor (as Dr. Wesley C. Miller)
James Brock	....	sound mixer (uncredited)
Herman Groves	....	boom (uncredited)
Van Allen James	....	sound editor (uncredited)

Camera and Electrical Department
Mel Anderson	....	best boy (uncredited)
Ned Belford	....	assistant camera (uncredited)
Eric Carpenter	....	still photographer (uncredited)
Hank Forester	....	grip (uncredited)
Ace Riley	....	camera operator (uncredited)
C.E. Rogers	....	best boy (uncredited)
Wes Shanks	....	gaffer (uncredited)

Costume and Wardrobe Department
Joan Joseff	....	costume jeweller (uncredited)
Vicki Nichols	....	wardrobe: women (uncredited)
Dave Saltuper	....	wardrobe: men (uncredited)

Editorial Department
Charles K. Hagedon	....	color consultant
Margaret Booth	....	supervising editor (uncredited)
Jerome F. Brady	....	assistant editor (uncredited)

Music Department
Alan Jay Lerner	....	lyricist
Frederick Loewe	....	music by
André Previn	....	conductor
André Previn	....	music supervisor
Conrad Salinger	....	orchestrator
Robert Tucker	....	vocal supervision
Alexander Courage	....	additional orchestrator (uncredited)
Alexander Courage	....	composer: additional music (uncredited)
Maurice De Packh	....	additional orchestrator (uncredited)
Robert Franklyn	....	additional orchestrator (uncredited)
Uan Rasey	....	musician: trumpet soloist (uncredited)
Lela Simone	....	music (uncredited)
Albert Woodbury	....	additional orchestrator (uncredited)

Other crew
Françoise Bouchez	....	production assistant (uncredited)
Grace Dubray	....	script supervisor (uncredited)
Alex Romero	....	assistant choreographer (uncredited)
Bill Ryan	....	assistant to producer (uncredited)
Emily Torchia	....	publicist (uncredited)
Charles Walters	....	stager: "The Night They Invented Champagne" number (uncredited)

Thanks
Sem	....	acknowledgment: main title illustrations from drawings by

Production Companies

• Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer (MGM) (presents)
• Arthur Freed Production (as An Arthur Freed Production)

Distributors

• Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer (MGM) (1958) (USA) (theatrical)
• Turner Entertainment (1986-present) (worldwide) (all media)
• Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer (MGM) (1958) (West Germany) (theatrical)
• Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer (MGM) (1958) (Finland) (theatrical)
• Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer (MGM) (1959) (Argentina) (theatrical)
• Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer (MGM) (1959) (Japan) (theatrical)
• National Broadcasting Company (NBC) (1971) (USA) (TV) (original airing) (pan/scan)
• Mac Mahon Distribution (1997) (France) (theatrical)
• Argentina Video Home (2000) (Argentina) (VHS)
• Argentina Video Home (2001) (Argentina) (DVD)
• Argentina Video Home (2011) (Argentina) (DVD) (Colección Mejor Película)
• Epoca (????) (Argentina) (VHS)
• MGM Home Entertainment (1999) (USA) (DVD)
• MGM/UA Home Entertainment (USA) (laserdisc)
• Sandrew Metronome Distribution (????) (Finland) (DVD)
• Warner Home Video (2001) (Netherlands) (DVD)
• Warner Home Video (2008) (Netherlands) (DVD) (Blu-Ray Disc)
• Warner Home Video (2000) (USA) (DVD)
• Warner Home Video (2000) (USA) (VHS) (pan/scan)
• Warner Home Video (2008) (USA) (DVD)

Other Companies

• Musée Jacquemant-André  we gratefully acknowledge the use of, with special appreciation for permission to photograph interiors (as Musée Jacquemant-André of Paris)
• Maxim's  we gratefully acknowledge the use of, with special appreciation for permission to photograph interiors
• Carrère's Auberge de la Moutière  we gratefully acknowledge the use of, with special appreciation for permission to photograph interiors
• Palais de Glace  we gratefully acknowledge the use of, with special appreciation for permission to photograph interiors
• Crest Digital  restoration work (uncredited)
• Gardens and Parks of Paris, The  we gratefully acknowledge the use of (as The gardens and parks of Paris)
• Turner Entertainment  DVD package design
• Turner Entertainment  VHS package design

Also Known As:

Runtime:

115 min (Turner library print) (copyright length)

Country:

USA

Language:

English | French

Color:

Color (Metrocolor)

Aspect Ratio:

2.35 : 1

Sound Mix:

4-Track Stereo (Westrex Recording System) | Perspecta Stereo | Mono

Certification:

Argentina:Atp | Australia:G | Finland:K-16 | Germany:16 | Peru:PT | Sweden:15 | UK:PG (re-rating) (2004) | USA:G (re-rating) (1975) | Finland:K-3 (new rating: 2001) | Finland:K-7/5 (new rating: 1982) | New Zealand:PG | USA:Approved (certificate #18763) (original rating) | Canada:PG (video rating) | UK:A (original rating) | UK:PG (video rating) (1986) (1992) | UK:PG (tv rating) | USA:G | Portugal:M/12

Filming Locations:

Auberge de la Moutière - 14 Rue Moutière, Montfort-l'Amaury, Yvelines, France

Company:

Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer (MGM)

Trivia:

The soundtrack album is on the front cover of the Pink Floyd album "Ummagumma".

Goofs:

Audio/visual unsynchronized: As Gigi enters Maxim's, the patrons are all mouthing the lyrics to a song that is not heard (due to editing changes).

Quotes:

[first lines]
[Honore walks through Paris and greets the viewer]
Honore Lachaille:Good afternoon! As you see, this lovely city all around us is Paris, and this lovely park is of course the Bois de Boulogne. Who am I? Well, allow me to introduce myself: I am Honore Lachaille. Born: Paris. When...
[laughs]
Honore Lachaille:...not lately. This is 1900, so let's just say not in this century. Circumstances: comfortable. Profession: lover, and collector of beautiful things. Not antiques mind you, younger things.
[an elderly woman passes by]
Honore Lachaille:Yes, definitely younger. Married: what for? Now please don't misunderstand. Like everywhere else, most people in Paris get married, but not all. There are some who will not marry, and some who do not marry. But in Paris, those who will not marry are usually men, and those who do not marry are usually women.
[...]

Movie Connections:

Referenced in "The Darling Buds of May: A Breath of French Air: Part 1 (#1.5)" (1991)

Soundtrack:

Gigi

My Fair Lady it ain't...

...and thank goodness. Despite the good songs, the movie version of "My Fair Lady" hits a dull thud. In the words of Gaston Lachaille, "it's a bore!"

But this review isn't about "My Fair Lady". It's about one of the greatest musicals ever to be placed on cellulod - "Gigi", exquisite and as light as air!

Where do you start? The score and musical direction by Conrad Salinger and Andre Previn is one of the best. Vincente Minelli's direction frames Leslie Caron and Louis Jourdan wonderously and builds the chemistry between the two photogenic stars. Great support is provided by Hermione Gingold and the redoubtable Maurice Chevalier. Paris has never looked as glorious on film as this - amazing costume design, art direction, and set pieces.

And the songs - absolute classics! Lerner and Loewe really hit their stride with this - "Thank Heaven for Little Girls", "I Remember It Well", "The Night They Invented Champagne", and the beautiful title tune.

This movie has often served as an introduction to Maurice Chevalier for movie watchers, and he illuminates the screen. If you want to see him in another of the greatest musicals, watch "Love Me Tonight" with Jeanette MacDonald.

Thank heaven for this movie - it's a world that I would love to inhabit! I give it 10 out of 10.