An American in Paris (1951)

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

Director:

Vincente Minnelli

Writers:

Alan Jay Lerner (story by), Alan Jay Lerner (screen play by)

Stars:

Gene Kelly, Leslie Caron, Oscar Levant

Won 6 Oscars. Another 4 wins & 7 nominations.

Cast

Complete credited cast:
Gene Kelly	...	Jerry Mulligan
Leslie Caron	...	Lise Bouvier
Oscar Levant	...	Adam Cook
Georges Guétary	...	Henri Baurel (as Georges Guetary)
Nina Foch	...	Milo Roberts

Storyline

Jerry Mulligan, a struggling American painter in Paris, is "discovered" by an influential heiress with an interest in more than Jerry's art. Jerry in turn falls for Lise, a young French girl already engaged to a cabaret singer. Jerry jokes, sings and dances with his best friend, an acerbic would-be concert pianist, while romantic complications abound.

---

Plot Keywords:

winston churchill character | national film registry | afi | love | artist | 

---

Taglines:

What a joy to see M-G-M's Technicolor musical!

---

Genres:

Drama | Musical | Romance

---

Certificate:

Not Rated

Details

Country:

USA

Language:

English French German

Release Date:

11 November 1951 (USA)

Also Known As:

Ein Amerikaner in Paris

Filming Locations:

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

Box Office

Budget:

$2,723,903 (estimated)

Gross USA:

$4,500,000

Company Credits

Production Co:

Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer (MGM)

Technical Specs

Runtime:

114 min

Sound Mix:

Mono (Western Electric Sound System)

Color:

Color (Technicolor)

Aspect Ratio:

1.37 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

This film's director (Vincente Minnelli) screenwriter (Alan Jay Lerner) and one of its stars (Leslie Caron) would collaborate again seven years later on another M-G-M musical that also won a Best Picture Oscar, 1958's Gigi (which additionally won Academy Awards for Minnelli as Best Director and Lerner for Best Screenplay).

---

Goofs

After the ballet, when Jerry bends down to pick up the rose on the grown, the shadows are inconsistent between shots.

---

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.

---

Crazy Credits

And Presenting The American In Paris Ballet

---

Connections

Referenced in Sex and the City: An American Girl in Paris: Part Deux (2004)

---

Soundtracks

I Got Rhythm
(1930) (uncredited)
Music by George Gershwin
Lyrics by Ira Gershwin
Performed by Gene Kelly and children

User Reviews

He's got rhythm...

Okay, so the plot is on shaky ground. Yeah, all right, so there are some randomly inserted song and/or dance sequences (for example: Adam's concert and Henri's stage act). And Leslie Caron can't really, um, you know... act.

But somehow, 'An American In Paris' manages to come through it all as a polished, first-rate musical--largely on the basis of Gene Kelly's incredible dancing talent and choreography, and the truckloads of charm he seems to be importing into each scene with Caron. (He needs to, because she seems to have a... problem with emoting.)

The most accomplished and technically awe-inspiring number in this musical is obviously the 16-minute ballet towards the end of the film. It's stunningly filmed, and Kelly and Caron dance beautifully. But my favourite number would have to be Kelly's character singing 'I Got Rhythm' with a bunch of French school-children, then breaking into an array of American dances. It just goes to prove how you don't need special effects when you've got some real *talent*.

Not on the 'classics' level with 'Singin' In The Rain', but pretty high up there nonetheless. Worth the watch!