An American in Paris: The MGM Screenplay

'An American in Paris' on Broadway: EW review

Contents:

  • Publications
  • ‘An American in Paris’ Stage Hit Set for Theatrical Release in – Variety
  • An American in Paris [F]
  • A blog about classic movie costume design and fashion

    • First of all, An American in Paris is an example of "producer cinema," being one of a list of musicals made by the famous Arthur Freed unit at Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer. Louis , and many others. Secondly, the creative input of star Gene Kelly, who did the choreography of the ballet, is undeniable, as are the myriad contributions made by MGM's outstanding roster of technicians— costume designer Irene Sharaff, cinematographer John Alton, art director Preston Ames, musicians Johnny Green and Saul Chaplin, and many more.

    Finally, it is most certainly a film by director An American in Paris Vincente Minnelli as it contains his recurring theme of characters in pursuit of their dreams, as well as his typical use of color, costume, and decor. Minnelli's musicals are among the most elegant and polished of the MGM musicals and his flair for camera movement, elaborately constructed long takes, and richly styled backgrounds contribute much to the film.

    The opening scenes of An American in Paris , in which its characters wake up in "this star called Paris" and go about their daily routines, constitute an homage to Rouben Mamoulian's film Love Me Tonight. In addition to the famous ballet, the innovative musical numbers contain a subjective characterization of Leslie Caron, presented through music, dance, and color.

    As she is described, images of her appear on screen, each with a different Gershwin tune, different color, costume, setting and color-coordinated background. She is portrayed as sexy, studious, demure, athletic, etc. Other musical numbers include the pas de deux "Our Love Is Here to Stay," which is a beautiful blend of music, setting, costume, and dance, photographed simply with a tight frame around the two dancers as the camera follows their movements. The old-fashioned "I'll Build a Staircase to Paradise" is a tribute to an earlier tradition, the Ziegfeld Follies musical number.

    Publications

    An American in Paris: The MGM Screenplay presents the complete, page- accurate screenplay for An American in Paris in text and image formats, giving film. An American in Paris: Inside the Script - Kindle edition by The Editors of Warner Bros. An American in Paris: The MGM Screenplay. The Editors of Warner.

    The musical highlight of the film is the ballet itself, which is based visually on a series of famous paintings by Dufy, Utrillo, Toulouse-Lautrec, and others. The ballet's story parallels the film's narrative in an oblique manner.

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    Following the ballet, a brief scene depicts a reconciliation, allowing for the inevitable happy ending. An American In Paris has undergone something of a critical devaluation in the past decade. Other Minnelli musicals Meet Me in St. An American in Paris is frequently criticized as being too sentimental, too romantic and, because of the ballet, too pretentious.

    ‘An American in Paris’ Stage Hit Set for Theatrical Release in – Variety

    Nevertheless, the film undoubtedly contributed to the maturing process of the musical genre. By challenging the idea that audiences would not understand or accept a long ballet deeply linked to the narrative of the film it helped to free the dance visually and to expand the horizons of viewers as well as the creative possibilities for the artists making musical films. Finally, it is most certainly a film by director An American in Paris.

    An American In Paris - Official Trailer

    Also read article about An American in Paris from Wikipedia. Comment about this article, ask questions, or add new information about this topic: This too was a risky move — a major role for a young woman who had never acted.

    An American in Paris [F]

    Another fortuitous decision was bringing in costume designer Irene Sharaff. Sharaff was a Broadway designer but had worked for a spell in Hollywood. While working on the costumes, Sharaff also started designing sketches for what the sets might look like for the various artist-inspired scenes. These sketches in fact were adapted by art director Preston Ames for the sets, which Ames, a former architecture student in Paris, could quickly envision. Not a bad set of artists from which to draw inspiration. Some 30 painters worked six weeks to paint the backgrounds and sets.

    The Furies were dressed all in red ballet outfits and the Pompiers were dressed as traditional French firemen, with their brass helmets but also adorned in a military-inspired costume. He sells his paintings sometimes on a street in Montmartre, where a rich widow discovers him and decides to support him with strings attached. Forlorn, Jerry realizes he is just a failed artist, a stranger in a strange land. The ballet scene begins with Jerry sketching the scene of the Cheveaux de Marly, the sculpted horses flanking the Champs Elysees.

    The Furies, dressed in white and then red, beckon Jerry to pursue Lise. Gene Kelly as Jerry is dressed simply in form-fitting clothes, the better to appreciate his dancing and his physique. Jerry pursues Lise to the floral backdrop inspired by Pierre Auguste Renoir, and as they dance, they hold the red rose of love. Alas, even in dreams our dreams escape us. Lise has been transformed into flowers, soon to fall from his grasp. The scene turns to the artwork of Henri Rousseau: And now Lise will reappear. The film ends with a title card stating: Made in Hollywood, California.

    And so it was, where it also received 8 Academy Award nominations and won 6, though none for Minnelli. This would be his only Oscar, given for a relatively minor designing job. No doubt that Singing in the Rain is the most cheerful and fun movie there is to watch, and the dancing is also outstanding. But there is no more beautiful film ever made, and its integrated combination of music, dance, art, costume, and cinematography is the pinnacle of classic Hollywood film, and a proud achievement of the MGM Studio. One needs to put the ballet in An American in Paris into the context of the time in which it was created.

    Though it may look daring in retrospect, the American in Paris ballet sequence is really a film equivalent to what was being done on Broadway at the time. There was nothing inherently groundbreaking about including a ballet in a musical. The Red Shoes had done the same for film. What An American in Paris did was incorporate the concept into an otherwise traditional Hollywood musical. They did this with great style and panache as you noted. This was their contribution to the history of film. Thanks for you comment Jim.

    Yes, Broadway had indeed had been using ballet sequences in theater. The costume designer for An American in Paris, Irene Sharaff herself came from the theater, and used the theater concept of a more unified theme for all costumes in the film, as well as the idea of the art-inspired back-drops.

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    Nonetheless, it was the creative blend of the various talents involved in filmmaking that produced this new work of art. I know I am a bit late in commenting but I just now came across your blog. Today is Leslie Caron day. I wish I found your blog before I saw the movie again. You opened my eyes to many things. I would have watched for many of these things.

    I always noticed the Toulouse Latrec connection but not the others. I always thought the movie had many beautiful things about it. And to be honest, I was never a fan of Leslie Caron.

    A blog about classic movie costume design and fashion

    She was ok in this her first movie but not outstanding. I also was just ok with Georges Guetary.

    However, I have always loved Oscar Levant and think he was a bit wasted in this movie — his part should have been bigger. I personally think casting is the reason Singing In The Rain is considered the better movie. They said it was a risk casting the two unknowns I mentioned and it was, I think it hurt the movie.

    Why Gene Kelly liked her above all the other ballerinas he must have seen is beyond me. Georges singing and dancing is campy at best! Also, if you listen to what TCM and the late Robert Osborne said and actual Google or Bing this movie many, many, many experts actually say The Band Wagon is the best musical ever made. I love this movie but was quite surprise to hear this. It is such a fun and entertaining movie. I adore Fred Astaire and Cyd Charisse! In my opinion Cyd Charisse was one of the most underrated female dancers in Hollywood!!

    She actually could have played Lise. She could have easily done it with a little help with her French accent.

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    She was a better dancer then Caron as well. Anyway The Band Wagon is a great movie and I do see why many experts in the field consider it the best musical of all time. I have loved George Gershwin since I was old enough to listen to music! This movie was right up my ally. But, I personally thought it drags in spots.

    Many, many compare the entire score to shades and resemblance to their score of My Fair Lady , another movie I loved.