An American In Paris or Goodness Gene Kelly is a Good Dancer!

It's taken me over 2 years to watch an Oscar winning movie from the 50's and I guess An American in Paris is as good as any to get me started.

If you are feeling down, An American in Paris is one of only a handful of Oscar winning films that can lift your spirits. It is based by a Gershwin musical and includes the iconic songs "I Got Rhythm", "S Wonderful" and "Our Love is Here to Stay."

The story revolves around the very handsome Jerry Mulligan (Kelly) who is an aspiring artist living in Paris after World War II. He is friends with fellow artist wanderers including a piano prodigy Adam (Oscar Levant) and famous French singer Henri (Georges Guetary). Jerry befriends a rich American Milo (Nina Roberts) who is interested in promoting his art.

The beginning of the movie is a bit off the wall with the men constantly singing catchy jingles and Kelly dancing the hell out of his tap shoes. I've always found tap dancers to be pretty incredible and Kelly is no exception.

The story gains a bit more substance after Jerry runs into a young french woman Lise (Leslie Caron) at a party and falls madly in love with her. She doesn't exactly share the sentiment and Jerry has to work extra hard to get her to agree to a first date. From there starts a twisted love story including Jerry, Lise, Henri and Milo.

I was thoroughly enjoying the light story until the end when they decided to attach a 17 minute difficult to understand ballet at the end. I can't deny the cinematography is nice and the costumes and dancing are beautiful, but when it comes to ballet I'm a total dunce. I try to understand it, but am always left scratching my head.

Please, if you have seen this ballet and can explain to me what's going on, by all means go ahead. Maybe you can restore my interest in this movie.

Because like a good meal ruined by a bad dessert, An American in Paris left me with a bad taste in my mouth. I thought the ending (ballet aside) was really weak, unbelievable and way too predictable. Maybe I'm just bitter because I didn't agree with who ended up with who.

I decided to give the movie a 3 because I really did enjoy the cute songs, several comedic moments and Kelly's tap dancing.

If only he was still around to give me a lesson!

Favorite Moments

• Jerry: Honey, believe me. I'm no enemy...Lise, I don't know whether you're a girl of mystery or just a still water that doesn't run deep (Bahaha! I love it!) 
• The scene where Adam is trying to keep it together when Henri and Jerry are talking about the "girls" they are in love with. The double smoking, double brandies, match after match. Poor guy!
• Jet Propelled New Year's Eve?? No kidding!! Btw awesome outfit Gene Kelly 
• Really any scene with Gene Kelly dancing. I mean not a lot of guys could pull off those tight pants. 

Boo Moments

• Ugh. Lise's dress on her first date with Jerry. Is she a waitress or parking vallet? 
• The look on poor Jerry's face the last time he meets Lise down by the river. 
• The look on poor Milo's face at the New Year's Eve party

Did You Know?

• Screenwriter Alan Jay Lerner finished the script in a 12 hour stretch the night before his wedding. 
• The ballet itself cost $500,000, the sets took six weeks to finish, with 30 painters working nonstop and took a month to film.
• During filming Nina Roberts came down with the chicken pox, so makeup had to cover all her scars.