1951
Directed by Vincente Minnelli
This is an old favorite; there is nothing like a Gene Kelly musical and I would count this as one of the best. Every once in awhile I will look up the "I've Got Rhythm" number on YouTube when I am having a rough day. How could this not make you feel better?
Of course, I don't have rhythm or a man but that is inconsequential.
The plot of a Gene Kelly musical is never too important but I will give a brief summary anyway. Gene Kelly is a painter in Paris who falls in love with a woman. He can never get someone like that! Oh wait, he can.
The dance sequences are truly incredible and the color is beautiful. It will leave you will a bubbly, albeit shallow feeling, inside.
RATING: ****-
Interesting Facts:
Name one of the most overrated films of all time by Premiere.
Gene Kelley would often take over directing duties when Minnelli was busy dealing with his divorce from Judy Garland.
Gene Kelly just makes me smile. I just rented Singing in the Rain to watch again tonight and I'm already so excited :-)
ReplyDeleteSo jealous.
ReplyDeleteThis one completely tanked for me. I will leave it at that.
ReplyDeleteI thought this was pretty good, essentially on the strength of the extravagant dream ballet sequence at the end. But there's something pretty amusing about someone tearing into a musical that I might have less sympathy for if they were dismissing a film from another genre.
DeleteI am not entirely sure what you mean.
DeleteI have a hard time with many musical, but I do not think it is because they are musicals per se, but rather the messages they convey. An American i Paris falls into the same group as Seven Brides, Gigi, Oklahoma and West Side Story. I cannot point my finger on exactly what it is, but a reduction of reality into something that is downright wrong, is probably close. Not the suspense of disbelief, although that can be pretty bad, but the idea behind things. The romantic idea of the artist in Paris, The dancing, happy cowboys, the blissful life of French belle epoque prostitutes.
The interesting thing is that there are really sweet musicals out there that do not do that and they work perfectly well.
I mean, there is something faintly ridiculous about all musicals, even the very good ones.
DeleteIf someone were to criticise a regular movie, then if I disagree either I am taking the movie too seriously ("Can't you see that this is great art??!") or the accuser is taking their criticism too seriously ("Oh, stop looking too deeply at it. Can't you just enjoy it as the harmless adventure it simply is?")
But there is something quite funny to me about a few well-aimed sword strokes to cut a musical down to size. Look, the guy is tap dancing around a rough city street and everyone is grinning at him like it's perfectly OK!
TSorensen, I feel compelled to defend West Side Story's honor. Being grouped with Seven Brides and Gigi is the highest disgrace. *throws down glove*
DeleteAnd you're right Dessie. You get the sense they are supposed to be taken at such a superficial level, but some musicals do have deeper meanings...it is an odd genre.
I never realized how disliked musicals are as a genre. But it seems like most people hate them!
ReplyDeleteNot all of them. Just about... half or so. I can mention several titles that I think are great (singing in the rain, top hat, a star is born etc.) But this one is not one of them.
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ReplyDelete