Gene is in Paris

Jerry Mulligan (Gene Kelly) is An American in Paris (1951). An ex-GI with ambitions to become a painter, Jerry remained in Paris after the war, and now lives hand-to-mouth, but relatively happily, in his adopted homeland. Well-liked by his neighbors, his closest friend is composer Adam Cook (Oscar Levant); otherwise he's a fairly solitary man, focused on creating a body of work. But in a 24 hour period, his world is upended - he meets Milo Roberts (Nina Foch), a wealthy woman who aspires to be his patron (and perhaps more) and Lise Bourvier (Leslie Caron) who Jerry loves on first sight. Of course, there is an additional wrinkle - Lise is engaged to Adam's friend Henri Baurel (Georges Guetary).

The Baltimore Symphony Orchestra provided the music in this screening of the film, and the ballet sequence that is the highlight of the movie was even more spectacular with Gershwin's tone poem for orchestra danced to a live orchestra. While the spoken dialogue was a trifle muddy at times, all of the music (and the songs) were exquisite in this screening (You can hear the Detroit Symphony Orchestra play this magnificent piece here).

Directed by Vincente Minnelli and choreographed by Gene Kelly (with an assist from Carol Haney), An American in Paris (1951) is a daring film. The closing ballet is over 17 minutes long; from the time it starts until the picture ends, there is NO dialogue - spoken or sung. The number was also quite expensive to film - nearly a half a million dollars (TCM article), but Louis B. Mayer was willing to do it (the success of The Red Shoes (1948) helped convince him)

One number that doesn't get talked about often is the "By Strauss" number, featuring Mr. Guetary, Mr. Kelly, Mr. Levant and Mary Young, the flower seller who dances with Mr. Kelly. Ms. Young was 72 when she appeared in the film, and she is lovely as she waltzes with Mr. Kelly. A stage performer (she first appeared on Broadway - in a musical -  in 1899), she started her film career in 1937, primarily playing small roles - often uncredited - as older women. She worked in film and on television until 1968. She died in 1971 at the age of 1971.

This was Leslie Caron's first film. Vera-Ellen, Cyd Charisse, Sally Forrest, Jeanine Charrat, and Odile Versois were all considered for the role, but both Gene Kelly and Vincente Minnelli wanted a "fresh" face for the part. Mr. Kelly had seen Ms. Caron perform with the Roland Petit ballet company (AFI catalog); Mr. Kelly's widow later said that only Ms. Caron and Ms. Versois were tested (Los Angeles Times), but it has often been reported that Ms. Charisse had dropped out of consideration for the part because of her pregnancy (The Spectator). Though I'm not always a fan of Ms. Caron, she is excellent as Lise, giving the part a gravity that it requires.

One thinks of this picture as Gene Kelly's, but Fred Astaire was also considered - regardless, this is Mr. Kelly's part without question. His athleticism gives the character a strength that is essential for this man who has fought a war, remained in a foreign country, and thrown all his resources on a career that may or may not pan out.  Fred Astaire would later dance with Leslie Caron in Daddy Long-Legs (1955), but the chemistry just wasn't there. The pairing of Kelly and Caron is magical.

Maurice Chevalier was at one point in the running for Henri (however, his possible collaboration with the Nazis during World War II finalized that casting). Though Georges Guetary was too young and too good-looking for the character as originally conceived, the film doesn't emphasize the age difference between Lise and Henri as being the obstacle to their happiness - that she has found her perfect match in Jerry is the issue.

A number of familiar faces pop up in unbilled appearances - John Eldredge and Anna Q Nilssen are unbilled as Jack and Kay Jansen, as is Hayden Rorke as Tommy Baldwin (Mr. Rorke would become a television favorite as Dr. Bellows on I Dream of Jeannie). Take a good look at the Third Year Girl who criticizes Jerry's work - that's Noel Neill who would appear as the second Lois Lane in The Adventures of Superman TV series.

An American in Paris was nominated for 8 Oscars - it won six : Picture, Writing, Art/Set Direction, Costume Design, and Scoring (Director Minnelli and Film editor Adrienne Fazan were nominated). It was added to the National Film Registry in 1993, is #9 on the AFI's Greatest Musicals of All Time and #65 in the original 100 Years, 100 Films lists. It is truly a remarkable film. Here's the trailer to introduce you to these splendid dance number:

Barbara Wants an Inheritance

We return to the work of one of our favorite actresses, Barbara Stanwyck, in The Man With a Cloak (1951).  Ms. Stanwyck plays Lorna Bounty, a former actress who now serves as the housekeeper and mistress of M. Thevenet (Louis Calhern), a wealthy reprobate who is close to death.  Lorna and her associates  (Mrs. Flynn, played by Margaret Wycherly and Martin, played by Joe DeSantis) are impatiently waiting for Thevenet die, so they can lay claim to his fortune.  Unfortunately for them, the arrival of his grandson's fiancee, Madeline Minot (Leslie Caron) appears to be throwing their plans into a cocked hat.  So, when they try to prevent her from seeing the old man, Madeline seeks help from a stranger, Mr. Dupin (Joseph Cotten), a hard drinking reprobate, who thinks nothing of bilking the local tavern owner, Flaherty (Jim Backus) of his liquor. 

 

Barbara Stanwyck is just magnificent as Lorna Bounty.  She is gorgeous, sexy, and marvelously evil.  Her dislike of Thevenet shines from her eyes, yet she is like a cobra - her eyes draw you in, even as you realize she is going to bite you.  It's amazing that she was given second billing to Joseph Cotton, because, good as he is, SHE is the picture.  And her character is so much smarter than the others in the house.  It's hard not to admire Lorna, Stanwyck is that good.  This commentary from TCM doesn't agree with us.  They feel that she "doesn't quite succeed".  We beg to differ (caution - we're going to avoid revealing the ending, in case you've not seen the film.  The TCM article does have spoilers).

The costumes are by Walter Plunkett, and he does Ms. Stanwyck proud.  Her gowns are  lovely and lavish, appropriate for the way Lorna Bounty sees herself.  Plunkett was a gifted designer who worked in films such as Alice Adams, Adam's Rib, and a little movie called Gone With the Wind.  He worked steadily until his retirement in 1966; he died in 1982, aged 79. 

The Man With a Cloak was released only a few months after Leslie Caron's introduction to American film in An American in Paris. Ms. Caron does not dance here; she is quite effective as the innocent, thrown headlong into a world she does not understand.  Ms. Caron would continue her career, both during her years at MGM, and after, going from musicals to dramas and comedies.  She still continues working in film, has appeared on the Paris stage in Sondheim's A Little Night Music, and has written her autobiography, Thank Heaven.  For many years, she owned a bed and breakfast in Villeneuve-sur-Yonne.  She also has the distinction of having danced with Gene Kelly, Fred Astaire, Mikhail Baryshnikov, and Rudolf Nureyev.  It's easy to class her only as a dancer, and forget that her dramatic work far outweighs her musical films.

Louis Calhern's performance as Thevenet is also spot-on.  He creates a character who is known to be disreputable, but Calhern is able to make him somewhat sympathetic.  A portion of Calhern's performance is silent, hearkening back to his beginnings in film, and his roots stand him in good stead.  A remarkable actor, with an exceptional career, he had already appeared in The Gorgeous Hussy, Frisco Jenny, and The Magnificent Yankee.  Still to come were wonderful performances in Executive Suite, Julius Caesar, and High Society - his final film.  He died in 1956 of a heart attack on the set of Teahouse of the August Moon.

Is this a great film? Probably not, but it is enjoyable, with a cast worth watching, and performances that are notable.  We leave you with a trailer from the film.  It is worth a look: