Description:
An American in Paris is one of the greatest, most elegant, and most celebrated of M-G-M?s 50s musicals? (filmsite.org). Legendary producer Arthur Freed developed the film based on George Gershwin?s celebrated 1928 orchestral work, and assembled a stellar team of talents to bring forth what would become a landmark film. With Alan Jay Lerner crafting an original screenplay around the songs of George and Ira Gershwin, Vincente Minnelli directing and Gene Kelly starring (and choreographing) with newcomer Leslie Caron, the results were, and still are, unforgettable. More than two dozen Gershwin songs are used throughout the film, including such favorites as ?Love Is Here to Stay,? ?I Got Rhythm,? ??S Wonderful? and ?Embraceable You.? Add to this a mix of lavish sets and costumes, tremendous Technicolor cinematography, a romantic love story and a climactic show-stopping ballet, and you?ve got a film that easily captured six Oscar® wins (including Best Picture, Director and Music). An American in Paris also holds the distinction of being the first musical to win a Golden Globe® Award for Best Motion Picture (Comedy or Musical). The plot revolves around ex-GI Jerry Mulligan (Kelly), a struggling American painter in Paris, who is discovered by an influential heiress (Nina Foch) with an interest in more than Jerry's art. Jerry in turn falls for Lise (Caron), 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 (Oscar Levant), and romantic complications abound
