An American in Paris (1951)

An American in Paris, directed by Vincente Minnelli and released by MGM in 1951, is one of the most celebrated musicals of the Golden Age of Hollywood. Featuring the talents of Gene Kelly, Leslie Caron, Oscar Levant, Georges Guétary, and Nina Foch, and built around the iconic music of George Gershwin, the film is a sumptuous blend of dance, romance, visual artistry, and musical innovation. It won six Academy Awards, including Best Picture, and remains a dazzling example of cinema as an art form that can harmonize music, choreography, and story into a singular expression of joy and beauty.

Plot Summary

The film is set in post-World War II Paris and follows Jerry Mulligan (Gene Kelly), a former American GI who stays in the city to pursue his dream of becoming a painter. Struggling to sell his art, he is "discovered" by a wealthy patroness, Milo Roberts (Nina Foch), who takes an interest in both his work and him personally.

However, Jerry’s affections soon turn to Lise Bouvier (Leslie Caron in her film debut), a shy and graceful French girl who is already engaged to the popular singer Henri Baurel (Georges Guétary), who is unaware of Lise's growing feelings for Jerry. Meanwhile, Jerry’s friend Adam (Oscar Levant), a struggling pianist and aspiring composer, provides comic relief and musical interludes, grounding the film in artistic realism.

The story unfolds through a mixture of music, dialogue, and dance, culminating in a 17-minute ballet sequence that remains one of the most ambitious and visually striking ever filmed.

Themes and Analysis

Art and Artistic Identity

At its core, An American in Paris is about artists—painters, musicians, dancers—trying to create beauty in a world still recovering from war. Jerry, Adam, and Henri each represent different aspects of the artistic temperament: Jerry is the idealist and romantic; Adam is the cynic; Henri is the showman. The film subtly critiques the commercialization of art while celebrating its redemptive and expressive power.

Love and Romantic Conflict

The central love triangle between Jerry, Lise, and Henri forms the emotional heart of the film. The tension lies not in betrayal or jealousy, but in the quiet sacrifices the characters are willing to make for love and duty. Lise’s sense of obligation to Henri, who helped hide her during the war, adds a layer of emotional complexity rarely seen in standard romantic musicals of the time.

Paris as a Dreamscape

Minnelli's Paris is not a literal city but a stylized dream version—glowing, colorful, and whimsically designed. It is an artist’s fantasy of Paris, where every café seems picturesque and every street a stage. The film embraces theatricality and artifice, not to escape reality, but to reimagine it through beauty and expression.

Performances

Gene Kelly gives one of his finest performances. His charisma, athleticism, and musical sensitivity are on full display, particularly in the “I Got Rhythm” and “Our Love is Here to Stay” numbers. He not only performs but choreographed the film’s intricate dance sequences, culminating in the legendary ballet.

Leslie Caron, only 19 at the time, makes a striking screen debut. Her ballet background brings elegance and emotional depth to Lise, a character of few words but great feeling. She moves with a poetic sensitivity that suits the film’s dreamlike mood.

Oscar Levant steals scenes with his dry wit and sardonic humour. His fantasy sequence in which he imagines himself playing all the parts in a piano concerto is a comic highlight that also showcases his musical prowess.

Georges Guétary provides Gallic charm and showmanship, especially in his performance of “’S Wonderful.” While less prominent than the leads, his character adds warmth and complexity to the romantic subplot.

Nina Foch, as the wealthy art patron Milo, avoids becoming a cliché. Instead, she brings sophistication and vulnerability to a woman caught between admiration and unrequited love.

Musical Score and Choreography

The film’s music is entirely based on the compositions of George Gershwin, with lyrics by his brother Ira. Among the standout numbers are:

“I Got Rhythm” – a lively, playful number performed by Kelly with Parisian children.

“’S Wonderful” – a charming duet that intertwines the romantic tension between characters.

“Our Love Is Here to Stay” – a gentle, heartfelt love song set along the Seine.

“Concerto in F” – Levant’s fantasy sequence, which adds classical weight and wit.

“An American in Paris” Ballet – the film’s crown jewel, an extended, wordless ballet set to Gershwin’s orchestral masterpiece.

The 17-minute ballet is an unparalleled cinematic achievement. Designed as a visual tour of Paris through the lens of various French painters—Renoir, Toulouse-Lautrec, Utrillo, Rousseau—it is a bold fusion of music, dance, and colour. It uses no dialogue, relying solely on movement, emotion, and Gershwin’s sweeping score. It is impressionistic, surreal, and deeply romantic, lifting the film from conventional musical into the realm of visual poetry.

Visual and Production Design

Shot in Technicolor on MGM’s sound stages, the film is a masterpiece of design and art direction. The palette is bold, with blues, reds, and yellows dominating the frame. Cedric Gibbons and Preston Ames’ art direction, Irene Sharaff’s costumes, and John Alton’s cinematography create a lush and highly stylized look. Paris is painted with the imagination of a dreamer, rather than a realist.

The film's production values were a testament to MGM’s then-considerable resources. Vincente Minnelli’s direction brings theatrical flair and painterly composition to every shot, reflecting his background in set design and visual storytelling.

Critical and Cultural Reception

An American in Paris was both a critical and commercial success upon release. It won six Academy Awards, including:

Best Picture

Best Art Direction (Color)

Best Cinematography (Color)

Best Costume Design (Color)

Best Scoring of a Musical Picture

Best Writing (Story and Screenplay)

Its Oscar win for Best Picture was notable, as it triumphed over more dramatic fare like A Place in the Sun and A Streetcar Named Desire, underscoring Hollywood’s celebration of beauty and optimism in the postwar years.

The film’s ballet sequence has since been cited as a milestone in musical cinema, influencing everything from Singin’ in the Rain (1952) to later works by directors like Bob Fosse and Damien Chazelle (La La Land). In 1993, the film was selected for preservation in the United States National Film Registry for being “culturally, historically, or aesthetically significant.”

Conclusion

An American in Paris is more than just a musical; it is a cinematic rhapsody that celebrates the power of art, music, dance, and romance. With Gene Kelly at his most magnetic, Leslie Caron as a radiant newcomer, and George Gershwin’s timeless score, the film achieves a rare synthesis of the artistic disciplines. Its influence on film musicals cannot be overstated, and its sheer visual and emotional beauty continues to enchant audiences decades later.

Final Verdict:

A musical triumph, An American in Paris is a joyful explosion of colour, music, and motion—a film that dances not only through the streets of Paris, but through the hearts of viewers across generations.