An American in Paris [Blu-ray]
An American in Paris [Blu-ray]
A GI (Gene Kelly) stays in Paris after the war to become an artist, and has to choose between the patronage of a rich American woman (Nina Foch) and a French gamine (Leslie Caron) engaged to an older man. The plot is mostly an excuse for director Vincente Minnelli to pool his own extraordinary talent with those of choreographer-dancer-actor Kelly and the artists behind the screenplay, art direction, cinematography, and score, creating a rapturous musical not quite like anything else in cinema. The final section of the film comprises a 17-minute dance sequence that took a month to film and is breathtaking. Songs include “‘S Wonderful,” “I Got Rhythm,” and “Love Is Here to Stay.” –Tom KeoghSynopsis: Winner of six Oscars(R) including Best Picture, this sparkling musical showcases the incomparable Gene Kelly with the lovely Leslie Caron amid the glorious melodies of Gershwin. Director: Vincente Minnelli Actors: Leslie Caron, Gene Kelly Awards: ACADEMY AWARD - BEST CINEMATOGRAPHY ACADEMY AWARD - BEST COSTUME DESIGN ACADEMY AWARD - BEST DIRECTOR ACADEMY AWARD - BEST ORIGINAL STORY ACADEMY AWARD - BEST PICTURE ACADEMY AWARD - BEST SCORE ACADEMY AWARD - BEST SCREENPLAY ACADEMY AWARD - BEST SET DECORATION AFI - TOP 100 MOVIE AFI - TOP 100 PASSIONS ZAGAT SURVEY MOVIE SELECTION
User Ratings and Reviews
5 Stars Amazing restoration!
I have a video tape copy of “An American in Paris” and it is one of my favorite movies. I decided to upgrade to the DVD and have been amazed at the stunning quality. It’s like a different (and better) movie. Very impressive.
5 Stars A Timeless Classic
A musical and visual treat starring the incomparable Gene Kelly supported by an outstanding cast.
2 Stars Pardon MGM’s French
Thanks to its lengthy ballet finale, visual homage to French painters and Gershwin score, some people (or at least Oscar voters) apparently mistook this for some kind of high art in the early Fifties. Today, it is simply hoity-toity snob torture of the worst kind and damn near unwatchable. Kind of telling that whenever the movie is excerpted in tributes today, the only scene you ever see is a few minutes of that endless dance sequence at the end. Begs the question: If this movie is so great, how come they never can find any other compelling clip?
5 Stars S’Marvelous
I enjoyed the bonuses, but it’s the film itself: Beautiful Restoration! I’ve previously had a vhs tape and then a dvd of this favorite film, and never considered them deficient, but then I watched this version. It is so vivid.
5 Stars Martha Bamattre and Madge Blake are superb!
Martha Bamattre and Madge Blake are superb in this film, and though not as famous as either Gene Kelly or Leslie Caron, are the real reasons for the film’s success. Usually the best people in any film are those whose last names are alphabetically at the beginning of the alphabet, and once more that turns out to be true with Bamattre and Blake in this Vincente Minnelli musical which won the Best Picture Oscar. Leslie Caron, whose last name begins with C, comes close to being good in the film; but it’s people whose last name begins with B who are the real stars.
Filed under: Blue Ray Movie Reviews