An American in Paris (1951)

Director:

Vincente Minnelli

Writer:

Alan Jay Lerner (story)

Release Date:

11 November 1951 (USA)

Genre:

Musical | Romance

Tagline:

What a joy! It's M-G-M's Technicolor musical!

Plot:

Jerry Mulligan, a struggling American painter in Paris, is "discovered" by an influential heiress with an interest in more than Jerry's art...

Plot Keywords:

Singer | Heiress | Painter | Art | Pianist

Awards:

Won 6 Oscars. Another 3 wins & 7 nominations

Cast

Gene Kelly	...	Jerry Mulligan
Leslie Caron	...	Lise Bouvier
Oscar Levant	...	Adam Cook
Georges Guétary	...	Henri Baurel (as Georges Guetary)
Nina Foch	...	Milo Roberts
The American In Paris Ballet	...	Ballet Dancers
rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Robert Ames	...	Ballet Dancer (uncredited)
Joan Anderson	...	Child in Ballet (uncredited)
Marie Antoinette Andrews	...	News Vendor (uncredited)
Martha Bamattre	...	Mathilde Mattieu (uncredited)
Charles Bastin	...	Smiling Young Man (uncredited)
Joan Bayley	...	Ballet Dancer (uncredited)
Rodney Bieber	...	Ballet Dancer (uncredited)
Madge Blake	...	Edna Mae Bestram (uncredited)
Nan Boardman	...	Maid (uncredited)
Dino Bolognese	...	Bartender (uncredited)
Eugene Borden	...	Georges Matthieu (uncredited)
Ann Brendon	...	'Stairway to Paradise' Dancer (uncredited)
Peter Camlin	...	Artist (uncredited)
David Carlin	...	Strongman (uncredited)
Sue Casey	...	'Stairway to Paradise' Dancer (uncredited)
Monique Chantal	...	Audience Member (uncredited)
Andre Charisse	...	Patron at Flodair Café / Dancing Partner (uncredited)
Jack Chefe	...	Audience Member (uncredited)
Ann Codee	...	Therese (uncredited)
Louise Colombet	...	Woman with Cats (uncredited)
Allan Cook	...	Ballet Dancer (uncredited)
Adèle Coray	...	Honeymooner (uncredited)
Susan Cummings	...	Patron at Flodair Café (uncredited)
Viola Daniels	...	Patron at Flodair Café (uncredited)
Albert D'Arno	...	Waiter (uncredited)
George Davis	...	François (uncredited)
Paul De Corday	...	Bartender (uncredited)
George Dee	...	Waiter (uncredited)
René de Loffre	...	Boy (uncredited)
Gloria DeWerd	...	Ballet Dancer (uncredited)
Jeannine Ducasse	...	Girl (uncredited)
Art Dupuis	...	Driver (uncredited)
John Eldredge	...	Jack Jansen (uncredited)
Carli Elinor	...	Ballet Dancer (uncredited)
Marietta Elliott	...	'Stairway to Paradise' Dancer (uncredited)
Ernie Flatt	...	Dancing G.I. (uncredited)
Eric Freeman	...	Ballet Dancer (uncredited)
Mary Jane French	...	'Stairway to Paradise' Dancer (uncredited)
Captain Garcia	...	Man at Shutters (uncredited)
John Gardner	...	Child in Ballet (uncredited)
Mary Ellen Gleason	...	'Stairway to Paradise' Dancer (uncredited)
Shirley Glickman	...	Ballet Dancer (uncredited)
Ricardo Gonzáles	...	Ballet Dancer (uncredited)
André Guy	...	Boy (uncredited)
Claude Guy	...	Boy (uncredited)
Pat Hall	...	'Stairway to Paradise' Dancer (uncredited)
Betty Hannon	...	Ballet Dancer (uncredited)
Jack Harmon	...	Ballet Dancer (uncredited)
Jean Harrison	...	Ballet Dancer (uncredited)
Marian Horosko	...	Ballet Dancer (uncredited)
Don Hulbert	...	Ballet Dancer (uncredited)
Dickie Humphreys	...	Dancing G.I. (uncredited)
Harvey Karels	...	Ballet Dancer (uncredited)
David Kasday	...	Child in Ballet (uncredited)
Stephen Kirchner	...	Ballet Dancer (uncredited)
Tommy Ladd	...	Ballet Dancer (uncredited)
Jeanne Lafayette	...	Nun / Artist / French Girl (uncredited)
Isabel La Mal	...	Audience Member (uncredited)
Judy Landon	...	'Stairway to Paradise' Dancer (uncredited)
Richard Landry	...	Ballet Dancer (uncredited)
Michele Lange	...	Audience Member (uncredited)
Numa Lapeyre	...	Girl (uncredited)
Louise Laureau	...	Nun / Woman at Table (uncredited)
Louis Laurent	...	Bearded Painter (uncredited)
Janet Lavis	...	Fury (uncredited)
Meredith Leeds	...	'Stairway to Paradise' Dancer (uncredited)
Dick Lerner	...	Ballet Dancer (uncredited)
Ruth Lewis	...	Girl at Ball (uncredited)
Shirley Lopez	...	Ballet Dancer (uncredited)
Ralph Madlener	...	Ballet Dancer (uncredited)
Dudley Field Malone	...	Winston Churchill (uncredited)
Bob Mascagno	...	Ballet Dancer (uncredited)
Charles Mauu	...	Ballet Dancer (uncredited)
Paul Maxey	...	John McDowd (uncredited)
Anthony Mazzola	...	Boy with Bubble Gum (uncredited)
Leonard A. Mazzola	...	Young Man at Mirror (uncredited)
Greg McClure	...	Rugged G.I. (uncredited)
Svetlana McLe	...	Fury (uncredited)
Mary Menzies	...	Fury (uncredited)
Sheila Meyers	...	Fury (uncredited)
Charles Millsfield	...	Man with Books (uncredited)
Leo Mostovoy	...	Audience Member (uncredited)
Noel Neill	...	American Girl (uncredited)
Anna Q. Nilsson	...	Kay Jansen (uncredited)
Allen O'Locklin	...	Undetermined Role (uncredited)
Alfred Paix	...	Postman (uncredited)
Jetsy Parker	...	Ballet Dancer (uncredited)
Christian Pasques	...	Boy with Bubble Gum (uncredited)
Lucien Plauzoles	...	Boy with Bubble Gum (uncredited)
Albert Pollet	...	Man at Table (uncredited)
Don Quinn	...	Honeymooner (uncredited)
Ricky Ricardi	...	Ballet Dancer (uncredited)
Marilyn Rogers	...	'Stairway to Paradise' Dancer (uncredited)
Jean Romaine	...	'Stairway to Paradise' Dancer (uncredited)
Alex Romero	...	Dancing G.I. (uncredited)
Hayden Rorke	...	Tommy Baldwin (uncredited)
Dennis Ross	...	Child in Ballet (uncredited)
Albert Ruiz	...	Ballet Dancer (uncredited)
Betty Scott	...	Ballet Dancer (uncredited)
Linda Scott	...	Ballet Dancer (uncredited)
Rudolph Silva	...	Ballet Dancer (uncredited)
Pat Simms	...	Ballet Dancer (uncredited)
Melba Snowden	...	Ballet Dancer (uncredited)
Sam Strangis	...	G.I. (uncredited)
Beverly Thompson	...	'Stairway to Paradise' Dancer (uncredited)
Dee Turnell	...	Fury (uncredited)
Dorothy Tuttle	...	Ballet Dancer (uncredited)
Maya Van Horn	...	Audience Member (uncredited)
Pat Volasko	...	Ballet Dancer (uncredited)
Dorothy Ward	...	Ballet Dancer (uncredited)
Pamela Wells	...	Child in Ballet (uncredited)
Dick Wessel	...	Ben Macrow (uncredited)
Herbert Winters	...	G.I. (uncredited)
Mary Young	...	Flower Lady (uncredited)
Lila Zali	...	Ballet Dancer (uncredited)

Directed by
Vincente Minnelli

Writing credits
Alan Jay Lerner		(story & screenplay)

Produced by
Arthur Freed	....	producer
Roger Edens	....	associate producer (uncredited)

Original Music by
Conrad Salinger		(uncredited)

Cinematography by
Alfred Gilks		(director of photography)

Film Editing by
Adrienne Fazan

Art Direction by
E. Preston Ames		(as Preston Ames)
Cedric Gibbons

Set Decoration by
Edwin B. Willis

Costume Design by
Orry-Kelly

Makeup Department
Sydney Guilaroff	....	hair styles designer
William Tuttle	....	make-up designer
Robert J. Schiffer	....	makeup artist (uncredited)

Production Management
J.J. Cohn	....	unit manager (uncredited)
Jay Marchant	....	unit manager (uncredited)
Walter Strohm	....	production manager (uncredited)

Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
Hugh Boswell	....	assistant director (uncredited)
Alfred Raboch	....	assistant director (uncredited)
Edward Woehler	....	assistant director (uncredited)

Art Department
F. Keogh Gleason	....	associate set decorator (as Keogh Gleason)
Gene Grant	....	paintings: Gene Kelly's

Sound Department
Douglas Shearer	....	recording supervisor
Van Allen James	....	sound editor (uncredited)
Standish J. Lambert	....	sound (uncredited)

Special Effects by
Warren Newcombe	....	special effects
Irving G. Ries	....	special effects

Stunts
Russell Saunders	....	stunt double: Gene Kelly (uncredited)

Camera and Electrical Department
John Alton	....	photographer: ballet
Richard Borland	....	grip (uncredited)
Al Lane	....	camera operator (uncredited)
Sid Moore	....	electrician (uncredited)
Wes Shanks	....	gaffer (uncredited)

Costume and Wardrobe Department
Walter Plunkett	....	costume designer: Beaux Arts Ball costumes
Irene Sharaff	....	ballet costumes designer

Editorial Department
William LeVanway	....	editorial supervisor (uncredited)

Music Department
Saul Chaplin	....	musical direction
Ira Gershwin	....	lyrics by
Johnny Green	....	musical direction
Conrad Salinger	....	orchestrations
Benny Carter	....	orchestrator (uncredited)
Robert Franklyn	....	orchestrator (uncredited)
Johnny Green	....	composer: additional music (uncredited)
Wally Heglin	....	orchestrator (uncredited)
Skip Martin	....	orchestrator (uncredited)
Albert Sendrey	....	orchestrator (uncredited)

Other crew
Peter Ballbusch	....	montage sequences by
James Gooch	....	technicolor color consultant
Henri Jaffa	....	technicolor color consultant
Gene Kelly	....	choreographer
Kenton Andrews	....	researcher (uncredited)
Alain Antik	....	technical advisor (uncredited)
Jeanne Coyne	....	dance-in (uncredited)
Howard Dietz	....	unit publicist (uncredited)
Carol Haney	....	assistant dance director (uncredited)
Gene Kelly	....	director: Lise introduction dance sequence (uncredited)
Jane Loring	....	production assistant (uncredited)
Mack McLean	....	voice double: Oscar Levant (uncredited)
Rudi Monta	....	legal department (uncredited)
Alex Romero	....	assistant choreographer (uncredited)
Howard Strickling	....	director of publicity (uncredited)
Frank Whitbeck	....	trailer producer (uncredited)

Production Companies

• Loew's (as Loew's Incorporated)

Distributors

• Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer (MGM) (1951) (USA) (theatrical)
• National Broadcasting Company (NBC) (1971) (USA) (TV) (original airing)
• Chapel Distribution (1997) (Australia) (theatrical)
• MGM Home Entertainment (1999) (USA) (DVD)
• MGM/UA Home Entertainment (USA) (laserdisc)
• Vídeo Arte (Brazil) (VHS)
• Warner Home Video (2000) (USA) (DVD)
• Warner Home Video (2008) (USA) (DVD)
• Warner Home Vídeo (Brazil) (DVD)

Other Companies

• Pacific Title  titles (uncredited)

Runtime:

113 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English | French

Color:

Color (Technicolor)

Aspect Ratio:

1.37 : 1

Sound Mix:

Mono (Western Electric Sound System)

Certification:

Portugal:M/6 | West Germany:12 | New Zealand:G | Canada:G (video rating) | USA:Passed (National Board of Review) | Argentina:Atp | Australia:G | Australia:PG (alternate rating) | Chile:TE | Finland:S | Peru:PT | Sweden:Btl | USA:Approved (certificate #14898) | UK:U

Filming Locations:

Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer Studios - 10202 W. Washington Blvd., Culver City, California, USA

Company:

Loew's

Trivia:

The ballet sequence was almost cut because the shooting was behind schedule, but MGM studio head Louis B. Mayer stood by Arthur Freed, Vincente Minnelli and Gene Kelly in withholding the release of the movie because he felt the movie wouldn't be effective without it.

Goofs:

Continuity: In the café before "'S Wonderful", the level in Henri Baurel's sherry glass fluctuates wildly between shots. Also, Adam Cook knocks over his brandy glass and it falls under the table; then it reappears, then disappears.

Quotes:

[first lines]
Jerry Mulligan: This is Paris, and I'm an American who lives here. My name is Jerry Mulligan, and I'm an ex G.I. In 1945 when the army told me to find my own job, I stayed on. And I'll tell you why: I'm a painter, and all my life that's all I've ever wanted to do.

Movie Connections:

Featured in The 80th Annual Academy Awards (2008) (TV)

Soundtrack:

'S Wonderful

Without Serious Competition, The Greatest Musical Ever

In 1952, Gene Kelly starred in, co-directed, and choreographed Singin' In The Rain, which has been called by many critics the best musical ever. One year earlier, Gene Kelly starred in and choreographed another film, An American in Paris. An American In Paris is far better than Singin' In The Rain. Although its plot is not original, it's fabulous dancing has remained unmatched for over 45 years. Gene Kelly is wonderful as Jerry Mulligan, the title character. His friend, played by the always delightful Oscar Levant is also American. He is romanced by Nina Foch, a rich American woman, but he is not in love with Nina, he loves lovely Leslie Caron. Although Leslie had not yet developed her fine acting skills, she is one of the rare actresses who could keep up with Gene Kelly while dancing. Judy Garland could not, Debbie Reynolds could not, even Ann Miller could not. A wonderful score only makes this five time academy award winner better. The score by George and Ira Gershwin includes S'Wonderful, Stairway To Paradise, By Strauss, and I've Got Rhythm and simply must be heard. This is director Vincente Minnelli's best film, and should be seen by everyone with a serious passion for movies. (10 out of 10)