Gaby

This film is a re-make of "Waterloo Bridge" which I saw many years ago. It was an atmospheric love story with sterling performances from Vivien Leigh and Robert Taylor. The original play was by Robert E. Sherwood, also known for "The Petrified Forest".

This re-make fails on several counts. First of all there is almost no atmosphere. There is beautiful saturated color and cinemascope, neither of which add anything specific to the story. Furthermore, the sets in many scenes, especially at the end in the bombing, are so obviously fake you can almost imagine stagehands picking up the pieces for the next performance.

Second, no matter how hard she tries, Leslie Caron is not convincing as a prostitute. As a dancer, yes. When she abandons dance for prostitution we do not see a transition. She gives as a reason for her actions remorse over sending Greg away before their love was consummated. Now that he is dead, she wants to give others what she deprived him of. A rather shaky rationalization.

Third, no matter how hard he tries John Kerr is incapable of playing a grown-up. He is forever the boyish young man, awkward in speech and movement.

The film does not have a smooth trajectory. The individual scenes seem to be patched together.

The ending, likewise, is not convincing. He forgives her as if all she had done was to ruin the soufflé. They seem like two kids in love playing around with adult games.

The fault for all of this lies in the general concept of this particular re-make, which the producers obviously felt had to be more sugar-coated for the audience of the mid-fifties, unwilling, no doubt, to accept Leslie Caron as a bad girl. But in the end, nothing is gained by this strategy.

However, there is still some charm - almost unavoidable when Leslie Caron is the star - and some moments that show the promise of what might have been a very good movie.

By the 1950s, remakes were very much the thing - 'Gaby', with Leslie Caron as the ballerina and John Kerr as the soldier, is the third film version of 'Waterloo Bridge' (first done with Mae Clarke and Kent Douglass in 1931, then with Vivien Leigh and Robert Taylor in 1940). It's by far the most dull, even though it does make clear what Gaby has been up to while her beau was away at war.

Leslie Caron being the star, of course Gaby is now French, not English. John Kerr is a GI who finds himself at a loose end on leave in London. There's air raids to content with, foggy streets, and taxis, as well as Gaby's fellow dancer and roommate, and the GI's English well-heeled relations.

Sweet enough, but paling in comparison beside the other versions, both of whom have more merit. It's OK - but nothing special.

All and all this is not a bad movie, and Leslie Caron is truly one of those actresses whom you just can't help falling in love with, she has that magical presence that is the mark of a great actress, and even thou it's not one of her best her performance, her performance in this movie is definitely impeccable, but still this movie it's essentially a lightweight remake of the three times before filmed Waterloo Bridge, so even thou Leslie Caron is as always charming, I suggest a peek at Vivien Leigh as the delicate dancer Myra and Robert Taylor as Col./Capt. Roy Cronin in the 1940 release of Waterloo Bridge, a movie that is (even thou slightly forgotten) undoubtedly one of the best romantic movies ever made.

It's 1944 London. American soldier Gregory Y. Wendell (John Kerr) is on leave and falls for French ballerina Gaby (Leslie Caron) at first sight. He pursues her until she accepts his marriage proposal. They have to wait while he leaves for D-Day. He goes missing and presumed dead. She is heartbroken and decides to live for herself.

This is the third iteration of the 1930 play Waterloo Bridge. This feels light. Neither actor is doing heavy lifting in their performances. I do appreciate the lovely pixie Leslie Caron. The lightness does not fit the later dark material. In the end, this never fully gains traction.

During World War II, American paratrooper John Kerr (as Gregory "Greg" Wendell) arrives in London on a 48-hour pass. Making his way out to find female companionship, Mr. Kerr collides with pretty French ballerina Leslie Caron (as Gaby). He is smitten. She is not. After watching her dance, Mr. Kerr visits Ms. Caron backstage. She gradually becomes interested and they begin a whirlwind romance. They want to consummate, but are unable to get married due to their alien status. Caron decides to "save herself" (like they used to say) while he goes back into battle. Alas, he's reported dead. Feeling bad about not giving Kerr something to remember, Caron decides to give it up for other soldiers...

It turns out the news about Kerr wasn't exactly accurate...

"Gaby" has been criticized for sanitizing the opening status of Caron's character and altering the original ending of Robert E. Sherwood's play "Waterloo Bridge" (1930), which previously impressed film critics in versions starring Mae Clarke (1931) and Vivien Leigh (1940). However, the important alteration is in timing; note, the explicit exchange where Caron ends with, "Not a man, Greg…MEN!" The problem, this time, is that Caron shows little degradation during this period; she appears chic and confident, throughout. The different ending, while not as memorable, can be applauded for not punishing "Gaby" for her perceived "sinful" behavior. The revisions aren't as bad, as they seem...

Possibly restrained by the production values, director Curtis Bernhardt is unable to give the story enough intimacy...

Caron could have shown some interest in Kerr during their first encounters, and still been standoffish. They're supposed to be drawn to each other, as if they were destined to meet. This is touched upon in a scene hinting at reincarnation. The reincarnation mention may have also been included to support MGM's use of "Where or When" (by Rogers and Hart) as the film's theme. The timeless song is used well. Another revision is having Kerr sustain a symbolic wound; yet, it is another addition which doesn't fully take full advantage of the dramatic opportunities. Veteran stage actress Margalo Gillmore (as Helen Carrington) has a couple of outstanding scenes. In spite of all, the co-stars are a nice couple.

****** Gaby (5/9/56) Curtis Bernhardt ~ Leslie Caron, John Kerr, Taina Elg, Margalo Gillmore