Gigi

...and thank goodness. Despite the good songs, the movie version of "My Fair Lady" hits a dull thud. In the words of Gaston Lachaille, "it's a bore!"

But this review isn't about "My Fair Lady". It's about one of the greatest musicals ever to be placed on cellulod - "Gigi", exquisite and as light as air!

Where do you start? The score and musical direction by Conrad Salinger and Andre Previn is one of the best. Vincente Minelli's direction frames Leslie Caron and Louis Jourdan wonderously and builds the chemistry between the two photogenic stars. Great support is provided by Hermione Gingold and the redoubtable Maurice Chevalier. Paris has never looked as glorious on film as this - amazing costume design, art direction, and set pieces.

And the songs - absolute classics! Lerner and Loewe really hit their stride with this - "Thank Heaven for Little Girls", "I Remember It Well", "The Night They Invented Champagne", and the beautiful title tune.

This movie has often served as an introduction to Maurice Chevalier for movie watchers, and he illuminates the screen. If you want to see him in another of the greatest musicals, watch "Love Me Tonight" with Jeanette MacDonald.

Thank heaven for this movie - it's a world that I would love to inhabit! I give it 10 out of 10.

It's almost as if Lerner & Lowe were competing with themselves when they decided to write the music for "Gigi" -- once again, a story about a girl being transformed into a young woman of charm (a Parisian courtesan) just as Eliza was being molded into another creature by Professor Higgins. And that's not the only similarity. The songs all have a "My Fair Lady" similarity -- from 'The Night They Invented Champagne' to 'Gigi' to 'The Parisiennes' -- all bear the flavor of their previous work in sound and content. And yet they work beautifully for this story set in the city of love and starring Leslie Caron, Louis Jourdan, Herminone Gingold and Maurice Chevalier.

Production-wise, it's almost too lavish for its own good. Vincente Minnelli wrings every bit of artistic decor in the trappings, giving the viewer an almost claustrophobic feeling for the interior scenes. The outdoor shots are just as lavish--Louis Jourdan singing the title song among the fountains and architecture of French landmarks.

The cast is perfect. Leslie Caron makes an enchanting Gigi, Louis Jourdan is impossibly handsome as Gaston, and all of the other players were cast with a discerning eye.

But there is no denying that no matter how distasteful some will find the story of training a girl to become a courtesan to be (or how politically incorrect by today's standards), the score is as sparkling as the champagne they sing about. While, in my opinion, the score does not surpass "My Fair Lady" in range and cleverness, it certainly did well enough in winning nine Oscars, including the one for Best Picture of 1958. By all means, it has to be considered one of the last great musicals from the MGM period.

Only drawback: it's a bit overlong and could have used some editing for the slow moments.

Enchanting and captivating are two words to describe this wonderful lerner-lowe collaboration. A musical in every sense of the word its happy, charming, emotional and contains some truly brilliant performances, none more so that the wonderful Mr Chevailier who steals this seem with his charming lechery. Although the singing of Miss Caron is dubbed she puts in the performance of a lifetime to be Gigi. I feel those who thought a Certain Miss Hepburn would be better in the role are badly mistaken, for she is sweet and charming, everything the immortal Gigi should be.

Herimone Gingold is wonderful as Grandma and Jourdan is terribly handsome and suave as Gaston. Even a Gabor, the more talented Eva shines in this because there simply is not a bad moment, as for Jaques Bergerac (Mr Ginger Rogers) his role may be small, but he sure is handsome.

The score is 100 percent, The parisians is my personal favourite number, the title number is beautiful, thank heavens for little girls has become a standard, she is not thinking of me is a knockout and the night they invented champagne is wonderful, my only regret? So little dancing for the greatly talented Miss Caron.

There are some movies one enjoyed years ago that now, in the light of a more progressive culture, seem disturbing. But I found Gigi inherently creepy when I first saw it as a teenager in the '70s. Admittedly some things bother me more now than then, like a middle-aged man singing about how great little girls are because when they're teenagers he'll have sex with them, but the central premise always struck me as deeply disturbing.

This is essentially a movie about a young girl pushed into sex work by her family of sex workers. She does not, at first, understand that's what's happening, but when she figures it out she's not happy about it. And I just don't see how that can be alright. It would be one thing if this were a commentary on a time when most women's only real path to power and fortune was through sex, but that's not what this is. This is a light frothy musical about something really bad.

And it's a shame, because it's full of great songs. Ignoring the sleaziness, Thank Heaven for Little Girls is charming. The Night they Invented Champaign is a fun, amusing number, as is I Remember it Well.

The performances are excellent, particularly Leslie Caron as Gigi. But I can't even watch this movie because I find it so creepy. Gigi's situation is heartbreaking, and while yes, it's a 50s musical that resolves everything pleasantly, Gigi is powerless in the equation.

As a youth I was horrified by a movie about someone my age who's agency had been taken away by "well meaning" relatives. As an adult I find it even more disturbing.

And yeah, a lot of people are just going to say I'm a buzzkill and it's just light froth. But I can't see it that way.

The ability to do fine musicals was one of Hollywood's endearing traits. However, in Gigi they produced a GREAT musical that is in a class by itself. The score, the libretto, the costumes, photography et al won Oscars and deserved them.

However, the cast led by Caron and Chevalier all deserved a special Oscar. They were cast perfectly and performed to perfection. Could there be a better Gigi than Caron? Her ability to go from a charming child to a beautiful women is overwhelming. The songs that Chevalier has made into classics, appear to have been written especially for him. Could one visualize any other personality performing these songs?

Jourdan is perfect in his role and so is Gingold. Thank heaven!!! Lastly, I must pay homage to that city on the Seine. It is the ultimate star and should have gotten a special award.

I agree with those readers that have called Gigi the best Hollywood musical; it is really the perfect musical. Thank heaven!!!