Gigi

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.

...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.

Don't get me wrong, I love it - Leslie Caron and the whole cast. And the songs are superb.

But let's face it, this is Americanized Collette. She celebrated the deals and compromises within a sexist order that allowed a lucky few high-class prostitutes to become well-to-do, independent women in fin-de-siecle Paris (and a lot of others to at least make some kind of living). She empowered women, at a time when there just weren't many other opportunities for them to establish real independence (our current categories of PC and non-PC wouldn't have meant much then). It wasn't always pretty, but there was reality in her writing about relations between the sexes that hasn't lost its relevance.

Of course, this had to be soft-pedalled for the American audience - hence the ending, which conforms nicely with middle-class morality on this side of the Atlantic. This is the only "politically" unsatisfactory thing about the movie, however. And it remains superior - both "politically" and as a film - to My Fair Lady, where Eliza is implied to return and submit herself to Rex Harrison at the end, whereas Gigi at least implies that it's Gaston rather than Gigi who is going to have to change his ways.

My only other gripe: Why no dancing from Leslie - and from Vincente Minelli, that peerless director of dance sequences? I guess Lerner and Lowe must have been more in control of this one, and weren't of a mind for rug-cutting. Too bad - there really isn't nearly enough of Leslie dancing on film as it is!

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.

Having seen this film several times, I definitely have to rate Gigi as one of the most charming musicals ever made. The delightful score, by Lerner & Loewe, includes songs such as "I Remember it Well," "The Night They Invented Champagne," "Thank Heaven For Little Girls," as well as the title track, "Gigi," sung with surprising candor and earnestness by Louis Jourdan. Although reminiscent of their work on My Fair Lady, this score not only stands beautifully on its own but also grows in depth with each viewing.

The three principals, Leslie Caron, Louis Jourdan, and Maurice Chevalier, along with the Paris locales helps maintain a distinctively French flavor, especially in the way the characters relate and interact.

For everyone who has commented on the political incorrectness of the story, a closer look will actually reveal the true feminist perspective of Colette's work which was groundbreaking for its time: 1) the story is a commentary and observation of the limited social and economic options for women outside of marriage during the turn of the century Paris, 2) Although Gigi (Caron) never fully masters her lessons and grooming, she is able to capture Gaston's (Jourdan) heart precisely because of her imperfections, and 3) most importantly, it is Gaston rather than Gigi who is forced to truly transform himself and defy the social conventions of the time to bring the story to its resolution.

Compare this to My Fair Lady, which offers similar social commentary but resolves itself in a more standard way: For example 1) Eliza Dolittle only becomes noticeable and lovable after transforming her outward appearance and speech patterns 2) Although Professor Higgins finally realizes his love for Eliza at the end, it is Eliza who is forced to submit her will by effecting a reconciliation that does nothing to resolve any of the issues raised in the scenes leading up to that point.

Definitely see Gigi and judge for yourself. (By the way, the widescreen version is sooooo much better. This is especially apparent in numbers such as "I Remember It Well" where entire characters are forced to be cut out of the screen.)