Gigi

I hate this movie. I hate the way it looks. I hate the way the actors (especially Leslie Caron) sound. I hate the way it's dubbed. I hate how irrelevant it is. Is it just me, or is there something incredibly distasteful (not to mention creepy) to see an 80-something Maurice Chevalier singing "Thank Heaven for Little Girls" while ogling them in a park? Maybe pedophilia didn't exist in turn-of-the-century Paris. I can't believe this gloopy piece of cotton eye candy came out in the same year as Orson Welles' "Touch of Evil." And don't even get me started on the fact that it won what was then a record number of Oscars (including Best Picture). If nothing else in its dubious history convinces one to ignore the Motion Picture Academy, that should. Can anyone honestly tell me they cared at all about how this movie ended? If you can, I never want to meet you. Grade: F

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!!!

A tedious musical about Parisian society around 1900. At the age of 27, Caron was a bit long in the tooth to be playing a teenager. Speaking of young women, Chevalier's appreciation of "leetle gails" is kind of creepy. At least Jordan is honest when he sings, "It's a Bore." Minnelli's Oscar seems to be a belated one for "An American in Paris." Here he does nothing to keep the film from dragging. The songs, in the ludicrous Lerner-Lowe style of half-talking and half-singing, are not particularly good. It's unbelievable that this film won the Best Picture Oscar for a year in which such masterpieces as "Vertigo" and "Touch of Evil" were released.

That was the year I fell in love again, and what a gloriously entertaining musical with Chevalier singing "Thank Heaven For Little Girls" referring to the young girl played by Leslie Caron,etc. who is wooed by Louis Jordan until she grows up to be a lady of fashion in Gay Paree. The music is great, the settings are beautiful, and I remember Hermione Gingold and Chevalier singing together a funny song "I Remember It Well". In my book after seeing it for the umpteenth time, it's still a 9/10. Pure enjoyment!