'American' maintains romantic energy nearly 50 years later

The musical, starring the extremely classy Gene Kelly and directed by Vincente Minnelli, won five Academy Awards that year, including Best Picture and Best Writing, as well as a special mention to Kelly for his work in the film's choreography. It is, without a question, a classic beyond compare.

Kelly stars as Jerry Mulligan, a "starving" artist only looking to make an honest living - and if he stumbles upon love along the way, life's all the better.

Jerry's the kind of character we'd love to know and have around for a laugh or two. He and his buddy Adam Cook (Oscar Levant) have made Paris their temporary home and have adapted to the Parisian lifestyle. Jerry just can't seem to leave, and Adam c ontinues to receive fellowships there for his musical talents - they're trapped by their own love for the city.

The heart of the story, though, is about Jerry's adventures with women. While trying to sell some of his paintings, he encounters a well-to-do woman, Milo Roberts (Nina Foch), whose wealth and fortune supersede any endearing qualities that she might possess. She is captured by his looks and personality, but unfortunately for her the passion is less than mutual. We never really get to know her for anything other than her money and her desire to lure Jerry, but we do feel sorry that she has no chance with the whimsical chap.

It all changes when the hero meets Lise Bourvier (Leslie Caron). He becomes enchanted by her beauty and mystery, but she wants nothing to do with him because she is attached to esteemed entertainer Henri Baurel (Georges Guétray) - who, through brilliant use of dramatic irony, we know to be a friend of Adam and an acquaintance of Jerry.

What ensues is a incredibly romantic musical comedy about life, love and letting go. Lise and Jerry come from two different worlds - she has her famous partner and he has his sponsor and desperate lover. But they long for each other.

In one of the film's most beautiful scenes, Jerry serenades Lise on the bank of the Seine to "Our Love is Here to Stay." Their intimate moments give us reason to believe that certain things only happen in the movies, but also give us dreams that one day such events happen in real life too.

The story is based around many Gershwin classics, which add color and character, putting this cinematic masterpiece into a realm of its own.

Kelly, too, is amazing in his own right. Some have said that Kelly was the working-man's dancer, in his shirt-sleeves and pullovers, whereas Fred Astair was the upper-class representative. This is certainly evident here, as Kelly's personality is not only endearing, but also (save the musical aspects) somewhat identifiable.

"An American In Paris" is the classic love story at its finest. Throw in tremendous comic relief by Levant, the average-Joe-with-a-touch-of-class style of Kelly and the dynamism of Caron and the result is a tremendous film that is worth the trip to the video store and even membership in one's own video library.

By Kristin Long
Daily Arts Writer

02-04-99