Gigi

Plot synopsis:
Set in turn-of-the-20th century Paris, the film opens with Honoré Lachaille (Maurice Chevalier) who is surrounded by members of high society in the Bois de Boulogne. Being a charming old roué, he remarks that in Paris, marriage is not the only option for wealthy young bon vivants like his nephew Gaston (Louis Jourdan), who is bored with life. The one thing Gaston truly enjoys is spending time with Madame Alvarez (Hermione Gingold), whom he calls Mamita, and especially her granddaughter, the precocious, carefree Gilberte, aka Gigi (Leslie Caron).
Following the "family tradition", Madame Alvarez sends Gigi to her Great Aunt Alicia (Isabel Jeans) to be groomed as a courtesan to learn etiquette and charm. To Alicia, love is an art, and a necessary accomplishment for Gigi's social and economic future. But Gigi shows disdain for such trivial love that a man and his mistress usually have. Remaining true to her girlish, yet charming personality, she finds herself having the most fun when she is with Gaston, whom she regards as an older brother.
Like his uncle, Gaston is known as a wealthy womanizer. The whole of Paris watches his every move, and Parisian high society shows unrestrained judgment towards him and his mistresses. Gaston's latest mistress attempts to run off with her ice skating instructor. As a response, he publicly humiliates her, resulting in her attempted suicide. After this ordeal, Gaston wishes to retreat to the country, but his Uncle insists on him staying in Paris and attending more parties.
Gigi makes a wager during a card match with Gaston, suggesting that if he loses, he has to take her and her grandmother to the sea with him when he goes on vacation. Gaston agrees, and they all travel to the country. While Gaston and Gigi spend countless hours having fun together, Honoré and Madame Alvarez reveal their once-passionate relationship. While other women at the resort are shown holding perfect poise constantly, and giving off an air of boredom and disdain for anything unfamiliar, Gigi is pulling Gaston out of his depressive rut with her carefree, fun attitude.
Once Gigi and her grandmother return to Paris, Gaston goes to Monte Carlo for some time. During this time, Gigi's aunt and grandmother discuss the possibility of Gigi becoming Gaston's mistress, thereby fulfilling their goals for her. Madame Alvarez, though dubious at first, agrees to let Gigi train around the clock to prepare for Gaston's return. Gigi accepts this as a necessary evil.
When Gaston returns, he is surprised and discomfited when Gigi appears in her new, adult dress. Gaston stammers out that she looks like a giraffe and that he misses her old outfits. He storms out, realises his folly, and rushes back to apologize. He tells her that she looks lovely, and says that he will prove it to her by taking her to tea at the Reservoir. Gigi's grandmother refuses and tells Gaston that this may ruin her reputation to be seen unchaperoned with Gaston before her reputation has even begun. Gaston, angered, storms out once again.
As he walks, he starts to reflect about Gigi. He stops and realizes suddenly, that she has become a woman whose charms, wit, and personality have sent his head spinning, and comes to the conclusion that he has developed a romantic desire for Gigi. Although he has doubts due to their enormous age difference, he also realizes that he loves her even more than he thought (unheard of between a man and a mistress) and he wants to be with her. He proposes an arrangement to Madame Alvarez and Aunt Alicia for Gigi to become his mistress. They are overjoyed. Gigi, wisely, is not.
Gaston talks to Gigi and she tells him that she isn't the type of girl who wants publicity and to be dumped by him one day, then having to become someone else’s mistress. After Gaston accidentally reveals that he loves Gigi, she admits that she has feelings for him too, but wants their relationship to remain platonic. Gaston leaves angered, but Gigi later calls him up admitting she would rather be miserable with him than without him and agrees to accompany him in public. Gigi dresses in finery for their date, and when Gaston arrives he is entranced by her beauty.
They go to a restaurant, where Gigi acts the role of courtesan perfectly – perhaps a little too perfectly. Gaston is uncomfortable with her knowledge of the other courtesans, and concerned for Gigi because of the unrelenting attention and judgment of other patrons. Honoré then delivers a crushing blow when he congratulates Gaston on his new courtesan and makes degrading remarks towards Gigi. Gaston, too in love with Gigi to give her this appalling life of uncertainty and judgment, leaves without a word after dragging her home crying. However, he stops a little way down the street and realizes his love for her is too strong so he does something he never thought he would do; he proposes marriage.
The final sequence reverts to Honoré Lachaille, proudly pointing out Gaston and Gigi riding in their carriage in the Bois de Boulogne. The couple are elegant, beautiful, and happily married with a sense of fun and love that has been unseen when looking at other relationships high society has to offer.

Tags: romantic

Review:
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.
Gigi is a coltish teen in 1900's Paris who lives with her grandmother Madame Alvarez (Hermione Gingold) and who loves to hang out with family friend Gaston Lachaille (Louis Jourdan), an international jet-setter and playboy whose every relationship is documented in the papers.
What makes "Gigi" such a good film is its unmitigated Charm with a capital "C"; one can't help but grin a little when Chevalier sings "Thank Heaven for Little Girls" because he doesn't stop flashing that high voltage smile himself.
Everyone in the film looks like they are having a good time (particularly Chevalier), and the great Lerner-Loewe music against the Parisian backdrop is enough to sell me."Gigi", while being a 10-time Oscar winner (including Best Picture) has unfortunately been marginalized by some as a typical MGM fluff piece, could be a hard sell, particularly to the jaded Generation Y - and - younger audience.
The breathtaking Art Nouveau sets and fin de siecle costumes were all designed by Cecil Beaton and are even more gorgeous than those he did for the film version of "My Fair Lady" a few years later.This film is very faithful to Colette's original short story in both humor and spirit, and while I have no illusions that it is a completely truthful portrait of life in early 20th century Paris, it is a delightful, romantic story, one that is as lovely now as it was in the 1950s, or indeed, at the turn of the century.
Chevalier and Gingold play their roles with precisely the right mixture of charm and severity, and their duet "I Remember It Well" is among the highlights of the film, while Jeans and Gabor give such great comic turns that their small roles become as memorable as the leads.The Learner & Lowe score is equal their great Broadway success MY FAIR LADY, and offers such enjoyable and memorable songs as "Gigi" and "The Night They Invented Champagne;" the script equals and merges with the music to considerable effect.
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 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.
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.
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.
I'm sure the irony never escaped Chevalier as he was filming Gigi.What's not to like about Gigi, a wonderful musical score, a magical setting, and some fine performances in a perfectly cast company of players.
However, because Gigi is so sweet, she just can't allow herself to have such a life and she insists on more--which causes problems with the man she loves (Louis Jourdan).While the plot is very simple (as it often is with musicals), the film works magnificently for several reasons.
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?
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?
Leslie Caron, wherever you are, I love you...your films made me so happy....Its a gem;  Thank Heaven For Little Girls, The Night They Invented Champagne, I Remember It Well ( I'll never forget how beautifully this scene was photographed,  Chevalier, and Hermoine Gingold reminiscing in the dimming sunset, wow!!!
The presentation is reminiscent of "My Fair Lady" but lacking in a good story is not half as great.Maurice Chevalier as Gaston's Uncle Honore steals the show and gives the best performance due mainly to his special French charm and charisma.
Teenage tomboy Gigi (Leslie Caron) is madly in love with an adult man (Louis Jourdan) but he just sees her as a little girl.
Ah, GIGI...those sumptuous Lerner and Loewe songs, the lovely Leslie Caron, the charming Maurice Chevalier, the fantasy-perfect designs...ah, yes, I remember it well.Problem is, the story makes it one of the most distateful films ever made.
MGM's last great film musical in 1958 (before the breakup of the old studio system), featuring an engaging score by Lerner and Loewe that brings out the characters' private thoughts and feelings, charismatic performances by all the principals, and gorgeous cinematography.
The humor is also an endearing element to this film, i.e. the banter between Maurice Chevalier and Louis Jourdan in several scenes, the great lines from Gigi's Aunt Alicia about her past love life, and her attitudes towards courting men, the silliness of Gabor's character "committing suicide....again!", etc.
There is much to appreciate in this film: the lavish, sumptuous costumes and sets, the beautiful Paris scenery, the good performances, the great Lerner and Loewe songs, and the occasional witty line or two.
Maurice Chevalier is clearly having the time of his life and is wonderful in all his songs, espicially the classic "Thank Heaven for Little Girls," the charming "I Remember It Well," and 'I'm Glad That I'm Not Young Anymore."  Leslie Caron is good and strikingly beautiful, as well, though she only sings three songs and doesn't even dance.
Like Minnelli's fellow Best Picture winning musical 'An American in Paris', the lavish nature of the film overrides the quality of the acting and the story.
But how it managed to snag Best Picture and Screenplay from far more engrossing and honest films like "Cat On a Hot Tin Roof" and "The Defiant Ones" is simply beyond me.The acting in Gigi is fine, and Maurice Chevalier is particularly delightful as the perverted old Frenchman Honore Lachaille.
The story relies heavily on the lead characters of Gaston and Gigi, which is a problem because, although they have the usual pluck required by musicals, they were never real people that I cared about.Of course the whole film looks great  colourful and lavish with a nice sense of humour and I did quite enjoy it, but I couldn't shake the feeling that it didn't have much substances behind all the tunes, colour and humour.
.. and maybe it's not such a bad thing.I have nothing against these old Hollywood Technicolor productions but all the Crayola feast in the world can't make up for monotonous and predictable plots, although I concede that, within its own limited but existent appeal, it was a little more enjoyable than "My Fair Lady..., because it was shorter and there was some believable chemistry between playboy Louis Jourdan and "petit bout de femme" (as they say in French) Leslie Caron.
No wonder the film is compared with "My Fair Lady", Gigi could have been a more independent and appealing version of Eliza Doolittle, but she was wrapped up in a cynical plot and entrapped in the claustrophobic atmosphere of reddish walls and over-furnished rooms.So, Gigi starts being the mistress of Gaston (Louis Jourdan), the most coveted bachelor of Paris, and it's a matter of time before they fall in love.
Based (or developed) from a novella by Colette, "Gigi" boasted a score by Learner and Loewe that sparkled with hits like "The Night They Invented Champaign", "Say A Prayer For Me Tonight", "I Remember It Well", and "I'm Glad I'm Not Young Anymore." The cast was impeccable, with Leslie Caron as the gamin girl who "blossomed like a flower", Hermoine Gingold as her sensible (but practical grandmother), Isobel Jean as her too practical aunt, Eva Gabor as the mistress/lover whose "little heart" was "crooked to the core", the great Maurice Chevallier (in what is his signature role) as the lovable aging roué Honore, and Louis Jourdan as the bored Gaston Lachaille.
"Thank Heaven for little girls!" "Gigi" is your typical 1950s and 1960s musical comedy, with bright costumes, light acting, mandatory songs by each character, but no large production numbers.
I visit the Art Nouveau boudoir of Maurice Chevalier...attend instructions on seduction by the jaded Aunt Alicia...leap along with Louis Jourdan as he awakens to love...am part of the crowd during the "cavalcade of decadence" at Maxim's...decadence and beauty and Paris...ok, the singing is either adequate or, in Leslie Caron's case, dubbed poorly...and the lyrics can cloy more firmly than the hero's sugar fortune...but the professionalism of the older actors (there should be a special place in cinema heaven for Isobel Jeans)...and the simple joy of witnessing the transformation of GIGI...well, I guess I check this movie out every other year or so to see if I'm so jaded I should be put in Aunt Alicia's collection...and no, not yet...just wish I could don one of those pearl-gray suits with cravats and join Maurice for a plate of cheese!.
A wonderful gay musical feature filled with delightful numbers, for example the opening song "Thank Heaven for Little Girls" as Maurice Chevalier sings about the uniqueness of Gigi among the other girls.
The amusing and funny recollection of the past memories in "I Remember it Well" and in Chevalier's last number "I'm Glad, I'm Not Young Anymore." Leslie Caron is back again in Paris with director Vincente Minnelli after celebrating the best picture winning musical "An American in Paris." She's so adorable in this film and for the second time in the 50s, she's a part of another and much bigger Oscar winning musical which won every single award which it was nominated for, breaking the record of Gone with the Wind, and surprisingly in the following year the record was broke by an incredible epic, Ben-Hur. Singin' in the Rain and Gigi are among my favorite musicals.
Nine Oscar nominations and nine wins: Best Art Direction-Set Decoration, Black-and-White or Color; Best Cinematography, Color; Best Costume Design, Black-and-White or Color; Best Director - Vincente Minnelli; Best Film Editing; Best Music, Original Song for the song "Gigi"; Best Music, Scoring of a Musical Picture - André Previn; Best Picture; and Best Writing, Screenplay Based on Material from Another Medium - Alan Jay Lerner.One of the greatest musicals of all time with incomparable stars like Leslie Caron (The L-Shaped Room, Lili), Maurice Chevalier (The Big Pond, The Love Parade), and Louis Jourdan (The First Olympics: Athens 1896, Octopussy).The sights and sounds of this film will stay forever, and the songs we all know are repeated here: "Thank Heaven for Little Girls", "It's a Bore", and "I Remember It Well".What a show!.
With deference to Leslie Caron and Maurice Chevalier,Louis Jourdan was given the part of his life in the film "Gigi".
Equally delightful,the music is a natural part of the story.For example,Maurice Chevalier's rendition of the song "Thank Heaven for Little Girls" in the finale is magic.
The music is fabulous from all the parts, particularly Chevalier.This is a movie from simpler times, with Gigi a naive girl being raised by her grandmother who is being prepared to be the kind of young lady whose sole purpose in life is to entertain rich men.
"La Belle Epoque",just before WW1 is just a cliché.Was it so beautiful?Was it the lost paradise?Certainly not.When he depicted France (it was not the first time : see also "Madame Bovary" feat also Louis Jourdan as Rodolphe Boulanger ;"An American in Paris " "lust for life" and "the four horsemen of the Apocalypse" was yet to come),Minnelli gave a par excellence "Hollywoodian " sanitized depiction.It 's not necessarily pejorative: "Madame Bovary " had the best Emma I know (Jennifer Jones),"AN American in Paris" is dazzling ,"lust for life " beats hands down the FRench "Van Gogh" version with Jacques Dutronc."Gigi" is a different matter.A musical remake of feminist Jacqueline Audry's adaptation of Colette's novel in 1948.That was actually a trilogy ,featuring the same actress,Danièle Delorme" ,of which "Gigi " was the first volet.Visually,"Gigi" is a splendor ,all red and gold, except for the scene when Gaston wanders aimlessly in the night and where black becomes a true color.But except for Gigi herself I can't find an endearing character in the story."La Belle Epoque" was certainly the good old time,but only for rich bourgeois selfish bon vivant such as Gaston ,his uncle et al.Gigi's grandma and aunt ,like it or not, are making a "Cocotte" (courtezan) of their protégée.But ,and Colette's feminist side takes the upper hand,Gigi (played by French Leslie Caron: this is the only Minnelli movie feat three FRench leads) strikes back....even if what the FRench used to call (still do) "un Beau Marriage" is par excellence the bourgeois dream.I do not go much for "Gigi"'s score;compared with those of "brigadoon" ,the songs are not very tuneful,never really exciting ;and as for the words,well" thank you Heaven"!
How well deserved this picture was.The great musical numbers by such an appealing, endearing cast can never be forgotten.From the title song, that also copped the Oscar to The Night they Invented Champagne, the film literally sparkles with such performances from Leslie Caron in the title role, to Louis Jourdan, surprisingly very appealing in a musical, for this veteran dramatic actor.Of course, there is the unforgettable Maurice Chevalier as the man about town again courting his true love, a wonderful Hermione Gingold.
Maurice Chevalier(Honore), Louis Jordan(Gaston), Leslie Caron(Gigi), Hermione Gingold(Mamita), Isabel Jeans(Aunt Alicia) & Eva Gabor(Liane) are all absolutely EXCELLENT in their roles - This is one film where 'all' the actors play their parts to the fullest, and should all have won Oscars for their marvelous performances.
His nephew Gaston (Louis Jourdan) is a famous womanizer and bored with everything except his friendship with Madame Alvarez (Hermione Gingold) and her young fun-loving granddaughter Gigi (Leslie Caron).
Not that it matters: even losing in comparison with other Vincente Minnelli films (AN AMERICAN IN PARIS, FATHER OF THE BRIDE) and other Loewe & Lerner musicals put on screen (MY FAIR LADY), GIGI is a real charmer, with very fine songs, gorgeous visuals and the presence of Leslie Caron, Maurice Chevalier, Louis Jordan and Hermione Gingold (THE MUSIC MAN).
In 1900 Paris, charming "teenager" Leslie Caron (as Gigi) is raised to be a potential mistress for rich and handsome Louis Jourdan (as Gaston Lachaille).
Masterfully, "Gigi" won all nine of the nine "Academy Awards" for which it was nominated, including "Best Picture" of the year and "Best Director" Vincente Minnelli...As Mr. Jordan's uncle, Maurice Chevalier (Honoré Lachaille) memorably sings the sly "Thank Heaven for Little Girls" and, with Ms. Caron's grandmother Hermione Gingold (Madame Alvarez), the classic "I Remember it Well".
The otherwise lightweight and derivative MGM soundtrack LP received saturation play, and was #1 for ten weeks of its over two year chart run.******* Gigi (5/15/58) Vincente Minnelli ~ Leslie Caron, Louis Jourdan, Maurice Chevalier, Hermione Gingold.
This musical has some memorable songs mostly sang by Maurice Chevalier in a perfect role for him as the womanizing debonair French voice of experience for Louis Jourdan's Gaston & Leslie Caron's Gigi as they waddle from being young ducklings at play to being on the brink of Paris-style love that is not for the weak at heart.