So, I'm still laid up on the couch while Troy is sanding away at the garage. Luckily, TCM is having their annual 31 days of Oscars and I got sucked into two musicals based in Paris, France from the 50's.
First was Gigi. I was shocked that it won 9 Academy Awards, including best picture, because I thought the acting was a little terrible, but then I remembered it was a musical and many musicals have questionable acting choices.
The story is about a young girl who is being groomed as a mistress for a wealthy sugar heir in 1890's Paris, by her crazy ass great aunt and grandmother. They were both mistresses with varying results. Gigi is wild and crazy, definitely not "boring" as most courtesans are seen to be, and she gets along very well with Gaston, in intended beau.
The movie was cute and interesting enough for me not to move for 2 hours.
The second movie was written by the same writer, directed by the same director, same producer and studio, but only produced 6 years before. It also won best movie of the year in 1952 and that would be "An American in Paris."
It stars Gene Kelley as an American serviceman who stays on in Paris after the second world war to take a chance on the art world and painting. He meets a rich oil heiress that falls in love with him, while he falls in love with a sweet Parisan girl. Love triangles everywhere.
The dance sequence at the end, which I forgot from Danny Kaye musicals, was entirely too long clocking in at least 20 minutes. I understand why, they were both rock stars of their time for the gift of dance, but these long choreographed breaks are often right before the last 3 minutes of dialog. I would rather stick to the traditional climax/denouement, thanks.
Until I'm at 100%, I may be stuck in front of the tube, typing up critical essays on classic 20th century movies, which I would rather not do. I love TCM and I've wiled away many afternoons, transfixed by musicals gone by. Ad with the continuation of 30 days of Oscars, it doesn't look to be ending anytime soon.
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