Gigi (1958)

Based on the novel Colette, Gigi is a musical that embodies Parisian life and the division of classes.  It follows Gigi as she is becoming a woman and learning how to act like a lady, very Pygmalion-esque.  She begins to fall for Gaston (real name) who has only seen her as a child.  Will he ever see her as the woman she is becoming?

This movie has a lot of charm.  I will say that.  And if the Oscar was only based on that, then it was well deserved.  It just didn't seem like an Oscar winner.  The lead, Leslie Caron, was in another Best Picture, An American in Paris.  She played a blah Parisian.  In this movie, she has a very darling personality.  Audrey Hepburn originated the role on broadway and that jumpstarted her career.  The role of Gigi was literally made for Audrey Hepburn.  Without a charming, charismatic, lovely young woman, this movie isn't that awesome.  And Leslie Caron is no Hepburn.  Since this "musical" doesn't really value singing, it doesn't really make sense why Caron's voice had to be dubbed over with Betty Wand.  (Previously dubbed over Anita's voice in West Side Story.) Overall, it was ok.  There were some very charming parts but mostly when it was over Tim and I looked around, shrugged our shoulders, and moved on.  

Gigi is a film I had vaguely heard of but never seen and, well, I wasn’t missing much. Nothing says a good time like starting your movie with an old guy trolling a park full of kids singing, “Thank Heaven for Little Girls.” The plot kind of feels like My Fair Lady lite and none of the songs are particularly memorable (except the charming “I Remember It Well”) because they seem to be spoken more often than sung; it’s like watching a musical in which Robert Preston or Rex Harrison play every part. There are certainly worse musicals and Best Picture winners, but the flaws of Gigi are further compounded by the fact that many of the best film musicals ever made were released in the handful of years before and after. I would say more, but outside of getting a chuckle out of the male lead’s name “Gaston” (a la Disney’s Beauty and the Beast) I’ve honestly already forgotten about 80% of this movie. 

The day after the movie won nine Oscars, M.G.M telephone operators were instructed to answer all phone calls with "Hello, M-Gigi-M."

Aunt Alicia: Bad table manners, my dear Gigi, have broken up more housholds than infidelity.

The Bridge on the River Kwai (1957)

In a Japanese internment camp in WWII Burma, Colonel Nicholson (Sir Alec Guinness) on orders by Colonel Saito (Sessue Hayakawa) leads his men on the construction on The Bridge on the River Kwai. After initial attempts to sabotage its construction, Nicholson has a change of heart when he discovers that Saito will have to kill himself out of shame if the bridge fails. Nicholson and his men then decide to build the best bridge possible as a monument to British pride and decency. Meanwhile, injured American Shears (William Holden) is reluctantly redeployed back to the camp after a harrowing escape on a simultaneous mission to destroy the bridge.

Very few films can convey the futility and silliness of war better than The Bridge on the River Kwai. When the film is over, there are no winners or losers, only the painful memories of the living and the lost lives of the dead. It’s been years since I’ve seen this film and I really enjoyed revisiting it. The beginning portion with the rebellion and imprisoning of Nicholson seems like the blueprint for Cool Hand Luke until the film takes a turn in the second half and becomes much more than a “fight the power” film.  The acting, cinematography and music were all top notch, and there are many moments in the film that stick with you long after the credits have rolled. Even if you already know how it’s going to end, the final 30 minutes are very powerful and suspenseful. Director David Lean would have more Best Picture winners and historical dramas of greater length and scope, but he would rarely again achieve the focused punch of this film.

This was such a good movie.  It starts out with slightly funny and gets more and more serious until the nail-biting climax!  I was on the edge of our couch!  It was great.  It was fun to see Alec Guinness as something other than Obi-Wan Kenobi.  I kept wanting him to whip out a lightsaber and fricken own Saito, The Japanese Colonel!  Even though Saito and Obi-Wan end up having respect for each other near the end, "All's fair in love and war."  This movie will leave you humming this song:

Some of you might be like... what??  I know this song but I haven't even seen this movie... 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4Ovh_jFMgJM

From The Parent Trap 1:37 minutes into the clip.  I had to use a clip from the original movie because seeing Lindsey Lohan as a cutie is just depressing.  Come on Lindsey, step away from Charlie Sheen, put the crack pipe down, decline from the Herbie: The Love Bug trilogy and go back to performing in some decent films.  

The elephants employed in helping build the bridge would take breaks every 4 hours and lie around in the water - whether the crew wanted them to or not. 

Colonel Saito: Be happy in your work.