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.