I write this, not so much as a film fan (which I very much am), but as a classical musician. I was in my early teens when I first heard GERSHWIN's "American in Paris" and have loved and admired it ever since.If you grant the film the conventions of that era's movie musicals, it's a stunner. I want to note the difference(s) between how the Gershwin SONGS were handled versus how his CONCERT MUSIC was handled. Songs in musical shows were almost never used without extensive modifying by arrangers and orchestrators other than the composer. His pieces composed for concert situations (the first of which was "Rhapsody in Blue") I think demand and largely deserve a different approach.Two of the concert pieces were used in the film. The first is the third (last) movement of the Piano Concerto for Oscar Levant's dream sequence. I haven't listened again to another recording to verify this, but I'm confident that that movement was used without any alteration. Also, to get technical about it, specific shots of Levant playing might not have used the soundtrack made in that specific shot, but Levant had dazzling facility and surely played every last note that we hear.As for the big ballet finale, only about two-thirds of the music comes directly from GERSHWIN's "American in Paris." My hunch is that Kelly made requests of the brilliant musical staff and decided to switch chunks of the score, played material again that Gershwin did not, re-orchestrated some passages, and even added completely new material to suit the choreography. I can't watch the otherwise superb ballet without wincing at various musical moments, therefore only 9 stars.

If you're an idiot and you like films like Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice (2016) or Suicide Squad (2016), you will not like this movie. You must be sensitive, artistic, to like music, dance, painting, arts in general and, in particular, to have been suffered in life, in love. Then you will understand this masterpiece, this little gem of film. Gene Kelly, Oscar Levant, Georges Guétary, Nina Foch are all very good. Unfortunately, they all are in another dimension where I do not know if they can make movies anymore... The only one who is still alive, is Leslie Caron, the least talented one. Overall, the film is very good, because of those first five performances. To be watched at any time. Watch all Vincente Minnelli's movies, he was a great film director.

An American in Paris (1951): Dir: Vincente Minnelli / Cast: Gene Kelly, Leslie Caron, Nina Foch, Oscar Levant, Georges Guetary: Pleasant musical about culture. Gene Kelly plays Jerry Mulligan, a painter whose work becomes the conquest of an heiress whose intentions go beyond his work. While her intentions have promise, he becomes smitten with an attractive French woman, played by Leslie Caron. His pitch is creepy with his watchful eye from his table. Any other guy is up on charges but not Gene Kelly. Anyway they end up hooking up, which complicates things with the heiress who wrestles with jealousy. Another complication regards her engagement to a man whom she owes her life to. One issue regards corny musical numbers that seem placed just to fill time. Another issue regards an ending that is as obvious as day and night. What works is a detailed structure that thankfully doesn't introduce Caron until midway through. Kelly is exciting in his passion and dancing expressing his love for one woman while avoiding another. Caron is sunny as the object of his desire. Nina Foch does a fine job as the heiress whose loneliness is never overturned. Oscar Levant plays a struggling concert pianist who knows the ends and outs of the love triangles. Georges Guetary is featured as a French musician. A dashing portrait of Paris culture and the longing for acceptance. Score: 8 / 10

I haven't seen much from Gene Kelly, but I do know it's a shame the Academy couldn't have waited one more year to bestow him with awards for Singin' In The Rain instead of An American In Paris. The film isn't too bad to start with and it begins with some promise of wit and personality. They're never developed and it feels like all the characters outside of Gene Kelly are a waste - though I did enjoy a certain fantasy scene, as extraneous as it may be. There's so very little reasons to invest in these characters, their relationships and their problems. The songs leave a lot to be desired and are often bland and forgettable. It just drags on and on. Pretty sets and costumes do not maketh the movie. Perhaps it was acclaimed at the time due to post-war international relations, but they should've just bitten the bullet and given the Best Picture award to A Streetcar Named Desire or A Place In The Sun. Either would have been fine. This is just one 100 minute long flatline. I dread Gigi now, I just wasn't looking forward to it before.5/10