.. 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. I wish though a less sordid story line would have reunited these two actors.Indeed, for all its old-fashioned 'charm', "Gigi" is the story of a young and lively girl, cute as a button, a real Gigi (whatever this sassy name evokes) groomed to become a courtesan, a euphemism for 'escort girl' that didn't fool the audiences. But why not? It's actually a provocative premise and the fact that it's adapted from a novella written by Colette could have provided a modern, thought-provoking, touch. But the whole thing is enclosed in a Cinderella structure, where men are not exactly charming princes. On a pedestal of admitted social superiority, they are looking upon these funny little creatures called women (even the really little ones) who are not even seen as potential doctors or engineers, who am I kidding, they're not even seen as potential mothers but only adorable soon-to-be providers for men's luscious thrills.I guess there wasn't much to seek for women in the Paris of the early 20th Century, "La Belle Epoque" as they say in French, apart from money-driven seduction or seduction-driven wealth. And the (in)famous "Thank Heaven for the Little Girls" has the merit of setting the tone of the film and being clear about its intent. I'll go past the creepiness of an old man staring at younger girls with that little sparkle in the eyes, Maurice Chevalier is actually one of the best things about the film and had another nice romantic scene later in the film. But the whole tone of "Gigi" is quite condescending and patronizing toward women who only seem to exist in order to fulfill men's frivolous recreations or egos in the best case. 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. I refuse to believe that women didn't think of themselves highly even in that time. But I'll make an effort, I'll forgot that the film was older than my mother and I will judge it from its context. So, it's set in 1900: wasn't that a time where Marie Curie was working as a young promising physician in Paris? Where Coco Chanel started modeling? Could a girl as beautiful as Gigi look for a brighter future instead of letting herself at the hands of two old ladies who only see her as men's accompaniments then deciding to belong to Gaston. Leslie Caron exuded such passion and liveliness that I couldn't believe her character wasn't given more substance. She was everything Audrey Hepburn wasn't in "My Fair Lady".But that's the way it is, it's a film about men and the way they can dispose of women. Gaston doesn't strike as an unlikable character but he's likable by default as his first mistress (Eva Gabor) cheats on him and he takes his revenge causing a suicidal attempt that is supposed to make us chuckle. Indeed, in this (not so) gay Paris, we're supposed to root for him. But I could only root for Gigi and I couldn't accept that she would start her 'platonic friendship' by being a lousy substitute. Some would also say this was the way movies and women were portrayed, but again, let's not forget that in 1958, two progressive movies were made "Cat on a Hot Tin Roof" and "The Defiant Ones", not to mention "Vertigo" or "Touch of Evil" that weren't even nominated.So "Gigi" feels anachronistic even in its context, when French youth was dancing under the beats of Rock and Roll music and emulating the American idols, old-school Hollywood was still being nostalgic over a not-so-gay Paris that didn't exist anymore. "Gigi", for the sake of being a musical, doesn't try to push its premise a little farther, to spice it up a little, it doesn't even play fair with the genre as there's no particular song or choreography that stands out. This is a film that is not devoid of charming desuetude , but it's rather forgettable, and belongs to that string of mega-Best Picture winners of the 50's and 60's that were instantly forgotten like "The Greatest Show on Earth", "Around the World in Eighty Days" or "Oliver". And "Gigi" winning is a repeat of "An American in Paris" beating "A Streetcar Named Desire" and "A Place in the Sun". I'm happy for Vincente Minnelli but his Best Pictures weren't exactly Hollywood's finest hour.Speaking of the director, I saw a documentary about the life of Leslie Caron right after "Gigi" and I wish the story of Gigi was half as captivating as Caron's, she didn't have all fond memories of her Hollywood days and I can see why, as she was sort of victim of her beauty and used by Hollywood producers like a puppet, there was something of Gigi in Leslie Caron, something of a missed opportunity. The actress could play and she deserved better than being just the foil or the… 'faire-valoir'... as they say in French.

What an odd film; an even odder Best Picture winner. Mental note, I need to see the rest of the nominees from 1958's Academy Awards to see if it was just a slow year for film or if Gigi has simply lost its luster. Directed by Vincente Minnelli, starring Leslie Caron in the titular role, Gigi tells the story of family conformity and growing up while already having your life planned out for you. The curve ball with this film is that this family is grooming Gigi to be a mistress; I told you this was an odd film.Gigi opens in a park in Paris, with a character named Honoré Lachaille (Maurice Chevalier) breaking the 4th wall right down and conversing directly with the audience. This man proved to be the uncle of Gaston Lachaille (Louis Jourdan), a wealthy aristocrat who provides Gigi with some respite from her lessons to play cards and enjoy her youth. It is not only Gigi who is being granted a respite when Gaston visits, for he is also weary of the life of a wealthy Parisian. Gaston is quite bored with the high society life and the women he I supposed to be dating. Gigi, though she is being raised by her strict Grandmother and enduring lessons in becoming a cultured woman to better be a mistress to men, Gigi is youthful and maintains a fun, playful relationship with Gaston. As Gigi matures and Gaston finds himself increasingly more dissatisfied with his life and relationships, a love starts to blossom. Guided all throughout the film by Gaston's fun-loving uncle, Honoré Lachaille; Gigi is a fun movie despite its oddities.Of course, the most blatantly obvious oddity is the fact that Gaston is an older friend of Gigi's in the beginning of the film. An older man; Gaston sees Gigi mature, and when this platonic friendship evolves into a sexual attraction, it is a little unsettling. What is also bizarre about this film is that the audience watches Gigi take her "lessons" from her mature Aunt, lessons Gigi dreads and despises, all the while made clear that the women in her family are not women that marry. It was difficult for me to watch an innocent young girl be bred for a life of male servitude, when all she wanted to do was be among her friends and the trees, enjoying life like a young girl of her age should have been. It's always a little tough to watch someone's life be so strictly planned out for them, the all too common occurrence that this is. The tone of the movie was just off; we were given the wonderful jovial uncle, singing such songs as "Thank Heaven for Little Girls", coupled with a former lover committing suicide and a girl getting primed for life as a mistress. Also, with the interesting camera devices used; freeze frames and breaking the fourth wall, to name a few, I got the feeling that this musical couldn't decide if it wanted to be a comedy or a tragedy.I'm not sure what type of audience to recommend this film to. Perhaps, only the most devout fans of musicals are the ones that will appreciate this film. Aside from the fun unconventional film uses in the film, Gigi fell flat. I can only surmise after viewing this film, that 1958 must have been an incredibly meager year for great films, in the Academy's view, anyway.

"Gigi" is a coming of age story involving a girl (Leslie Caron) and the man (Louis Jourdan as Gaston) whose affections for her become romantic when she becomes a young woman.It won the Oscar for Best Film and all eight others it was nominated for after its release in 1958. On every level it was successful, but was it really the best film released that year? Probably not. However the film is charming and it does possess great production values (e.g. costuming, set design). Each scene is like a Renoir or Cassatt come alive. Filmed in France, it captures a joie de vivre that is perfectly personified by Miss Caron. Though her voice is dubbed, she embodies a spirit that infuses every scene of the film. "The Night They Invented Champagne" is the number I most enjoy, and she gives the scene the boundless energy of the cancan.But this is a victory of style over substance, because the story of "Gigi" is very simple. It lacks the depth of "My Fair Lady", for example, which followed six years later and bore striking similarities.Maurice Chevalier (as Honore Lachaille, the uncle of Gaston) and Mr. Jourdan use the same talk-singing style employed by Rex Harrison in "My Fair Lady". It does not detract from "Gigi", but it is noticeable.Some viewers might find the storyline, which deals with the education of a courtesan, less than romantic. And the film--like many others--focuses on the lifestyles of the rich. But "Gigi" is charming nonetheless. It is best to surrender to its charms and appreciate the performance of Miss Caron, whose transformation from girl to woman is flawless.

If you've read any of my reviews of musicals, then you'll know that I watch them so that I can heckle them like Mike, Servo and Crow do to the crummy movies that Dr. Forrester and TV's Frank send them on "Mystery Science Theater 3000". "Gigi" was no exception. Most of my comments were stuff that I won't be allowed to repeat here, but I can repeat some of it: (when Gigi turns her neck for Alicia): Looks like a vampire bit you.(when Gaston asks Gigi if she's ever seen an ice rink): I've never seen a nice rink but I've seen a lot of mean ones.Basically, musicals are among my least favorite movies (except for "South Park: Bigger, Longer and Uncut"). As far as I can tell, "Gigi" is about bored rich people doing bored rich people things (although I will say that Alicia reminded me of Mrs. Howell on "Gilligan's Island"). To crown everything, "Thank Heaven for Little Girls" sounds pedophilic.A strange irony here is that the US glamorizes France with this movie, and in later years Donald Rumsfeld called France "old Europe" for refusing to participate in the invasion of Iraq. Just in case anyone was looking for a reason to say negative things about France, I direct you to the brutal war that France waged in its quest to hold on to Algeria (which included the torture of Algerian prisoners).Long story short, this is a VERY dated movie. You're probably going to be hard-pressed to find anyone born after World War II who considers this one of the greatest movies ever. Sure as hell didn't deserve Best Picture in a year that gave us "Touch of Evil", "Separate Tables" and "The Defiant Ones".In conclusion, "Gigi" needs to get riffed on MST3K. Either that or Elvira should present it. Maybe there should be a mashup of "Gigi" and "The Exorcist".