An American in Paris
Seen it?1951 | 113 min | Music, Romance, Comedy
Friday Night FlickWhy it’s a Friday Night Flick
Critics loved it (95% on Rotten Tomatoes), it won 6 Oscars and it's still drawing plenty of interest. Make plans for this one.
Based on critics, audiences, awards, box office and buzz. Details below.Is it for you?
- Who'll love it
- Made for romantics and anyone who wants a laugh. If you loved Gentlemen Prefer Blondes or Midnight in Paris, start here. Critics rate it higher than audiences do, so it rewards patience more than it chases thrills.
- The mood
- Light and funny, romantic.
- The pace
- Breezy, at 1 hr 53 min.
- What might put you off
- Made in 1951: an older pace and style.
- Audiences were cooler on it than critics.
Jerry Mulligan is an exuberant American expatriate in Paris trying to make a reputation as a painter. His friend Adam is a struggling concert pianist who's a long time associate of a famous French singer, Henri Baurel. A lonely society woman, Milo Roberts, takes Jerry under her wing and supports him, but is interested in more than his art.
How it earned its rating
- CriticsVery strong
95% on Rotten Tomatoes, 83 on Metacritic
- AudiencesSolid
7.0 out of 10
- AwardsVery strong
Won 6 Oscars: Best Writing, Original Screenplay, Best Picture, Best Original Musical Score, Best Cinematography, Color and 2 more. Also nominated for 2 more Oscars. Plus 1 other award.
- Box office & staying powerBelow par
$7 million worldwide on a $6 million budget; still draws a steady audience long after release
- Buzz & cultural impactStrong
About 170K people sought it out in the past year
Trailer
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Cast & crew
Directed by Vincente Minnelli
- Gene KellyJerry Mulligan
- Leslie CaronLise Bouvier
- Oscar LevantAdam Cook
- Georges GuétaryHenri Baurel
- Nina FochMilo Roberts
- Robert AmesBallet Dancer (uncredited)
- Joan AndersonChild in Ballet (uncredited)
- Larry ArnoldFrenchman (uncredited)
- Martha BamattreMathilde Mattieu (uncredited)
- Charles BastinSmiling Young Man (uncredited)