AN AMERICAN IN PARIS

SYNOPSIS: Jerry (Kelly) is an American artist, struggling in Paris, until he finds a wealthy patroness. All is fun and games until he meets Lise (Caron) and naturally falls instantly in love. He then chases her, trying to "win" her away from her clueless fiancé, much to the dismay of his friends, as well as Lise who finds she just can't resist him.

BOTTOM LINE: This is one of those classic musicals I had seen parts of, but never bothered to sit through. Gene Kelly is now my new favorite song and dance man. Astaire may be more inventive, but Kelly has charm for days. His muscular body doesn't hurt either, which he shows off to my great admiration in this lovely trifle. The only reason I can think of for this film to win the Oscar for Best Picture is the final dance sequence. It's truly mesmerizing. The editing, art direction and choreography unlike anything I have ever seen. The rest of the flick is pretty average for a musical. What makes this eminently watchable is Kelly's performance as the lovesick artist. I still don't get the appeal of Caron. She's lovely, but not an overwhelming screen presence. I guess the fact that she could act, dance and sing made her popular at the time. Levant is a recent discovery and a real asset to this picture. His music and humor help fill in the gaps wonderfully. The staging and costumes garnered many awards for a reason. This film has more singing and dancing than plot, so if you're not a fan of the genre, I wouldn't bother. However, if you are, Kelly and his fancy footwork, especially in the dream sequence, will take your breath away.