Weary of the conventions of Parisian society, a rich playboy and a youthful courtesan-in-training enjoy a platonic friendship, but it may not stay platonic for long.
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Title: Gigi (1958)
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Edit
Cast
| Complete credited cast: | |||
| Leslie Caron | ... | ||
| Maurice Chevalier | ... | ||
| Louis Jourdan | ... | ||
| Hermione Gingold | ... | ||
| Eva Gabor | ... | ||
| Jacques Bergerac | ... | ||
| Isabel Jeans | ... | ||
| John Abbott | ... | ||
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Plot Summary
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Add Synopsis
Storyline
Weary of the conventions of Parisian society, a rich playboy and a youthful courtesan-in-training enjoy a platonic friendship, but it may not stay platonic for long. Gaston, the scion of a wealthy Parisian family finds emotional refuge from the superficial lifestyle of upper class Parisian 1900s society with the former mistress of his uncle and her outgoing, tomboy granddaughter, Gigi. When Gaston becomes aware that Gigi has matured into a woman, her grandmother and aunt, who have educated Gigi to be a wealthy man's mistress, urge the pair to act out their roles but love adds a surprise twist to this delightful turn-of-the 20th century Cinderella story. Written by Anonymous
Taglines:
Thank heaven for Gigi [1966 re-release] See more »Certificate:
See all certifications »Parents Guide:
View content advisory »
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See full technical specs »
Details
Country:
USARelease Date:
4 February 1959 (France) See more »Also Known As:
Жижи See more »Filming Locations:
Auberge de la Moutière - 14 Rue Moutière, Montfort-l'Amaury, Yvelines, France See more »Box Office
Budget:
$3,319,355 (estimated)Company Credits
Show detailed
company contact information
on
IMDbPro »
Technical Specs
Runtime:
(Turner library print) (copyright length)Color:
Color (Metrocolor)Aspect Ratio:
2.35 : 1
Edit
[Honore walks through Paris and greets the viewer]
Honore Lachaille: Good afternoon! As you see, this lovely city all around us is Paris, and this lovely park is of course the Bois de Boulogne. Who am I? Well, allow me to introduce myself: I am Honore Lachaille. Born: Paris. When...
[laughs]
Honore Lachaille: ...not lately. This is 1900, so let's just say not in this century. Circumstances: comfortable. Profession: lover, and collector of beautiful things. Not antiques mind you, younger things.
[...]
See more »
(uncredited)
Lyrics by Alan Jay Lerner
Music by Frederick Loewe
Performed by Maurice Chevalier
See more »
Did You Know?
Trivia
Leslie Caron said of Maurice Chevalier, "His attitude seemed to be, 'You know me on the screen, but you don't really know me at all,'". One crew member added, "He was grumpy. He made his demands - whether for a chair in the shade, a sandwich, or a glass of water - imperiously. He never acknowledged the existence of the crew." others on the set found Chevalier to be a charming man who was conscientious, worked hard and took his role very seriously. "Maurice was the infinite professional: always punctual, always courteous, always frank, always encouraging, always working header than everyone else," said Alan Jay Lerner. See more »Goofs
During the "She isn't thinking of me" scene at Maxim's, Louis Jourdan's lips seldom connect with the words we hear. See more »Quotes
[first lines][Honore walks through Paris and greets the viewer]
Honore Lachaille: Good afternoon! As you see, this lovely city all around us is Paris, and this lovely park is of course the Bois de Boulogne. Who am I? Well, allow me to introduce myself: I am Honore Lachaille. Born: Paris. When...
[laughs]
Honore Lachaille: ...not lately. This is 1900, so let's just say not in this century. Circumstances: comfortable. Profession: lover, and collector of beautiful things. Not antiques mind you, younger things.
[...]
See more »
Soundtracks
I'm Glad I'm Not Young Anymore(uncredited)
Lyrics by Alan Jay Lerner
Music by Frederick Loewe
Performed by Maurice Chevalier
See more »
It's almost as if Lerner & Lowe were competing with themselves when they decided to write the music for "Gigi" -- once again, a story about a girl being transformed into a young woman of charm (a Parisian courtesan) just as Eliza was being molded into another creature by Professor Higgins. And that's not the only similarity. The songs all have a "My Fair Lady" similarity -- from 'The Night They Invented Champagne' to 'Gigi' to 'The Parisiennes' -- all bear the flavor of their previous work in sound and content. And yet they work beautifully for this story set in the city of love and starring Leslie Caron, Louis Jourdan, Herminone Gingold and Maurice Chevalier.
Production-wise, it's almost too lavish for its own good. Vincente Minnelli wrings every bit of artistic decor in the trappings, giving the viewer an almost claustrophobic feeling for the interior scenes. The outdoor shots are just as lavish--Louis Jourdan singing the title song among the fountains and architecture of French landmarks.
The cast is perfect. Leslie Caron makes an enchanting Gigi, Louis Jourdan is impossibly handsome as Gaston, and all of the other players were cast with a discerning eye.
But there is no denying that no matter how distasteful some will find the story of training a girl to become a courtesan to be (or how politically incorrect by today's standards), the score is as sparkling as the champagne they sing about. While, in my opinion, the score does not surpass "My Fair Lady" in range and cleverness, it certainly did well enough in winning nine Oscars, including the one for Best Picture of 1958. By all means, it has to be considered one of the last great musicals from the MGM period.
Only drawback: it's a bit overlong and could have used some editing for the slow moments.