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An American in Paris
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Oscar Levant sits at a piano while Gene Kelly dances beside him in a room with an open window, in a scene from An American in Paris (1951).
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An American in Paris

film by Minnelli [1951]
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Oscar Levant sits at a piano while Gene Kelly dances beside him in a room with an open window, in a scene from An American in Paris (1951).
Oscar Levant and Gene Kelly in An American in Paris Oscar Levant (left) and Gene Kelly in An American in Paris (1951), directed by Vincente Minnelli.

The 1951 film An American in Paris, directed by Vincente Minnelli, is a cinematic adaptation of George Gershwin's 1928 orchestral composition of the same name. The film stars Gene Kelly as Jerry Mulligan, an American painter living in Paris who is supported by a wealthy patron while falling in love with a young French woman, played by Leslie Caron.12

The movie incorporates several of Gershwin's songs, including "I Got Rhythm" and "'S Wonderful". A notable feature is its 17-minute ballet sequence, choreographed by Kelly and set to Gershwin's music, with sets inspired by French Impressionist paintings. This ballet was a significant undertaking, costing a substantial amount and taking considerable time to film. The film was a critical and commercial success, winning six Academy Awards, including Best Picture.21

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2 Britannica Sources
  1. An American in Paris
  2. Vincente Minnelli - Films of the early 1950s: Father of the Bride , An American in Paris , and The Bad and the Beautiful

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