After much soul searching, I dwindled my DVD collection to three movies.
It was a terribly quick experience, where I acted like a physical weight, holding Little Women, Anne of Green Gables, and Bend It Like Beckham in one hand, and Northanger Abbey, Justice League, and Bleach in the other. It almost felt like one of those "if you were on a desert island, what top three movies would you bring with you..." type of deals, and while I always loved playing that game, there was always that sense of "well, I have nothing to worry about, I doubt desert island situations happen all the time."
Now I get it.
In the end, I came up with Inception, Pride and Prejudice, and Gigi. There's a characterization study in that, I think. Anyway, after a day of frenzied subway rides and desperate, lost walking, I settled down to rest for today to fill out resumes, and I did it by curling up to another viewing of Gigi.
Now I get it.
In the end, I came up with Inception, Pride and Prejudice, and Gigi. There's a characterization study in that, I think. Anyway, after a day of frenzied subway rides and desperate, lost walking, I settled down to rest for today to fill out resumes, and I did it by curling up to another viewing of Gigi.
Let's go over basics: young Parisian girl is unknowingly raised to be a courtesan by her aunt and grandmother, both are old campaigners of the trade. Throw in a bored Parisian playboy, who is an old friend of said girl's family, and you got Colette's classic. But of course, you know, with more flare and Colette's wit.
So let's get down to it. Why I will watch this movie over and over again:
1. The entire number for "Gaston's Soliloquy."
Though I insist quite strenuously that I am not, in fact, a romantic*, I will have to say that this moment in the movie actually has me thinking of puppies and babies, especially with lines like:
And the entire sequence cracks me up, from how Louis Jourdan carries himself like life's a stage, and how Vincente Minnelli tacks apart Paris so it looks like Gaston's in a garden, at a fountain, at Gigi's doorstep in just a few steps. The direction in that sense is altogether funny obvious but also pretty inventive with how he pans the screen, so the blue sky becomes the transition or Gaston's run towards the camera leads right up to another area.
However, it is slightly creepy and wrong actually. He talks about being there, watching her grow up, comparing her to a child, and then voila! I love her! I want her to be my courtesan!
It is slightly wrong.
But, without context, it's slightly sweet, extremely reminiscent of Rex Harrison's "I've Grown Accustomed to Her Face" from My Fair Lady.
2. The number for "The Night They Invented Champagne."
I hated this song before. I used to fast forward through it, but I've recently gained an appreciation over it. Maybe because there are a lot of "la-la-la-la champagne!" lines in it, and I always appreciate a good song where it seems that even the singer doesn't know the words**.
But I love the theory and romance behind it.
3. Maurice Chevalier's age songs.
While "Thank Heaven for Little Girls" might be the most famous song to take away from this entire film, I tend to ignore it, because, well, it's sort of creepy again isn't it?
While watching the DVD commentary by a film historian, I loved that her comment was something like, "There's Maurice Chevalier, singing 'Thank Heaven for Little Girls.' Only Chevalier can get away with being an old man singing this song." And it's pretty true.
No, I think Chevalier's best songs are "I'm Glad I'm Not Young Anymore" and his duet with Hermione Gingold "I Remember It Well."
Let's start with the latter. This song is teasingly sweet, playing with age and gender dynamics, where Chevalier's character, Honore Lachaille, attempts to charm Gingold's Madame Alvarez with his "steadfast" memory over their last night together. It's sweet in how he gets everything wrong, whereas she corrects him on each line, gently reprimanding him.
But I always took the song to be more like Honore would have everything wrong and remember everything a little bit better than Madame Alvarez because, well, he's the more privileged of the two, able to move on and find other women. And Madame Alvarez would have everything right because she's given up on being a courtesan (only young women seem to take this profession on) and would've had time to dwell on it more.
Honore's other song "I'm Glad I'm Not Young Anymore" gets me every time because of the lines:
4. The lines.
There are so many great lines in this movie and everyone delivers it with such deadpanned humor. They're almost carelessly thrown in, like:
Gigi: What's that in your pocket?
Gaston (with difficulty): I'm sorry.
Gigi (innocently): What is it?
Gaston: It's a present.
Isn't that terribly gauche? It's a bracelet for her, so it actually is a present. The set-up throws me for a loop though.
5. The images.
I once read that the French actors spoke poorly about Vincente Minnelli's direction, but there really are so many beautiful moments in here, from the whispering scene at Maxim's to Gaston's silhouette in front of the fountain at the end. Take a look:
It's very reminiscent from the colors and the epiphany in Clueless.
You can only wish that life was so good-looking and perfectly timed.
There's something heartening about watching a musical when you're feeling particularly tired and slightly dark. Filling resume after resume and walking the streets aimlessly around New York can do that, and Gigi's idealism and pure innocence seemed to be just what I needed as I read through jobs online and started rewriting cover letters.
1. The entire number for "Gaston's Soliloquy."
Though I insist quite strenuously that I am not, in fact, a romantic*, I will have to say that this moment in the movie actually has me thinking of puppies and babies, especially with lines like:
While you were trembling on the brinkHow can you not?
Was I out yonder, somewhere
Blinking at a star?
And the entire sequence cracks me up, from how Louis Jourdan carries himself like life's a stage, and how Vincente Minnelli tacks apart Paris so it looks like Gaston's in a garden, at a fountain, at Gigi's doorstep in just a few steps. The direction in that sense is altogether funny obvious but also pretty inventive with how he pans the screen, so the blue sky becomes the transition or Gaston's run towards the camera leads right up to another area.
However, it is slightly creepy and wrong actually. He talks about being there, watching her grow up, comparing her to a child, and then voila! I love her! I want her to be my courtesan!
It is slightly wrong.
But, without context, it's slightly sweet, extremely reminiscent of Rex Harrison's "I've Grown Accustomed to Her Face" from My Fair Lady.
2. The number for "The Night They Invented Champagne."
I hated this song before. I used to fast forward through it, but I've recently gained an appreciation over it. Maybe because there are a lot of "la-la-la-la champagne!" lines in it, and I always appreciate a good song where it seems that even the singer doesn't know the words**.
But I love the theory and romance behind it.
The night they invented champagne.If that isn't a drunk song, I don't know what is.
It's plain as it can be.
They thought of you and me.
3. Maurice Chevalier's age songs.
While "Thank Heaven for Little Girls" might be the most famous song to take away from this entire film, I tend to ignore it, because, well, it's sort of creepy again isn't it?
While watching the DVD commentary by a film historian, I loved that her comment was something like, "There's Maurice Chevalier, singing 'Thank Heaven for Little Girls.' Only Chevalier can get away with being an old man singing this song." And it's pretty true.
No, I think Chevalier's best songs are "I'm Glad I'm Not Young Anymore" and his duet with Hermione Gingold "I Remember It Well."
Let's start with the latter. This song is teasingly sweet, playing with age and gender dynamics, where Chevalier's character, Honore Lachaille, attempts to charm Gingold's Madame Alvarez with his "steadfast" memory over their last night together. It's sweet in how he gets everything wrong, whereas she corrects him on each line, gently reprimanding him.
But I always took the song to be more like Honore would have everything wrong and remember everything a little bit better than Madame Alvarez because, well, he's the more privileged of the two, able to move on and find other women. And Madame Alvarez would have everything right because she's given up on being a courtesan (only young women seem to take this profession on) and would've had time to dwell on it more.
Honore's other song "I'm Glad I'm Not Young Anymore" gets me every time because of the lines:
No more confusion.They play over a resounding band stand sound, rolling with his remarks. It's amazing.
No morning after surprise.
No more self delusion.
4. The lines.
There are so many great lines in this movie and everyone delivers it with such deadpanned humor. They're almost carelessly thrown in, like:
Aunt Alicia: Did you work hard in school today? What did you study?Or during a dance between Gigi and Gaston, as they hold one another close:
Gigi: History. Napoleon's defeat at Waterloo.
Aunt Alicia: How depressing. What else?
Gigi: English.
Aunt Alicia: English? I suppose we must. They refuse to learn French.
Gigi: What's that in your pocket?
Gaston (with difficulty): I'm sorry.
Gigi (innocently): What is it?
Gaston: It's a present.
Isn't that terribly gauche? It's a bracelet for her, so it actually is a present. The set-up throws me for a loop though.
5. The images.
I once read that the French actors spoke poorly about Vincente Minnelli's direction, but there really are so many beautiful moments in here, from the whispering scene at Maxim's to Gaston's silhouette in front of the fountain at the end. Take a look:
It's very reminiscent from the colors and the epiphany in Clueless.
You can only wish that life was so good-looking and perfectly timed.
There's something heartening about watching a musical when you're feeling particularly tired and slightly dark. Filling resume after resume and walking the streets aimlessly around New York can do that, and Gigi's idealism and pure innocence seemed to be just what I needed as I read through jobs online and started rewriting cover letters.
Fun fact: Audrey Hepburn's big break was really Gigi. Before any of that Roman Holiday vespa fun, she starred on the Broadway hit.
*Yes, despite my want to have a meet-cute and my love of rom-coms. I don't really believe any of it.
**Take Michael Jackson's Human Nature for instance.