American in Paris (1951)

Sight and Sound
"...Minnelli creates a magical, stylised world in which music, colour and movement are all perfectly integrated..." 05/01/2000 p.65

Total Film
"...For fun and footwork alone, it makes today's competition look positively lead-footed..." 07/01/2003 p.134

Entertainment Weekly
"[T]here's tremendous wit in its love-letter visions of post-WWII expatriate-artist patronage." -- Grade: A- 09/19/2008 p.56

Chicago Sun Times 8 of 10
An American In Paris has many qualities of its own [in comparison to Singin' In The Rain], not least its famous ballet production number, with [Gene] Kelly and Leslie Caron symbolizing the entire story of their courtship in dance. And there are other production numbers, set in everyday Parisian settings, that are endlessly inventive in their use of props and locations... The real reasons to see An American in Paris are for the Kelly dance sequences, the closing ballet, the Gershwin songs, the bright locations, and a few moments of the ineffable, always curiously sad charm of Oscar Levant. - Roger Ebert
 
Crazy for Cinema 9 of 10
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.
 
Chicago Sun-Times 9 of 10
"An American in Paris" swept the Academy Awards for 1951, with Oscars for best picture and the major technical categories: screenplay, score, cinematography, art direction, set design, and even a special Oscar for the choreography of its 18-minute closing ballet extravaganza..."Singin' in the Rain," released in 1952 and continuing the remarkable golden age of MGM musicals, didn't do nearly as well on its initial release. But by the 1960s, "Singin' " was routinely considered the greatest of all Hollywood musicals, and "An American in Paris" was remembered with more respect than enthusiasm..."Singin' " is the more realistic picture, which is perhaps why it holds up better today. "American" has scenes that are inexplicable, including the one where Levant joins Kelly and their French friend Henri (Georges Guetary) at a cafe. When he realizes they are both in love with the same women, Levant starts lighting a handful of cigarettes while simultaneously trying to drink coffee...The real reasons to see "An American in Paris" are for the Kelly dance sequences, the closing ballet, the Gershwin songs, the bright locations, and a few moments of the ineffable, always curiously sad charm of Oscar Levant. - Roger Ebert