There are times that we remember a film not for the movie, but the circumstances around the screening. Such is the case for me when it comes to Gigi. When this film’s title is mentioned, the big memory is the late Raymond J. Regis preparing for a private screening of his Technicolor print. The legendary film collector wasn’t satisfied with just running the film. He wanted to put the audience in the proper mood. He bought several bottles of champagne and a few jars of macadamia nuts for the guests to enjoy before heading into the screening room. He wanted them to still feel the bubbles in their nose when the cast broke into “The Night They Invented Champagne.” Ray was right. This film should only be watched after popping the cork.
Gigi once held the record for the most Oscars when it bagged nine trophies including Best Picture in 1959. It’s considered the crowning achievement of the Arthur Freed’s musical unit at MGM. This was a work of quality as the Dream Factory was coming to an end. This film makes the viewers enter a fantasy world of the elite.
The story is about the sexual dynamics of the French upper class. The film opens on an amazing tone with Maurice Chevalier singing “Thank Heaven for Little Girls.” How beautiful and naughty can a “wholesome” family entertainment get? While it’s not explicitly said in the movie, Gigi (Leslie Caron) is being trained by her grandmother’s elderly friend to be a rich man’s mistress. But she’s still just a little girl. She doesn’t care for romance as depicted in the song “The Parisians.” She gets to know Gaston (Louis Jourdan) a rich sugar refinery owner. He sees love as a game that needs to be played out in the newspaper society columns. His ability to break a heart is legendary. He proves it when he savages Eva Gabor (Green Acres). Chevalier guides Gaston into taming his act. At the same time, Gigi matures. As Chuck Woolery would ask, is there a love connection?
This is a fun musical. Did it deserve all the Oscars? How could it have beaten Cat on a Hot Tin Roof? The bigger shock why Chevalier didn’t get a Best Supporting Actor nomination. He does more work than necessary to keep Louis Jourdan from fading into the decor. His charm smooths over any bumps in the film. When you pick up the DVD, make sure you snag a bottle of champagne and can of macadamia nuts. They will enhance your viewing pleasure.
The video is 2.35:1 anamorphic. The transfer dazzles. You get a great feel for the exquisite costumes and sets. You can see the pattern in the red fabric covered walls. The audio is Dolby Digital 5.1 Surround. There’s also a French dub in mono. A commentary track has Jeanine Basinger discussing the film and production. There’s also a few comments from Leslie Caron included. The subtitles are in English, French and Japanese.
The Million Dollar Nickel (9:30) takes us to the Philadelphia mint. They remind of the era of nickel beer. This short is about how it costs a nickel in postage to send overseas. These international letters are the best way to confront Soviet lies about our American lives. Zsa Zsa Gabor, Ricardo Montoban and Leslie Caron inform recent immigrants to keep writing to the relatives in the Old Country to
The Vanishing Duck (7:07) is a Tom and Jerry cartoon in anamorphic cinemascope. A baby duck arrives as a gift to a wife. Tom doesn’t like the new pet. It’s up to Jerry to save the quacker.
Gigi trailer (3:31) reminds us of the amazing music from the film.
Thank Heaven! The Making of Gigi (35:44) discusses how the film was the last music collaboration between Vincent Minelli and Arthur Freed. They deal with how the prostitution angle in the film is downplayed.
Gigi (1:22:25) is the non-musical French version of the story made in 1949. You’ll want to turn on the subtitles rather than relying on the subtitles on the film print since they disappear into the white table cloth in too many scenes.
Gigi is a bubbling musical about the sex lives of the French. Don’t watch it without a bottle of champagne nearby.
………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………
Warner Home Video presents Gigi: Two-Disc Special Edition. Directed by: Vincente Minnelli. Starring: Leslie Caron, Maurice Chevalier, Louis Jourdan, Hermione Gingold & Eva Gabor. Running Time 115 minutes. Rating: G. Released on DVD: Sept. 16, 2008. Available at Amazon.com
