An American in Paris (1951)

 Vincente Minnelli's "An American in Paris"

After the war, cinema became a reflection of the tattered souls of all the countries ravaged by war and horror. The Japanese were contemplating a post-truth landscape with their Golden Age of cinema and the Europeans were excelling at themes regarding morality in a Godless world with their post-war cinematic boom. And the Americans continued to hash out their doll of pulpy noir pieces that was ponderous of the corruption of our soul. However, the Americans also had the great machine of Hollywood to enact its post-war global presence. While all the other countries were trying desperately to reestablish themselves economically, culturally, and politically in these post-war times, the United States were really in a position of power to start a brand new enterprise of 20th century colonialism. American exceptionalism and new technological innovation was the name of the game. And the U.S. was empowered to spread the good word, as it were. You can truly feel the American cultural infiltration in films like Yasujiro Ozu's "Late Spring" and Jacques Tati's "Jour de Fete." One of the biggest assets to spreading the good word was Hollywood. What's a film that they could conjure that preaches the good word of American exceptionalism through its excelled cinematography, precision in song and dance sequences, and color and vibrancy? A film that also acknowledges its infiltration? And acts as an attempted antidote to post-war nihilism? How about Vincente Minnelli make a colorful musical with Gene Kelly and implement tons of dance, love, and passion that also showboats how new and technological a film could be? Ladies and gentleman, "An American in Paris." 

"An American in Paris" stars Gene Kelly as an American...well...in Paris. Kelly stars as Jerry Mulligan, a World War II veteran attempting to be a painter in the city of love. There, a lonely heiress, Milo Roberts, wants to romance Jerry by being a patron of his work. All the while, Jerry falls in love with Lise, a young woman already betrothed to Henri, a friend of Adam Cook, Jerry's American friend and pianist. Things get complicated in this romance as Lise is torn between the two men. 

Why would I say that the film acknowledges its own cultural colonialization? Perhaps it doesn't and my observations are merely incidental. However, Jerry, the American ex-patriot, is coming into a European city in a post-war landscape, and through his sheer since of charism, self-confidence, and romantic passion for life, attempts to infect and spread this sense of zeal to everyone around him, especially Lise. Lise, who, at first, is tentatively reluctant of Jerry's advances. To anyone reading, this might seem like an misguided assessment of something far more mundane. I posit the notion that the actual behavior of the characters are as innocent as you claim. However, I also posit that the themes themselves are the acknowledgement of American cultural infiltration. Through the sheer spectacle of American characters enacting their passions in a foreign land to improve its landscape, it's an acknowledgement. 

Perhaps you're not entirely convinced that the machinations of the subject matter merits the terms I have been putting forth. But, the film's existence can be seen as this very American infiltration. For one thing, the term 'spectacle' I used earlier is entirely the main conceit of the film's existence. The entire film is one great, big spectacle. The musical execution of the film, both with its songs and dances, are painstakingly perfected, the directional effort by Minnelli is phenomenal, and the technicolor cinematography is by far some of the most advanced at that point in time. The film itself is one big, colorful extravaganza.

This colorful extravaganza is used as an American asset to sell across the globe to demonstrate the might of American cinema, its influence, and the technological advances it can make because of its respective national power. With ALL of that being said, the film is undeniable. It's a spectacle, yes. It's propaganda to American exceptionalism, yes. It's a commercial film that perhaps doesn't have any depth to its themes, yes. It's an asset to an American superpower to spread cultural influence, yes. But, boy how, it's a phenomenal film with phenomenal spectacle power. There's a reason it is an asset to American cultural exceptionalism. It makes you smile from ear to ear, it wows you, and its passion, zeal, and charm are completely and totally infectious. I can't deny that I am won over. All hail Mr. Kelly. All hail Mr. Minnelli. And all hail "An American in Paris."