Gigi (1958)

 Vincente Minnelli's "Gigi"


The complete emptiness of Vincente Minelli's 1958 musical "Gigi" worked wonders to completely disengage me from any interest I might have had in the film. It centers on a young Parisian girl in early Belle Epoque France caught between courtesan training and falling into a relationship with wealthy young man. There are certain visual lavishes that exemplify the stark colorful beauty of 1950s Hollywood musicals. But, this is the only engaging quality the picture has to offer.

I feel like there is any attempt by Minnelli to recreate the magic formula of a Max Ophuls film. Ophuls coincidentally died one week before production began. While I do see the clear inspirations at play, Minnelli fails to capture the thematic firth Ophuls hides beneath the veneer of opulence. 

All that being said, "Gigi" is more than an adequate film for casual viewing and remarking about the fantastic color usage by Metrocolor processing. However, if you're interested in something socio-political, humanist, or anything that could offer any sort of thematic heft, you've come to the wrong place.



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