STACK #182 Dec 2019

EXTRAS FEATURE

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ANAMERICAN IN PARIS

Jerry (Gene Kelly) meets Milo Roberts (Nina Foch)

1951

opera Porgy and Bess. He was just 38 years old when he tragically died of a malignant brain tumour in 1937. But his legacy lived on with his beautiful concert suites and wonderfully melodious songs still regularly performed today. Freed played pool with Ira Gershwin every Saturday evening and shortly after attending that concert asked him if he would sell him the title, An American in Paris, for a movie musical. Ira replied, “Yes, but on the condition that, if the picture is made, you only use Gershwin music”. Freed replied, “I wouldn’t use anything else and moreover, I want to take George’s composition for a ballet – uncut – to finish the movie” Now came the question of who was going to write the story. Ira Gershwin was keen on lyricist Alan Jay Lerner but Freed was apprehensive in approaching him, as Lerner liked to write his own songs to accompany his storylines – such as his musical Brigadoon, which had just opened on Broadway. But Ira insisted that Freed ask Lerner and he was pleasantly surprised when Lerner agreed. Furthermore, Lerner had an idea for the story after reading an article in Life magazine about a number of ex-servicemen who had gone to Paris to study painting on the G.I. Bill of Rights. Freed now reported to MGM studio boss Louis

Directed by Vincente Minnelli

I n late 1947, MGM

songwriter-producer Arthur Freed attended a

live concert at the Hollywood Bowl. He sat mesmerised as the orchestra played George Gershwin’s symphonic composition An American in Paris . During the performance Freed ruminated that the title of the piece would make a

great title for a movie musical. He had no idea of a storyline but was certain of three things: the movie would be about an American in Paris, it would be called An American in Paris, and the Gershwin orchestral suite would form part of the story. George Gershwin was one of the most significant and popular American composers of the 20th century. Throughout the 1920/30s, along with his older brother and lyricist Ira (who

fashioned the words to fit George’s melodies), he had composed dozens of popular songs for stage and screen that swiftly became standards. George also composed jazz-influenced orchestral compositions such as Rhapsody in Blue, An American in Paris and the classic American

B. Mayer that he wanted to make a motion picture called An American in Paris . Mayer asked, “Where did you get a title like that?” Freed said, “It’s Gershwin”. Mayer said, “Make it”. Over the next three years, Freed discussed and thrashed out ideas for his embryonic project with his chosen director Vincente Minnelli, leading man Gene Kelly and Alan Jay Lerner. Kelly was tasked with selecting the songs from the entire Gershwin catalogue to arrive at a selection appropriate for the film. He came up with a tentative list of a dozen songs including Our Love

FACT: Although Vincente Minnelli is credited as the sole director, he was often tied up with his divorce from Judy Garland and other directing projects, leaving Gene Kelly to take over directing duties

Is Here to Stay , which was significant as it was the last song George Gershwin wrote before his death. These were now incorporated into Lerner’s script. When it came to casting the production – and in particular the female lead, Lise – they tested MGM contracted actress/dancers Sally Forrest, Vera Ellen and Cyd Charisse, but Freed

Oscar Levant (centre) looks unimpressed as George Guetary and Gene Kelly sing the Gershwin song – S'Wonderful

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DECEMBER 2019

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