Song and Dance

Like with so many old musicals, especially Gene Kelly musicals, An American in Paris uses song and dance to tell the story of the characters. From the first moments of the film, we see Gene Kelly burst into song while he celebrates his wonderful life, living in a small apartment in Paris and selling his paintings.

All of the characters in the film are introduced through song. Jerry is first introduced to us through his song in the morning, and we meet Adam during the same time through song and music. When Henri appears, he also has an introduction through song. One of the best introductions is Henri's song about Lise, who performs small ballet dances during his descriptions.

Although some of the selections seem a bit long and contrived, they do help to reveal the feelings and stories of the characters. Lise and Jerry's relationship...