OSCAR WILD DAY 5: AN AMERICAN IN PARIS (1951)
In considering what to write about this film, I had a realization- save for a few outliers, movie musicals are not my preferred form of escapism. With the Korean War in full swing, audiences embraced that which gave them something to smile about- songs, dances, beautiful scenery, joy, love, and absolutely nothing that reminded them of war. Perhaps it was a combination of this film being a box office hit late in the year and the fact that the Academy might have been looking to continue to branch out away from the heavy serious-minded dramas that dominated the category in the late 1940s. I was encouraged to learn that I’m not the only one who feels that this film is one of the lesser-deserving Oscar winners. World War II veteran Jerry (Gene Kelly) lives in post-war Paris, where he lives out his dream of being a painter. His meager earnings get him by, just like his musician friend Adam (Oscar Levant), also an American. Jerry’s work and charm catch the eye of an heiress named Milo (Nina F...
