Gigi
Director: Vincente Minnelli
Year Released: 1958
Rating: 1.5
A young girl (Leslie Caron) is groomed for marriage and "proper" living by her elders - meanwhile, a "bored" playboy looks for love in all the wrong places. Maurice Chevalier is endearing (as always) as the voice of reason - he's old enough to realize how funny the young can act, yet sprightly enough to not give up the Hunt himself - but his charm is sadly lacking in every other character, particularly the transparent Caron, who struggles to convince anyone she's a human being in her pat Eliza Doolittle role. As a film, it's too cautious and thought-out to pack much energy, and the 'dawning of the awareness of love' between the two leads is barely convincing. They're all like marionettes dancing around a lavish dollhouse - trouble is, the strings are still showing.
