Gigi (1958)
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A precocious young girl is groomed to become a high-society courtesan while navigating a complex romantic entanglement with a wealthy womanizer.
The story
Set in Paris during the Belle Époque, the story follows Gigi, a carefree young girl under the care of Madame Alvarez. Following a family tradition, Gigi is sent to be groomed as a courtesan—a kept mistress of wealthy men. While she enjoys her life of fun and play, she is specifically being prepared for the Parisian high society. The narrative centers on her interactions with Gaston, a wealthy womanizer who views her as a sibling figure. However, as the social circles of the elite collide, the plans to transition Gigi into a professional mistress begin to take shape, creating a conflict between her innocent lifestyle and the sordid expectations of her handlers.
Full plot (contains spoilers)
In 1900 Paris, Gigi is a young girl being trained by her grandmother, Madame Alvarez, and her great-aunt, Alicia, to become a courtesan. While Gigi prefers her platonic bond with the wealthy womanizer Gaston, the older women scheme to make her his mistress. After a trip to the seaside, the training intensifies. Gaston eventually realizes he has developed romantic feelings for Gigi. He proposes a 'business arrangement' for her to become his mistress, which Gigi initially rejects as she fears losing her freedom. However, after a series of emotional confrontations and a public appearance at Maxim's restaurant, Gigi agrees to the arrangement, choosing to be with Gaston despite the social implications. The film concludes with Gaston proposing marriage to Gigi, and the two are shown happily married in the Bois de Boulogne.
- First release year
- 1958
- Runtime (minutes)
- 115
- Production countries
- United States
- Original languages
- English
- Directors
- Vincente Minnelli
- Writers
- Alan Jay Lerner · screenplay
- Cast and characters
- Leslie Caron · Gigi; Maurice Chevalier · Honoré Lachaille; Louis Jourdan · Gaston; Hermione Gingold · Madame Alvarez; Eva Gabor · Alicia; Jacques Bergerac · null; Isabel Jeans · null
- Genres
- musical; romantic comedy
- Themes
- social class; loss of innocence; arranged relationships
- Tone and mood
- elegant; romantic; escapist
- Premise and plot tags
- musical; period piece; romance
- Source material / true-story basis
- 1944 novella by Colette
- Reception
- The film received universal acclaim and was a major box-office success, winning all nine of its Academy Award nominations. While some modern critics have questioned its themes, it remains a celebrated classic of the MGM musical era.
- Awards and nominations
- Academy Award · Best Picture · 1959 · Win; Academy Award · Best Director · 1959 · Win; Academy Award · Best Picture · 1959 · Win; Academy Award · Best Director · 1959 · Win; Academy Award · Best Picture · 1959 · Win; Academy Award · Best Director · 1959 · Win; Academy Award · Best Picture · 1959 · Win; Academy Award · Best Director · 1959 · Win; Academy Award · Best Picture · 1959 · Win; Academy Award · Best Director · 1959 · Win; Academy Award · Best Picture · 1959 · Win; Academy Award · Best Director · 1959 · Win; Academy Award · Best Picture · 1959 · Win; Academy Award · Best Director · 1959 · Win; Academy Award · Best Picture · 1959 · Win; Academy Award · Best Director · 1959 · Win; Academy Award · Best Picture · 1959 · Win; Academy Award · Best Director · 1959 · Win; Academy Award · Best Picture · 1959 · Win; Academy Award · Best Director · 1959 · Win
- Production trivia
- The film held the record for the highest clean sweep of nominations until 2004.; The soundtrack album cover appears on the cover for Pink Floyd's Ummagumma (1969) album.
Film metadata comes from the open sources listed in Credits & Contact. Catalogue details may be incomplete.
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