· An American in Paris · by Vincente Minnelli @ Mary Riley Styles Library

Where better to fall in love than Paris? Gene Kelley plays an American artist trying to earn a few francs by selling his paintings on the street. A rich woman takes an interest in his work, and she makes it clear she’s interested in him as well. But he’s smitten with a French girl who turns out to be engaged to one of his friends. Love triangles are almost as old as cinema itself, but this one is embellished with fantasy sequences that look like the result of collaborations between David Lynch and Busby Berkeley. The ending is predictable, so just relax and enjoy the glorious music of George Gershwin and a scene that Frank SInatra called “the greatest musical number ever put on film.”

■ Title — An American in Paris
■ Director — Vincente Minnelli
■ Cast — Gene Kelly, Leslie Caron, Oscar Levant
■ Rating — Approved (suitable for general audiences)
■ ©1951 | 1h 54m | Drama, Music, Musical, Romance