MovieChat Forums > An American in Paris (1951) Discussion > Anyone else find the ending somewhat unr...

Anyone else find the ending somewhat unrealistic?

posted 19 years ago by MaxPunishment
57 replies | jump to latest

Other than the overly long ballet sequence at the end of the sequence (most of which I fast forward through) I really enjoy this film. My only problem with it is I can't imagine the ending of the film playing out as it does. For Henri to drive back and simply hand Lise to Jerry seems unlikely, especially after Henri explains the importance to Jerry of holding onto the one that you love since true love may only come once in a lifetime. Although you can make the argument that Jerry loves Elise and that he should get her, Henri also love Lise and Lise admittedly also has feelings for him. Therefore, I can't imagine what the motivations of Henri would be to give up the love of his life. Although similar to the ending of Casablanca, I feel this ending fails to justify why the relationship between Elise and Henri should end.

Anyone else feel this way?

[–] HiFi6 16 years ago

Just my .02 since I saw the topic posted ...

As far as I can remember my dad’s comment on this film was, “Great movie, until they stuck on that ‘Hollywood ending’... they should have ended the movie at the end of the ballet.” He would even go as far as to turn off the TV at the end of the ballet lol.

You have to keep in mind what year the film was made and how a lot of films then tended to wrap things up neatly with the “Hollywood ending”, whether it made sense realistically or not.

[–] Prom_Queen_Carrie 16 years ago

well I don't know what you're talking about OP because the ballet sequence is the best part of the movie! I pop in the movie just to watch that sequence! It's a masterpiece! It's supposed to be long.

"Farewell Ethel Barrymore, I must tear myself from your side" *rip*

[–] SeisCinemaSeis 15 years ago

Not "somewhat" unrealistic, COMPLETELY unrealistic. But that was the intention of Minelli and Kelly.

The last musical extravaganza (17 min long, If I am not wrong) is the best part of the movie. The sets were beautifully designed inspired on impressionist painters such as Toulouse-Lautrec, Utrillo or van Gogh.
The choreography was amazing and the music couldn't be better.

Yep, I truly enjoyed that number and in a lesser degree the rest of the musical sequences. Yet I think AAIP is an overrated film that didn't deserve to win the oscar for BP, specially when A Streetcar Named Desire and A Place in the Sun were competing that year.

[–] funkyfry 14 years ago

"Streetcar" and "Sun" are boring actor's showcases. Why give the Best Picture to something that only existed as a film to show off acting? There are many other aspects of film. "Streetcar" in particular is a very uncinematic experience, almost just a filmed play. I think the Academy got it right for once, giving the award to a real honest to gosh movie movie.

Did I not love him, Cooch? MY OWN FLESH I DIDN'T LOVE BETTER!!! But he had to say 'Nooooooooo'

[–] A_Fistful_of_Pennies 14 years ago

It's a musical.

[–] bradford-1 14 years ago

I almost wet myself guffawing at that remark about the 1980's being the first decade in which movies were made to make you "think." Try the following pre-1980 films:
LAWRENCE OF ARABIA
BRIDGE ON THE RIVER KWAI
CAT ON A HOT TIN ROOF
TAXI DRIVER
MEAN STREETS
WEST SIDE STORY
SUDDENLY, LAST SUMMER
THE DEFIANT ONES
SWEET SMELL OF SUCCESS
A FACE IN THE CROWD
THE CONVERSATION
MEDIUM COOL
RIDE THE HIGH COUNTRY
THE SEARCHERS
THRONE OF BLOOD
REFLECTIONS IN A GOLDEN EYE
THE SPY WHO CAME IN FROM THE COLD
A STREETCAR NAMED DESIRE
PATHS OF GLORY
DR. STRANGELOVE
SEVEN DAYS IN MAY
LONELINESS OF THE LONG-DISTANCE RUNNER
INHERIT THE WIND
ODDS AGAINST TOMORROW
THE CROWD
WHITE HEAT
Z
Chew on those for awhile.

"We're fighting for this woman's honor, which is more than she ever did."

[–] dmnemaine 13 years ago

Henri also tells Jerry that the only time that loving someone doesn't work out is when that other person doesn't love you. Lise may have "feelings" for Henri because he took care of her during the war, but it is clearly Jerry that she's in love with. Henri simply took his own advice, and didn't hang on to a woman who didn't return his feelings. As to your remark about the ballet, it's a brilliant piece of art. Unfortunately, too many people in the current "instant gratification" society that we live in today have a hard time with things that require a long attention span.

[–] MissTexasMcCoy 10 years ago

Yes I too was disappointed by the ending. I understand the point and that they were trying to give us a warm-and-fuzzy Disney-esque "happily ever after" ending, but I too was bothered that Henri would just easily give Lise up so quickly after all they had been through together, and furthermore that Milo was just left hanging like she was nothing. Some people say that part regarding her and Jerry was resolved in the dance sequence or whatever, but I just didn't see it that way.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

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(¸.•´ (¸.•´

[–] tsegal-1 9 years ago

I think what really bothers modern viewers about the ending today is the passivity of the two lovers--especially Lise. Jerry doesn't put up much of a fight for Lise, and Lise doesn't fight for herself and what she really wants. They end up together simply because Papa Henri magnanimously gives Lise to Jerry. It's not exactly a deus ex machina (that is, totally out of the blue)--the motivation for Henri's action has been well explained by other posters here, so I won't repeat it--but it does kind of happen without any effort on the lovers' part. We're glad they're together, but in today's culture of "follow your dream, take control of your destiny" and girl empowerment, they didn't seem to "earn" it--it just was a lucky break, one step up from Henri being killed in car crash (which would be too much of a downer for a '50s musical, anyway).
As Kelly himself said, it might have all been much stronger and clearer had Chevalier--or any older actor--played Henri. BTW, I heard tat Chevalierturned the part down because he didn't want to play a character who loses the girl.

[–] thesnowleopard 9 years ago

I think what really bothers modern viewers about the ending today is the passivity of the two lovers--especially Lise. Jerry doesn't put up much of a fight for Lise, and Lise doesn't fight for herself and what she really wants. They end up together simply because Papa Henri magnanimously gives Lise to Jerry.

It doesn't help that this is basically the plot for "The Story of O," except without all the kinky sex, and in "O," it's actually the younger guy who gives his girl to the older guy. When the final act of your romantic musical makes about as much sense as an existential 70s porn flick (based on a 50s French novel, no less), a rewrite is generally in order.

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[–] prplayer 8 years ago

i was going to rate this 6/10, but after the Hollywood ending had to give it 5/10

so many movies, so little time

[–] parknourie 8 years ago

"Somewhat unrealistic" is a severe understatement.
The film just undid everything and explained nothing but just went for a happy ending.

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