MovieChat Forums > An American in Paris (1951) Discussion > Did anyone else not like the Leslie Caro...

Did anyone else not like the Leslie Caron scenes?

posted 18 years ago by atomicstuffing
23 replies | jump to latest

I found it really slow whenever her scenes came up.
My favorite scenes generally dealt with Gene Kelly and his "sponsor" talking about art, and the last 17-minute ballet (which in hindsight doesn't really have much to do with the story despite its elaborate staging)

I've always had mixed feelings about this film. Some great scenes intermixed with some extremely slow sections. I wonder if Cyd Charisse would've made it better (she was originally cast in Leslie's role) or maybe the middle sections could've used some punch-up in the writing.

[–] 18 years ago

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[–] Mel204 18 years ago

I didn't think they were convincing as a couple. I couldn't imagine a guy like him being attracted to her. She looked way too young, young enough to be his daughter.

[–] lauraeileen894 18 years ago

I admit Leslie Caron was awfully bland in "An American in Paris", but keep in mind that this was her first movie and the part of Lise is incredibly underwritten. I don't think anyone could have made it more interesting. Besides, I really think that Caron grew as an actress later on. She deserved her Oscar nomination for "Lili", and she's fantastic in "Gigi" and "The L-Shaped Room".

[–] Beau_Buffet 8 years ago

Yeah, because older guys being attracted to younger girls, and vice-versa, in unheard of...

Come on.

[–] NSurone 17 years ago

Don't forget, this was her first film, and she barely knew English. In later films, especially LILI and GIGI, she had improved greatly as an actress.

[–] 17 years ago

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[–] puzzow 18 years ago

Carron was not a great actress, but holy cow, what a dancer. For that, I can overlook her acting scenes which are, fortunately, short.

[–] Mel204 18 years ago

It's very evident in the film that her passion is clearly dancing and not acting. Look at how relaxed her expression and body language is when she dances... and yet when she acts, she has this stiff expression on her face (look at the scene when she goes out with Jerry, walks away from that restaurant and says "I'm sorry," very awkward looking).

[–] electrictroy 18 years ago

According to the trivia section, Leslie Caron was also malnourished.

A result of World War 2.

So many she simply lacked the energy to truly "act". She does much, much better in later movies like Gigi.

[–] electrictroy 17 years ago

Update:

I just saw an interview with Leslie. She admits that she didn't really "act" in this movie. She simply responded in her normal conversational tone to what Gene was saying.

As she explained, it was her first movie and she wasn't really sure what to do.

[–] crolins 17 years ago

I didn't like her at all. She was not a very good actress. Dancing, she was. And I do not mean this as a rude statement, but I didn't think she was very pretty....

I dunno, she just annoyed me.

i wish the ring had never come to me.

[–] kathleencurley1 17 years ago

According to an interview with Leslie Caron, she didn't really want to do the film - she only did to please her mother! I thought she was very expressionless, except when she was dancing. Of course, English wasn't her first language, which might explain that.

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[–] Percivalx 17 years ago

Agreed. I wish they had explored more the relationship between Kelly and his "sponsor", played by an effective Nina Foch but the movie kept bringing in Caron which was pretty much dead weight.

Let's see if you bastards can do 90.

[–] calculatedplagues 17 years ago

i did not see the entire film but i did see the first couple parts and i liked what i saw. she was incredibly beautiful and reminded me of a cat. i don't know, she's cool to me :)

God bless.
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[–] 17 years ago

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[–] funkyfry 17 years ago

lol, literally your post made me laugh out loud even though I disagree with what you're saying completely. I haven't seen "Lili" though. I tried to put it on my netflix list just now but it's not available on dvd at least through them. Oh well at some point I will see it. I like Leslie Caron, and I think she's fantastic in "An American in Paris." Her dancing is incredible, much better than anything she got to do in "Gigi," although I would tend to agree that overall "Gigi" is a better film. But why quibble about the difference between 2 (or 3, as the case may be) great movies?

The Oscar Levant character, a lot of people say they think he's in love with the Gene Kelly character. I don't know if I'd go that far, but I can't imagine him stealing her away from the sexy cabaret guy!

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

[–] coldwind9 16 years ago

She's a great dancer, her acting is more than adequate for the role, and
she's gorgeous.

Gene Kelly thought she was right for the part -- of course, your opinion may be
worth more than his...

He thought she was great. I think she's great. There are maybe twenty or thirty people out there who agree with you, and several million who think you're dead wrong. That's okay -- I myself can't stand Mozart. Bores me to tears.

Leslie Caron is great, and a total sexpot.

[–] 16 years ago

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[–] jaddeo 16 years ago

I have to agree with PHF7 - I love Leslie Caron in Lili and Gigi but in that horribly overrated American in Paris she does look like a chipmunk with a huge but that sticks out all the time that only a mother (i.e. Beaver) could love. I really loathe this movie for some unknown visceral reason.

[–] blondee661 16 years ago

True Leslie Caron isn't a great actress in this movie but give her a break it was her first film. I think the dancing makes up for it as well! If you don't think she can act just check out her later films like Daddy Long Legs, Gigi, Fanny, and The L-Shaped Room.