Which is the better musical with George & Ira Gershwin songs that is set in Paris? An American In Pars (1951) or Funny Face (1957)? An American in Paris is the epitome of the MGM musical with Gene Kelly and director Vincente Millelli so good, it beat out dramatic masterpieces like A Streetcar Named Desire and A Place in the Sun for Best Picture. Funny Face shows what Stanley Donen could do outside of MGM and is a great preview of where the musical goes in the 1960s, even if it has that old stalwart Fred Astaire.
Funny Face is about Jo Stockton, played by Audrey Hepburn, a bookstore saleswoman who gets her store hijacked by Quality magazine editor Maggie Prescott (Kay Thompson) and fashion photographer Dick Avery (Astaire). She gets stuck posing in one of the photos and when Prescott begins searching for the perfect woman to represent her magazine, Avery suggests Stockton. They travel off to Paris so Stockton can model the newest clothes by one of the major designers in Paris, but she has to decide between her fashion obligations and her desire to seek out the intellectuals she looks up to.
This was Hepburn’s first musical, despite her training as a dancer. Her Bohemian-style solo dance at the club is one of the highlights of the picture and probably her career. She’s electric, lighting up the screen with her every wild move. Thanks to her classic, timeless look though, she looks as comfortable with Astaire as she does with the hip dancers in the club. You also cannot talk about a Hepburn movie without mentioning the Hubert de Givenchy clothes. Their partnership was one for the ages. He knew how to design her clothes and she knew how to wear them. His designs for this movie are probably the best, with the iconic red gown and that wedding dress standing at the top.
There are obviously more pieces that make Funny Face a great, funny movie. Astaire’s classic dancing, Donen’s expertly staged dances, the choice of excellent Gershwin songs, Richard Avedon’s signature photographic style, wonderful Paris locations... The list goes on. While Funny Face never won all the accolades that An American in Paris was awarded, it is just as good, if not better. MGM musicals in the ‘50s have a strained sense of professionalism, while Funny Face is loose and quickly paced at just 103 minutes. Hepburn’s presence is what really makes this a timeless masterpiece. It stands right next to Breakfast at Tiffany’s as her best work.