An American in Paris with Film Historian Foster Hirsch

Directed by Vincent Minnelli, its score drawn from the extensive George Gershwin catalog, AN AMERICAN IN PARIS (1951, 115 min) was for its time both thematically and formally provocative.  Minnelli’s film contains some surprising touches that, beneath the musical-comedy sparkle, reveal a vein of melancholy.  Gene Kelly stars alongside Leslie Caron, Nina Foch and Oscar Levant in this timeless musical. 

In this class, we’ll discuss the inspirations that shaped the film including the stunning color cinematography of John Alton, and unprecedented seventeen-minute dream ballet sequence inspired by the paintings of Utrillo and Toulouse-Lautrec. 

This class will be taught by guest instructor Foster Hirsch, a professor of film at Brooklyn College and the author of sixteen books on film and theater.  

Class size will be limited to 18.

Questions? Email us at education@moviemadness.org