Funny Face (1957)

Just perfect...

Best movie ever!

If the ambition is to provide two hours of instantly forgettable, popcorn-munching escapism, it succeeds.

The first must-see film of the year.

Audrey Hepburn, Fred Astaire and Kay Thompson are all fabulous and perfectly cast. Great music with great singing and dancing. Thompson's character sings 'Think Pink' then claims she wouldn't be caught dead in it. Half an hour later in the film, guess what she's wearing? Pink! Great film, watching it now as I write this.

Songs: "Funny Face" (Astaire, reprized Astaire), "'S Wonderful" (chorus, reprized Astaire and Hepburn), "How Long Has This Been Going On?" (Hepburn), "Let's Kiss and Make Up" (Astaire), "Clap Yo' Hands" (Astaire, Thompson), "He Loves and She Loves" (Astaire), — all music by George Gershwin, lyrics by Ira Gershwin. "Think Pink" (Thompson), "Bonjour Paris!" (Astaire, Thompson, Hepburn), "On How To Be Lovely" (Hepburn, Thompson), bridge for "Clap Yo Hands", — all music by Roger Edens, lyrics by Leonard Gershe. "Marche Funebre" (Slifer), music by Roger Edens, lyrics by Lela Simone. "Bullfight Dance", music by Alexander Courage. "Clap Yo' Hands", dance music by Skip Martin. "Basal Matabolism", music by Alexander Courage. Music directed, adapted and conducted by Adolph Deutsch. Choreography: Eugene Loring, Fred Astaire. Songs staged by Stanley Donen. Dance assistants: Dave Robel, Pat Denise. Music arrangements and orchestrations: Conrad Salinger, Mason Van Cleave, Alexander Courage, Skip Martin. Copyright 1957 by Paramount Pictures Corp. New York opening at the Radio City Music Hall: 28 March 1957. U.S. release: April 1957. U.K. release: 27 May 1957. Australian release: 15 August 1957. Sydney opening at the Prince Edward: 16 August 1957 (ran six weeks). 9,302 feet. 103 minutes. SYNOPSIS: Fashion photographer introduces bookshop beatnik into the world of Parisian couture. NOTES: Here's a breakdown of the orchestrations. Van Cleave did "Bonjour Paris!" Courage handled "Let's Kiss and Make Up", Salinger was assigned "He Loves and She Loves", Skip Martin worked on "Clap Yo' Hands", Deutsch did both "Think Pink" and "On How To Be Lovely". Background music was orchestrated by Deutsch, Courage and Van Cleave. Nominated for the following Academy Awards: Best Original screenplay (won by Designing Woman), Best Cinematography (won by The Bridge on the River Kwai), Best Art Direction (won by Sayonara), Best Costumes (won by Les Girls). One of Bosley Crowther's Ten Best Pictures of 1957. Sixth on the National Board of Review's list. Special Citation for "photographic innovations" from the National Board of Review.COMMENT: Top-billed Audrey Hepburn is perfectly cast in this inventively staged and most stylishly photographed musical. Fred is no slacker either, and it's good to see Kay Thompson in such an excellent role (her only previous film appearance was a brief singing spot with her radio choir in "Manhattan Merry-Go-Round" way back in 1937). Following Hollywood custom, one of France's top stars, Michel Auclair, is inappropriately dubbed (though he does get to speak his own opening lines in French), whilst normally reliable British "other man" Robert Flemyng is likewise inexplicably miscast as a Parisian fashion designer. However, Dovima is fine as a Bronx- accented model, and keen fans will have no trouble recognizing Suzy Parker in the "Think Pink" number. OTHER VIEWS: Actually lensed on real Paris locations with Fred and company dancing through the main streets and boulevards and on to the Eiffel Tower, Funny Face is both a visual and musical treat. The story is engaging too, with wit and satire directed against the cleverly contrasted worlds of high fashion and beatnik intellectualism. True the romantic complication with a bearded Michel Auclair is rather old- hat. But with songs like these, who's complaining? Fred, Audrey and Kay are all in marvelous form, production values are appropriately super-glossy, and the photography contrives to be amusing and clever in its own right. Funny Face has so many stylish elements, I'm surprised it has never been adopted as a cult movie. Perhaps its expose of the phony, pretentious claptrap underlying undergraduate philosophy strikes too close to home. Whatever, Funny Face is still an absolute delight. — JHR writing as George Addison.

This movie reminds how beautiful Paris is. Paris 50 years ago was nothing different from 21st except from the old cars and gorgeous vintage film color. Movie scenes were exactly like vintage postcards and lots of scenes are symbolic. French are described as crazy and over dramatic or even traumatic people. Audrey Hepburn as usual has a delicious performance, an innocent and very lady-like which makes men both crazy and crazy in love.A classic movie to be watched in Valentine's day and especially if you are in Paris, it will certainly raise your mood up. If not the case, its melodious and simple spirit wouldn't cause you any bad...

It starts in some bizarre zone between cheesy and marvellously modern, but it's all style and flash. There's no substance in the first ten minutes, but when Audrey Hepburn comes into view, it's like the floodgates of emotion have been opened, it's like the sight of land on a barren sea. She plays her role like a naive heroine expecting a sincere fairy-tale only to be surprised by a macabre parade of shallow 20th century modernity. This instantaneously creates a clash between two worlds, and we are hooked at least to see how the next scene plays out. But in the end, we are let down by the leading man. Fred Astaire is no match in romance for such a queen as Ms. Hepburn.