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Funny Face

As a stylized musical, Funny Face is a great watch. Gershwin meets Richard Avedon in a high fashion romp through New York and Paris, it's easy on the eye and highly entertaining. The fact that it stars the luminous Audrey Hepburn doesn't hurt either. But for the purposes of this Movie Atlas, it's the Parisian scenes which are worth watching.

For about one quarter of the movie, fashion photographer Dick Avery (Fred Astaire) and bookstore sales girl turned model Jo Stockton (Hepburn) dance and sing their way through the French capital. And the cinematography is stunning.

They're there for a fashion shoot, and the shoot scenes are gorgeous (as you can see in the pictures above).

But the more casual scenes, as the characters explore the city, are equally striking. It's a wonderful chance to see Paris as it was in 1957, unbelievably 52 years ago.

The Arc de Triomphe, the Eiffel Tower, the Seine, Montmartre and the Sacre Coeur, the Louvre (pre- glass pyramid of course), the Opéra National de Paris Palais Garnier, the Château de la reine blanche in Coye-la-Forêt, and even Orly Airport.

The characters walk along the river, sing songs in the shade of Notre Dame cathedral, and ride the elevator up the Eiffel Tower.

If you've been to Paris, it's a great chance to find out what has changed and what hasn't. If you haven't been to Paris, it'll make you want to go. – Roshan McArthur

2009 Aug 12 one response. share this

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