an american in paris be an integrated musical and meaning that the song and dance blend perfectly with the story . the film be inspire by the 1928 orchestral composition by george gershwin . the story of the film be intersperse with show stop dance number choreograph by gene kelly and set to popular gershwin tune . song and music include i get rhythm and s wonderful and and our love be here to stay . it set a new standard for the subgenre know a the songbook musical with dozen of gershwin tune bury in the underscore . the climax be the american in paris ballet and an 18 minute dance feature kelly and caron set to gershwin an american in paris and feature an impressionistic period daydream in the style of various painter and be one of the long uninterrupted dance sequence of any hollywood film . the ballet alone cost more than half a million dollar and a staggering sum at the time . it funny to think of such a work of art be bear over a pool game between film producer arthur freed ( singin in the rain and wizard of oz and on the town and meet me in st. louis and the band wagon ) and ira gershwin . it be free idea to buy the title so he could use if in a film about paris and gershwin idea that it would only use gershwin music . original cast be to have cyd charisse but she discover she be pregnant before shoot begin . a major reason gene kelly suggest leslie caron a the female lead be because he felt this movie need a real french girl play lise and not just an american actress play one . gene kelly discover leslie caron while vacation in paris where he saw her perform in a ballet . when she get the call to audition and she say and who gene kelly . accord to leslie caron and her introductory dance sequence and which include a seductive dance with a chair and be consider too suggestive by some censor . gene kelly direct the brief fantasy dance sequence show a lise be introduce . vincente minnelli first want maurice chevalier in the george guétary part and and celeste holm in the nina foch part . minnelli be a groundbreaking director of musical with meet me in st. louis ( 1944 ) and an american in paris and and the band wagon ( 1953 ) . he use color and song in way they hadn not be use before . he use space and time imaginatively . best of all and though and he allow himself to cut loose for the long ballet sequence that end all his movie . the ballet in an american in paris may be his best work . even though vincente minnelli be credit a the sole director and he be sometimes tie up with his divorce from judy garland and other direct project and leave gene kelly to take over the directing duty . other highlight include guetary rendition of stairway to paradise while oscar levant fantasy of conduct and perform gershwin concerto in f ( see why it be oscar levant favorite . ) the ballet sequence and now that we know it be successful everybody now want to take credit for it and free and minnelli and kelly but before the film be complete the new york office of mgm say no to spend a half million dollar on a ballet . so freed go to studio head louis b. mayer himself and get him to agree and new york say no . finally gene kelly show the new york office how a british film and the red shoe use a long ballet sequence and that film become a world wide hit and be still consider today the premium example of a successful art film . well the financial guy finally give in and sign the check . there be a break in production after 1 november 1950 and at which point gene kelly begin rehearse the ballet choreography . by the time production for that final sequence resume on 6 december and vincente minnelli have finish direct another film father little dividend ( 1951 ) . irene sharaff design a style for each of the ballet sequence set and reflect various french impressionist painter represent raoul dufy ( the place de la concorde ) and edouard manet ( the flower market ) and maurice utrillo ( a paris street ) and henri rousseau ( the fair ) and vincent van gogh ( the place de lopera ) and and henri de toulouse lautrec ( the moulin rouge ) . the background take six week to build and with 30 painter work nonstop . roger ebert say after view the recent restoration and an american in paris have many quality and not least it famous ballet production number and with kelly and leslie caron symbolize the entire story of their courtship in dance . an american in paris be often compare to singin in the rain a to which it the great musical ever make and and one critic put it best when he say and singin in the rain make me happy and an american in paris make me feel good . the ballet represent kelly fantasy a depict by the great french artist ( renoir and rousseau and lautrec and dufy ) he admire . arrange a screening for the then ail raoul dufy and the actor and producer duck out until the end credit . there and relieve and they find the artist and move to tear and request a second help of the sumptuous finale . the film be also the first to win a golden globe award for best motion picture ( comedy or musical . ) gene kelly receive an honorary academy award that year for his versatility a an actor and singer and director and dancer and and specifically for his brilliant achievement in the art of choreography on film . it be his only oscar .