We all have our own list of favorite musical dramas. But today, we’ll talk about a similar film, An American in Paris, which was regarded as one of the best musical films after its release. Read this piece to find out where was An American in Paris filmed, along with other interesting details.
An American in Paris is a classic musical film that was released in the early ‘50s. Vincente Minnelli took inspiration from George Gershwin’s orchestral composition while directing this special movie.
The basic premise of An American in Paris revolves around a group of three American friends who struggle to make ends meet in France. The plot thickens when these characters compete against each other to woo a French girl, chucking their friendship out of the window.
The commercial performance of An American in Paris wasn’t as impressive, however, it still managed to surpass the shooting budget. Over the years, this incredible musical movie won 11 major awards, including 6 Oscars, and collected several nominations.
If you’re all set to find out where was An American in Paris filmed, then without stalling any longer, let’s dive right in.
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Where Was An American In Paris Filmed? Let’s Know ThiS Musical Drama Film Closely!
As I’ve mentioned before, the basic premise of An American in Paris was actually adapted from an orchestral composition by Gershwin, which was made during the late 1920s. Minnelli was so moved by the composition that he later decided to make a film based on it.
But, it’s not really surprising, considering the body of work Gershwin had made over the years. A number of filmmakers and artists took inspiration from Gershwin’s heavenly compositions while making their own art.
So, after Minnelli was done sorting the overall premise for this film, he and a couple of members of his team started looking for ideal filming locations. Since the production budget of An American in Paris wasn’t as much as the director hoped for, unfortunately, he couldn’t film all outdoor scenes in France.
The majority of the sequences were captured inside leading contemporary studios in America. However, some sequences of the movie were, in fact, filmed in Paris, as the director was absolutely hell-bent on shooting around this iconic city of love.
So, after the filming locations were decided, Minnelli asked the production members to arrange the shooting permissions in advance. Seasoned filmmakers like Minnelli didn’t want the shooting schedule to get delayed unnecessarily, thus, he decided to stay ahead of the curve and asked the crew to arrange the permissions before shooting started.
The principal photography of An American in Paris began in the first week of August 1950 and continued till the first week of January 1951. Unfortunately, Minnelli’s plan of keeping the shooting schedule short didn’t come to fruition.
The production members weren’t able to come to complete the filming process on time, as they faced a number of challenges while filming the outdoor scenes in Paris. In fact, the filming crew also ran into a couple of problems while shooting the interior scenes in America.
Overall, the filming process of An American in Paris wasn’t as smooth as the production members hoped it would be. But, thankfully, the sequences, which were shot in America and France, came out absolutely stunning.
So, let us now take a closer look at where was An American in Paris filmed and discuss the specific filming locations one by one.
America
The shooting process of An American in Paris commenced in California. The opening scene of the film, where we see the character of Jerry Mulligan painting inside his room in Paris, was actually filmed inside a well-equipped studio in California.
The production members sound-stage 6 of Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer Studios to film this interior scene. This famous studio is located at 10202 West Washington Boulevard, Culver City. Over the years, a number of filmmakers have used this studio to capture some brilliant visuals for their movies and shows.
For example, North by Northwest, Hang ‘Em High, Rawhide, Singin’ in the Rain, and Logan’s Run were all filmed inside the Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer Studios in Culver City.
So, after the majority of the outdoor and indoor sequences of An American in Paris were shot in California, the production members moved to the final filming location.
Paris
The final phase of shooting commenced in France. Minnelli and his team decided to save the best for the last.
So the final scene of the movie, where we see the lead characters reuniting with each other, was actually filmed in Paris. After these scenes were shot, the entire shooting process was wrapped up by the filming crew.
And now, allow me to walk you through the plot of An American in Paris. In the meantime, you can also read Cringey Shonen Anime Tropes, Farming Life in Another World, and Candy Candy Anime.
Plot Of An American In Paris | What’s It About
The story of An American in Paris revolves around the character of Jerry Mulligan and his American friends, who struggle to make ends meet in Paris. At the very beginning of the movie, the lead character appears to be struggling in Paris after serving his country in World War II.
As the story progresses further, Jerry is finally able to finish his painting and later goes out with his neighbors for a drink. Soon the supporting characters of Henri and Adam entice the lead actor to approach Milo Roberts for a rendezvous.
But, Adam and Henri notice the lead actors growing interested in the lonely heiress, and they quickly devise a plan. Watch An American in Paris and find out the final outcome of Jerry Mulligan’s love story.
Final Words
Alright, I have mentioned all the filming locations of this musical drama, I hope you were able to follow along. If you’d like us to add or change anything, let us know in the comments section. We’d definitely make the necessary changes.
Apart from that, if you wish to read other articles like, where was An American in Paris filmed then you can surely browse through other entertaining blogs on Viebly. That’s all from my side, hope to see you soon.
