Cast: Leslie Caron, Louis Jourdan

Director: Vincente Minnelli

Gigi is considered one of Hollywood's most celebrated classics from an era when studios were still gathering the ropes on how to make a really good musical.

Coming a few paces close to ‘My Fair Lady’ in storyline, the 9 Academy Award winner revolves around Gigi (Leslie Caron), a gifted adolescent girl living in Paris. Gigi's mother is an opera singer who is so taken up with her work that she barely spends time with the teenager. With the result that she is raised by her grandmother Madame Alvarez (Hermione Gingold), whose only wish is to see Gigi who like a tomboy without her mother, be turned into a successful courtesan. Madame Alvarez sends Gigi to Aunt Alicia (Isabel Jeans) to teach her the finer things in life, like how to pour coffee in a cup and how to select cigars.

In comes wealthy lad Gaston Lachaille (Louis Jourdan) lives the high life, a Casanova in the true sense. Gaston is a regular to Madame Alvarez, who also happens to be an old friend of his uncle Honore (Maurice Chevalier). He takes a liking to the svelte and simple Gigi over a period of time and watches her growing up into a beautiful woman. Now Madame Alvarez and Aunt Alicia have plans get Gigi married off to a suitable bachelor. Gaston enters her life. But though Gigi loves Gaston, she has no desire to be one of his mistresses.

Will Gigi finally wed Gaston? Will Gaston change his ways? Watch this lovely musical that has music score by Alan Jay Lerner and Frederick Loewe. Lookout for the classic title song and the others which include Say a Prayer, I Remember it well, The night they invented champagne, It's a Bore and ‘Thank Heaven for Little Girls’ and not forgetting Gigi’s solo which is a plea for understanding the ways of love in the ‘The Parisians’ that add sparkle to the musical and gives it its classic appeal.. Though the music is not danceable, it is more vocal – dialogue style.

Based on the novella by Colette, this 1958 movie was also a well received Broadway production, with the lead role played by Audrey Hepburn. This DVD has a 5.1 surround sound with the picture quality of an exceptional value.

Rating: ****

-- Reviewed by Verus Ferreira