Les Girls

Les Girls
Original movie poster
Directed by George Cukor
Produced by Sol C. Siegel
Saul Chaplin (associate producer)
Written by John Patrick
Vera Caspary (story)
Starring Gene Kelly
Kay Kendall
Mitzi Gaynor
Taina Elg
Jacques Bergerac
Leslie Phillips
Music by Cole Porter (music and lyrics)
Cinematography Robert Surtees
Edited by Ferris Webster
Distributed by Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer
Release date
  • October 3, 1957 (1957-10-03)
Running time
 114 minutes
Country United States
Language English
Budget $3,384,000[1]
Box office $3,865,000[1]
L-R: Mitzi Gaynor, Taina Elg, Kay Kendall & Gene Kelly in Les Girls

Les Girls, also known as Cole Porter's Les Girls, is a 1957 musical comedy film made by Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer. It was directed by George Cukor, produced by Sol C. Siegel with Saul Chaplin as associate producer from a screenplay by John Patrick based on a story by Vera Caspary with music and lyrics by Cole Porter.

It stars Gene Kelly, Kay Kendall, Mitzi Gaynor and Taina Elg with Jacques Bergerac, Leslie Phillips, Henry Daniell and Patrick Macnee.

Storyline

After writing a tell-all book about her days in the dance troupe "Barry Nichols and Les Girls", Sybil Wren (Kay Kendall) is sued for libeling her fellow dancer Angele (Taina Elg). A Rashomon (1950)-style narrative presents the story from three points of view where Sybil accuses Angele of having an affair with Barry (Gene Kelly), while Angele insists that it was actually Sybil who was having the affair. Finally, Barry gives his side of the story.[2]

Cast

Background notes

  • The story by Vera Caspary was inspired by an article which appeared in The Atlantic — a reminiscence of a dancer's touring years. Miss Caspary's version turned the memoir into a point of dispute and raised questions about the nature of truth. As only the title was used from Miss Caspary's story for the screenplay, she joked that she was the highest paid writer in the world as she was paid $80,000 for two words - "Les Girls"[3]
  • Les Girls was Gene Kelly's last musical under his contract at MGM which began in 1942.
  • Les Girls was the last film score by Cole Porter and the next-to-last score of his career.
  • The film's original female leads were to have been played by Leslie Caron, Cyd Charisse, Jean Simmons and Carol Haney.[4]

Awards and honors

The film is recognized by American Film Institute in these lists:

Sequel

Immediately after the film was released tentative plans were announced for a sequel called Les Boys.[8]

Box office

According to MGM records the film made $2,415,000 in the US and Canada and $1,450,000 elsewhere, but because of its high production cost lost $1,635,000.[1]

Choreography

Les Girls was a major vehicle for choreographer Jack Cole, and one of the first films to feature the role of choreographer in the opening credits.

See also

References

  1. 1 2 3 The Eddie Mannix Ledger, Los Angeles: Margaret Herrick Library, Center for Motion Picture Study .
  2. ↑ Les Girls (1957) - Plot summary
  3. ↑ p.249 McGilligan, Patrick George Cukor: A Double Life London: Faber and Faber 1992
  4. ↑ Parish, James Robert, Mank, Gregory W, Picchiarini, RichardThe Best of MGM: The Golden Years (1928-59) 1981 Arlington House
  5. ↑ "The 30th Academy Awards (1958) Nominees and Winners". oscars.org. Retrieved 2011-08-21.
  6. ↑ "NY Times: Les Girls". NY Times. Retrieved 2008-12-23.
  7. ↑ "AFI's Greatest Movie Musicals Nominees" (PDF). Retrieved 2016-08-13.
  8. ↑ Sequel Slated for 'Les Girls': Two Leads Proffered Newman; Janet Poised on 'Precipice' Scheuer, Philip K Los Angeles Times (1923-Current File); Nov 18, 1957; ProQuest Historical Newspapers: Los Angeles Times (1881-1990) pg. C11
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