Europe was alive in the 1950's and America was astir with anticipation of anything Paris! That's when Director Vincente Minnelli took his crew on location in the City of Lights to film the enchanting and charming MGM musical Gigi. French novelist Collette's novella about a delightfully naive teenager, Gigi (Leslie Caron), unknowingly being groomed and manicured into a proper French courtesan by her grandmother Madame Alvarez (Hermoine Gingold) and her Aunt Alicia (Isabel Jeans) to abound in the courtesan duties of pleasing and securing a wealthy fine gentleman, who in turn, will bestow upon her a life of luxury, wealth, and refinement. We watch the transformation of a playful teenager into the attentive and attractive young woman that so intrigues notable French playboy Gaston Lachaille (Louis Jordan) to make arrangements with her guardians to be his companion. Gigi (having read all the articles following Gaston's outrageous escapades) refuses to submit to a life scandalized by newspapers, no matter how glamorous, and one that will eventually end in suffering when she is left for a younger woman. Gaston proclaims his undying love and eventually, she consents confessing that she would rather be miserable with him than without. In a fit of conscience, Gaston decides he does not want to soil her purity as a paramour, but wants to take her as his wife forever!

The movie is filmed on location in the City of Lights and narrated by famed French actor Maurice Chevalier who plays Gaston's womanizing uncle, Honore' Lachaille, and who believes that "youth" is the answer to everything, especially lovers.

Gigi 50th Anniversary Two-Disc Special Edition abounds with richness and artistry. The musical creations of Alan Jay Lerner and Frederick Loewe brought many notable songs to life. Louis Jordan sings the title song, "Gigi," and sophisticated gentleman Maurice Chevalier will always be remembered for his "Thank Heaven (for Little Girls)." He also perfoms a duet with his ex-lover Madame Alvarez when they sing "Ah Yes, I Remember It Well."

The cinematography was a triumph creating many scenes in the tradition of impressionistic paintings reminescent of Toulouse Lautrec's Paris. Coiffures and fashions impeccably depicted authenticity and grace. Minnelli was perfection in directing scenes throughout Paris, especially France's famous restaurant Maxim's where the paramours were paraded as eye candy for all to see.

Gigi was nominated for 9 Academy Awards taking best film editing. Disc one contains a short vintage film on "The Million Dollar Nickle", nostalgic in the fact that many movie actors appear to applaud its praises. Also included is a classic cinemascope cartoon "The Vanishing Duck", which takes me back to the days when you also received a newsreel and cartoon with your movie. "Commentary by Historian Jeanine Basinger with Leslie Caron" gives insight to much movie background and trivia. It is best to view disc one with the Minnelli 1958 version of the film to familarize yourself with the dialogue because the subtitles are really hard to read due to the black and white screen of the "1949 Nonmusical First Screen Vesion of 'Gigi' Starring Daniele Delorme", which unfortunately is also flawed with age. A better choice would have been red or yellow subtitles, which would have easily shown up. Disc two also includes "'Thank Heaven' The Making of Gigi" which takes you through the ups and downs of producing the film.

A controversial issue was the plot of the story where a young girl is educated in the art of seduction. However, in light of the charm and wonder of this profound love story, this fact has fallen into oblivion and leaves the audience with the thrill of a "Cinderella" story. I would recommend Gigi 50th Anniversary Two Disc Special to anyone because love and purity conquer in the end!