Bring on the tough stuff. There’s not just one right answer.
- Let's be real. Is Jerry Mulligan a good guy?
- Does Milo actually like Jerry's artwork?
- What's the difference between love and lust in An American in Paris?
- How does the fact that all of the songs in the movie are by the Gershwin brothers affect the movie? Does is it create cohesion? Does it make things boring?
- Is it weird that none of the women in the movie sing, ever?
- Compare and contrast Lise and Milo. What do their characters reveal about gender roles and expectations in the 1950s?
- Jerry's biggest obstacle to success as an artist is himself: agree or disagree?
- Jerry falls in love with Lise faster than you can say "beret." What does she represent to him?
- What are we supposed to make of Milo? Is she a villain, or just misunderstood?
- Did Lise choose the right guy?
- Did you recognize any of the painters whose styles were represented in the ballet sequence? Neither did we.
- Read Fast Talking Dames by Maria DiBattista. In 5,000 words or less, answer the following: Why did those appealing feminist icons of prewar (1930s and '40s) movies devolve into the traditional stereotypes of so many '50s films?