The first time I saw Fred Astaire glide across the screen with Ginger Rogers in Swing Time (1936), I was mesmerized. They seemed to move so effortlessly, almost as if they were walking on air. Fred led Ginger in the dance routines like it was the most natural thing in the world. By 1957, Fred Astaire had been doing films for nearly twenty-five years and Audrey Hepburn was one of Hollywood’s fastest rising stars. In 1957, musicals were still a favorite among movie audiences. It is no wonder then, that Paramount released Funny Face, starring Astaire and Hepburn, directed by the esteemed Stanley Donen (Royal Wedding, Singin’ in the Rain) and featuring songs by George Gershwin and Ira Gershwin.
Screenwriter Leonard Gershe patterned the story on his friend, the famous fashion photographer Richard Avedon, and Avedon’s romance with fashion model Dorcas Nowell. Avedon acted as a consultant on the film, set up the photography sessions, and supplied many of the photographs we see in the story. Because Funny Face is a Cinderella type story, Fred Astaire’s character, photographer Dick Avery is the prince. Jo Stockton (Audrey Hepburn), a shy bookstore clerk an amateur philosopher is the young girl in need of a prince charming.
Maggie Prescott (played by nightclub entertainer, singer, dancer, pianist, and author Kay Thompson, a bigger-than-life Auntie Mame type), plays the editor of Quality, a New York based fashion magazine, and is on a quest to find a new “Quality” girl to represent the magazine to the women of America and the world. While looking for a place to do a photo shoot, Maggie and Dick come across Embryo Concepts, the bookstore where they meet Jo Stockton. Maggie decides to use Jo in the first picture to give the shot a more “intellectual” look, and then locks her out of the shop for the rest of the session. Back at the office, Avery takes a look at the picture of Jo, and sees something in her face that is “new” and “fresh.” With some convincing, Dick gets Maggie to agree that with a bit of a makeover, Jo could be a top model in the business.
The only problem is the bookish Jo wants no part of being a model. She thinks the fashion industry and modeling is nonsense, saying: “it is chichi, and an unrealistic approach to self-impressions as well as economics”. However, Jo changes her tune when she learns that the job will include a free trip to Paris to model the clothes of world famous designer Paul Duval (Robert Flemyng). While she doesn’t give a stitch about the fashionable clothing, it has been her lifelong dream to visit Paris. To top it off, she’ll get the opportunity to meet her idol, French philosopher Emile Flostre (Michel Auclair). Predictably, shortly after Jo arrives in Paris, she is transformed; from plain-Jane bookseller to one of the most striking looking women in the world.
From there, Dick and Jo begin to work together on the photo shoot. Jo begins by saying, “You don’t have to be friendly to work together,” to Dick. Acquainted will do.” Naturally, they become more than “acquainted.” The movie’s romance involves her and Dick falling in love. I found it all a bit creepy since at 58, Astaire was thirty years Hepburn’s Senior. Though by the end of the film, I was forced to admit they made a lovely film pairing.
While the romantic pairing wasn’t necessarily my cup of tea, the sets, costumes, and scenery involve some truly eye-popping colors and some glorious location shots in and around Paris. Legendary costume designer Edith Head was once again in charge of the costumes here, while fashion designer Hubert de Givenchy provided Ms. Hepburn’s Paris wardrobe.
The musical portions of the movie include dance numbers choreographed by Fred Astaire and Eugene Loring, plus the songs “How Long Has This Been Going On?,” “Funny Face,” “Bonjour, Paris!,” “He Love and She Loves,” “On How to be Lovely,” “Basal Metabolism,” “Clap Yo’ Hands,” “Let’s Kiss and Make Up,” and “‘S Wonderful.” Along with the scenery, they are the film’s main attractions. Unlike 1964’s My Fair Lady, Ms. Hepburn did all of her own signing. She performs one solo, “How Long Has This Been Going On?”; a duet with Astaire, “‘S Wonderful”; a duet with Kay Thompson called “On How to be Lovely”; and takes part in an ensemble performance of “Bonjour, Paris.” Her previous dance training is also called into play, not only in the two dance numbers she performs with Astaire, but also for a Bohemian-style solo dance in a nightclub, which was later revived in a popular GAP commercial.
Nearing the end of his musical film career, Fred Astaire does a fairly impressive song and dance routine with an umbrella and cape to Gershwin’s “Let’s Kiss and Make Up.”Nearing sixty, he still looked like he was walking on air. Funny Face doesn’t bring anything new to the table, but Astaire/Hepburn, the costumes and the scenery make this a film worth owning. What’s more, the Academy nominated the film for four Oscars: Best Art Direction/Set Decoration, Best Cinematography, Best Costume Design, and Best Writing. I suppose it’s debatable as to whether Funny Face was worth those high honors. However, one thing is for sure, no one before or since has lit up the screen quite like Audrey Hepburn.
The Paramount video engineers provide a high-bit-rate, anamorphic widescreen transfer for the 1.85:1 VistaVision production. The Technicolor comes up well, very bright and rich. Contrasts are strong, black levels are deep, and detailing is excellent. The screen is remarkably clean, free of almost all age marks, with only a natural film grain to remind one of its photographic origins.
The disc includes the film’s original monaural soundtrack and a newer Dolby Digital 5.1 remix. The 5.1 displays a good front-channel stereo spread, but it’s also rather forward and edgy, occasionally even nasal. There is very limited surround activity except for a touch–a very small touch–of musical ambience bloom, and both the frequency response and the dynamic range sound restricted.
Disc one of this two-disc Centennial Collection edition contains the feature film, along with nineteen scene selections and English, French, and Spanish spoken languages and subtitles.
Disc two contains a number of different things relating to the movie. First up is “Kay Thompson: Think Pink,” a twenty-six-minute biography of the entertainer who co-stars in the film. Next is “This Is VistaVision,” twenty-four minutes on Paramount’s widescreen process. After that is “Fashion Photographers Exposed,” eighteen minutes on the photographer’s art; then “The Fashion Designer and His Muse,” eight minutes on the working relationship between Audrey Hepburn and designer Hubert de Givenchy; followed by “Parisian Dreams,” seven minutes on the myth of Paris as the romance capital of the world; and “Paramount in the ’50s,” nine minutes on the studio’s movies of the decade. Things finish up with an original widescreen theatrical trailer and galleries of production, movie, and publicity stills.
Paramount also provides an illustrated booklet insert and a beautiful slipcover for the double slim-line keep case.
