Funny Face

For other uses, seeFunny Face (disambiguation).

Funny Faceis a 1957 Americanmusicalromantic comedyfilm directed byStanley Donenand written byLeonard Gershe,containing assorted songs byGeorgeandIra Gershwin.Although having the same title as the 1927 Broadway musicalFunny Faceby the Gershwin brothers, and featuring the same male star (Fred Astaire), the plot is completely different and only four of the songs from the stage musical are included. Alongside Astaire, the film starsAudrey HepburnandKay Thompson.

Funny Face
Theatrical release poster
Directed by	Stanley Donen
Written by	Leonard Gershe
Produced by	Roger Edens
Starring	Audrey Hepburn Fred Astaire Kay Thompson Michel Auclair Robert Flemyng
Cinematography	Ray June
Edited by	Frank Bracht
Music by	Adolph Deutsch Songs: George Gershwin Ira Gershwin Roger Edens
Distributed by	Paramount Pictures
Release date	February 13, 1957(1957-02-13)(United States)
Running time	103 minutes
Country	United States
Languages	English French
Budget	$3 million
Box office	$2.5 million

Plot

Maggie Prescott, afashion magazinepublisher and editor forQualitymagazine, is looking for the next big fashion trend. She wants a new look which is to be both "beautiful" and "intellectual". She and top fashion photographer Dick Avery want models who can "think as well as they look." The two brainstorm and come up with the idea to use a book store inGreenwich Villageas backdrop.

They find what they want in "Embryo Concepts", which is being run by the shy shop assistant and amateur philosopher, Jo Stockton. Jo thinks the fashion and modelling industry is nonsense, calling it "chichi,and an unrealistic approach to self-impressions as well as economics ". Maggie decides to use Jo but after the first shot Jo is locked outside to keep her from interrupting Maggie’s take-over of the shop. The crew leaves the store in a shambles; Dick stays behind to help clean up and apologizes to Jo, then kisses her impulsively. Jo dismisses him, but her song"How Long Has This Been Going On?"shows that she feels the stirrings of romance.

What Jo wants above all is to go toParisand attend the famous Professor Émile Flostre's philosophy lectures about empathicalism. When Dick gets back to the darkroom, he sees something in Jo's face which is new and fresh and would be perfect for the campaign, giving it "character", "spirit", and "intelligence". They send for Jo, pretending they want to order some books from her shop. Once she arrives, they try to make her over and attempt to cut her hair. She is outraged and runs away, only to hide in the darkroom where Dick is working. When Dick mentions Paris, Jo becomes interested in the chance to see Professor Flostre and is finally persuaded to model for the magazine. Dick sings "Funny Face".

Soon, Maggie, Dick, and Jo are off to Paris to prepare for a major fashion event, shooting photos at famous landmarks from the area. During the various shoots, Jo and Dick fall in love ( "He Loves and She Loves"). One night, when Jo is getting ready for a gala, she learns Flostre is giving a lecture at a cafe nearby, which she attends. Eventually, Dick brings her back and they get into an argument at the gala's opening, which results in Jo being publicly embarrassed and Maggie outraged.

Jo goes to talk to Flostre at his home. Through some scheming, Maggie and Dick gain entrance to the soirée there. After performing an impromptu song and dance ( “Clap Yo’ Hands” from the Gershwins’ 1926 musicalOh, Kay!) for Flostre's disciples, they confront Jo and Flostre. This leads to Dick causing Flostre to fall and knock himself out. Jo urges them to leave but when Flostre comes round, he tries to seduce her. Shocked at the behavior of her "idol", she smashes a vase over his head and runs out, returning just in time to take part in the final fashion show. During this, Maggie tries to get in touch with Dick, who has made plans to leave Paris. Before her wedding gown finale, Jo looks out the window and sees the plane Dick was supposed to be on flying over the city. Believing that he has refused to return to her, she runs off the runway in tears at the conclusion of the show.

Meanwhile, Dick is still at the airport. He runs into Flostre and learns how Jo had attacked him. Realizing how much Jo cares, Dick returns to the fashion show, but Jo is nowhere to be found. Finally, after applying the insights of empathicalism at Maggie's behest, Dick guesses that Jo would return to the church where he had photographed her in a wedding dress and they shared their first romantic moment. On his arrival there himself, he finds Jo (in the wedding gown) by a little brook. They join in the duet "'S Wonderful"and embrace.

Cast

Fred AstaireandAudrey Hepburn,the lead stars of the film.

• Audrey Hepburnas Jo Stockton
• Fred Astaireas Dick Avery
• Kay Thompsonas Maggie Prescott
• Michel Auclairas Professor Émile Flostre
• Robert Flemyngas Paul Duval
• Dovimaas Marion
• Jean Del Valas Hairdresser
• Virginia Gibsonas Babs
• Sue Englandas Laura
• Ruta Leeas Lettie
• Alex Gerry as Dovitch
• Suzy Parkeras Specialty Dancer (Pink Number)
• Sunny Harnettas Specialty Dancer (Pink Number)

Musical numbers

• "Think Pink!"
• "How Long Has This Been Going On?"- originally composed for the musicalFunny Face,but not used
• "How Long Has This Been Going On? (Reprise)"
• "Funny Face"- fromFunny Face(1927 musical)
• "Bonjour, Paris!"
• "Basal Metabolism"
• "Let's Kiss and Make Up" - fromFunny Face
• "He Loves and She Loves"- fromFunny Face
• "Bonjour, Paris! (Reprise)"
• "On How to Be Lovely"
• "Clap Yo' Hands"- fromOh, Kay!
• "'S Wonderful"- fromFunny Face

Production

Clothing worn by Hepburn inFunny Face

The plot of the film version is drastically different from that of the Broadway musical, and only four of the songs remain. Astaire also starred in the stage version alongside his sister,Adele Astaire.The film plot is actually adapted from another Broadway musical,Wedding Bells,byLeonard Gershe.The original title for the film wasWedding Day.

Hepburn sings the songs herself in this, her first musical. She performs one solo, "How Long Has This Been Going On?";a duet with Astaire,"'S Wonderful";a duet withKay Thompsoncalled "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 aBohemian-style solo dance in a nightclub.

As was the case with many of her leading men, Astaire was much older than Hepburn. At 58, three decades Hepburn's senior, he was approaching the end of his musical film career, in this, the second in a consecutive series of three French-themed musicals he made in the 1950s. He performs a song anddance solo with umbrella and capeto Gershwin's "Let's Kiss and Make Up". According to Hepburn, she insisted on Astaire as a precondition for her participation. Thompson, who usually worked behind the scenes as a musical director for films, makes a rare appearance on camera as Maggie Prescott, a fashion magazine editor loosely based onDiana Vreeland.(Architectural historianFrancis Morronesaysit wasCarmel Snow,editor-in-chief ofHarper’s Bazaar,who was the inspiration for the Maggie Prescott character.) Besides her duet with Hepburn, she performs the solo number "Think Pink!" in the presence of a dance chorus, and Thompson and Astaire perform a comic dance duet to "Clap Yo' Hands".(While atVogue,Vreeland once sent a memo to staff urging them to "Today let's think pig white! Wouldn't it be wonderful to have stockings that were pig white! The color of baby pigs, not quite white and not quite pink!")

Astaire's character was loosely based on the career ofRichard Avedon,who provided a number of the photographs seen in the film, including the stills for the opening credits, which were also used in the halls ofQualitymagazine. Probably the most famous single image from the film is the intentionally overexposed close-up of Hepburn's face in which only her facial features—her eyes, eyebrows, nose and mouth—are visible. This image is seen briefly in black-and-white at the very beginning of the opening title sequence, which was designed by Avedon, during the"Funny Face"musical number which takes place in adarkroom,and when Dick (Astaire) presents it to Maggie (Thompson).

Release

Box office

On initial release,Funny Facewas abox office disappointmentand failed to break even. However, in 1964, whenMy Fair Lady(also starring Hepburn) was released to excellent reviews and huge box office grosses, Paramount theatrically reissuedFunny Face.As a result, the film drew substantial crowds and finally turned a profit.

Critical reception

The film was generally well received in the United States.Bosley CrowtherofThe New York Times,for example, lauded it as "delightfully balmy," "colorful and glittering," and "extraordinarily stylish," "with class in every considerable department on which this sort of picture depends."The reviewer forThe Times,however, was not impressed when the film opened at theOdeonin London on April 25, 1957: "...a displeasing piece of work, pseudo-sophisticated, expensive and brash in approach, vulgar in taste and insensitive in outlook. This, in fact, is the American 'musical' at its worst; not even the presence of Mr Fred Astaire, who was in the original stage production, can save the day. It may seem extravagant to discuss a 'musical' in terms proper to a serious creative work, yet there is that in the film's attitude towards the 'intellectual', whether in Greenwich Village or Paris, which offends. It is not amiable parody and it is not telling satire; it has its roots in the ill-based instinct to jeer, and its jeers are offensive."

On review aggregator websiteRotten Tomatoes,the film has an 88% rating, based on 40 reviews, with an average rating of 7.8/10. The consensus summarizes: "A timeless and elegant musical feast,Funny Facethrives on the agile and vibrant performances from legendary screen titans Audrey Hepburn and Fred Astaire. "

Accolades

TheNational Board of Reviewgave the film Special Citation award for the photographic innovations.Leonard Gershewas nominated for "Best Written American Musical" by theWriters Guild of America.Stanley Donen was nominated by theDirectors Guild of Americafor "Outstanding Directorial Achievement in Motion Pictures" and for a "Golden Palm" at the1957 Cannes Film Festival.Fred Astaire received a Golden Laurel nomination for "Top Male Musical Performance". The film received fourAcademy Award"Oscar" nominations: Leonard Gershe for "Best Writing, Story and Screenplay - Written Directly for the Screen";Edith HeadandHubert de Givenchy(Hepburn's costume designer) for "Best Costume Design";Ray Junefor "Best Cinematography"; andHal Pereira,George W. Davis,Sam Comer,andRay Moyerfor "Best Art Direction-Set Decoration".

Home media

To date,Funny Facehas been released toDVDin Region 1 (North America) in three editions fromParamount Home Entertainment:in 2001 as part of the "Audrey Hepburn Widescreen Collection" series, in 2007 in a 50th Anniversary edition, and in 2009 as part of Paramount's Centennial Collection. The 2007 version has additional featurettes as well as improved picture and sound quality from the 2001 edition.The 2009 release is spread over two discs and includes a few additional featurettes not included in the 2007 edition such as Kay Thompson's "Think Pink", "This is VistaVision" and "Fashion Photographers Exposed".

See also

• List of American films of 1957

External links

• Funny FaceatIMDb
• Funny FaceatRotten Tomatoes
• Funny Faceat theAFI Catalog of Feature Films
• Funny Faceat theTCM Movie Database