Which 1951 musical set in Paris won the Academy Award for Best Picture?

The 1951 musical set in Paris that won the Academy Award for Best Picture was An American in Paris. Directed by Vincente Minnelli, it stars Gene Kelly as Jerry Mulligan, an American painter living in Paris, and Leslie Caron as Lise Bouvier in her film debut.

The movie was inspired by George Gershwin’s 1928 orchestral work of the same name and incorporates music by George and Ira Gershwin. Its story follows Jerry’s artistic ambitions and complicated romance, while the film’s songs and dances create a distinctly Parisian fantasy shaped by MGM’s musical style.

Its spectacular finale is a largely dialogue-free ballet lasting about 17 minutes. The sequence uses elaborate sets influenced by French painters and was staged as the film’s visual climax. At the 24th Academy Awards in 1952, honoring films released in 1951, it won six Oscars, including Best Picture. It is sometimes confused with Gigi, another Paris-set MGM musical, but Gigi won Best Picture seven years later.