Funny Face
S'Wonderful! S'Marvelous! ...She's The Fairest Lady of All!
Overview
A shy Greenwich Village book clerk is discovered by a fashion photographer and whisked off to Paris where she becomes a reluctant model.
Backdrop
What makes this movie Worth Watching
Released during a time of post-war optimism and burgeoning consumer culture, "Funny Face" reflects the fascination with Parisian fashion and intellectualism that permeated American society. The film subtly satirizes the superficiality of the fashion industry while celebrating the pursuit of genuine knowledge and artistic expression, reflecting a tension between these values in mid-century America.
- Audrey Hepburn's captivating performance and iconic style.
- The vibrant and stylish cinematography, particularly the use of color in Paris.
- The playful and witty score by George and Ira Gershwin, with memorable musical numbers.
- The lighthearted yet thought-provoking exploration of intellectualism versus commercialism, and the pursuit of beauty.
Fun Facts
- The fashion magazine "Quality" in the film is a thinly veiled parody of "Harper's Bazaar", and Kay Thompson based her character, Maggie Prescott, on Diana Vreeland, the legendary editor of the magazine.
- Audrey Hepburn, although a talented dancer, was trained for the film by Eugene Loring, who also choreographed for films like "Silk Stockings".
- The 'Think Pink' sequence was reportedly one of Kay Thompson's favorites to film, and her energetic performance is a highlight of the movie.
Available Languages
English
US
Title:
"S'Wonderful! S'Marvelous! ...She's The Fairest Lady of All!"
suomi
FI
Title: Rakastunut Pariisissa
""
Français
FR
Title: Drôle de Frimousse
"Si enchanteur, si merveilleux !"
Italiano
IT
Title: Cenerentola a Parigi
""
Español
ES
Title: Una cara con ángel
"¡Es maravilloso!"
Deutsch
DE
Title: Ein süßer Fratz
""
Where to Watch
Cast
Crew
Reviews
Despite the presence of Audrey Hepburn and Fred Astaire, I think this film actually belongs to Kay Thompson. She plays really well as the 1950s version of Dame Anna Wintour in this amiable, if a little thinly spread, musical comedy. Infuriated by the rather drab quality of her latest "Quality" magazine, she determines to revamp the whole thing. In pink! A bookshop being used for a photo shoot by "Avery" (Astaire) provides the unlikely source for her new model - "Jo" (Hepburn) who is to the fashion industry what Herod was to babies. "Avery" is clever, though, and he offers a trade off that sees her do a shoot in Paris in return for a meeting with "Prof. Flostre" (Michel Auclair). What now ensues is all fairly predictable, a love triangle with "Jo" in the middle vacillating. George & Ira Gerschwin provided the musical numbers, and though they are very well staged, the film lacks a killer song. That said, Thompson is on super form as the no-nonsense boss, the dance numbers are colourful and energetic and finally, Hepburn has a lovely vivacity and enthusiasm to her performance - she takes to the musical numbers very much like a duck to water. Astaire isn't at his best, and Robert Flemyng's accent isn't the best either - but at the end, the whole thing falls into place with an enjoyable certainty.
Oscar Awards
Wins
Haven't Won A Oscar
Nominations
ART DIRECTION - 1957
Hal Pereira, George W. Davis, Sam Comer, Ray Moyer
CINEMATOGRAPHY - 1957
Ray June
COSTUME DESIGN - 1957
Edith Head, Hubert de Givenchy
WRITING (Story and Screenplay--written directly for the screen) - 1957
Leonard Gershe
Media
Trailer
Movies! TV Network Trailer
Clip
Funny Face "Think Pink!" Song (1080p HD) - Audrey Hepburn & Fred Astaire (1 of 10)
Trailer
Trailer