ARTE Distribution

A journey into Gene Kelly’s world, genius dancer, choreographer, and director for whom dance was a political commitment.  This nobody from the American ghettos, imbued with the values of the American Dream, was able to forge his own path and create iconic works such as An American in Paris and Singin' in the Rain.

Gene Kelly is a dance icon of the silver screen. His assets – a he-man physique and a husky, immediately recognizable voice, combined with a winning smile, to which a little scar added rugged charm – attracted both male and female audiences. Women longed to be held in his arms while men were able to identify with the true-blue American persona of the Irish boy from Pittsburgh. Of course, his encounters with partners like Judy Garland (opposite whom he made his screen debut), Cyd Charisse, Debbie Reynolds, (to whom he offered starring roles in Singin’ in The Rain and An American in Paris) and Leslie Caron are mesmerizing. But his career coincides perfectly with the rise of the Hollywood musical, a genre he applied his talent and energy to revolutionizing. From his breakthrough as a dancer to his consecration as a director, he continually explored the possibilities of cinema, constantly pushing the envelope: dancing outdoors, literally in the streets; imposing innovative camera movements; and experimenting with new effects, including film animation. When you watch them, you are with the magical Gene Kelly. Dance and music were his instruments of predilection. Each shot, each move, and each measure are a perfect fit for the star whose only model was himself. This is the story of an anti-hero who became an American myth.