Evolution of the Movie Musical: An American in Paris (1951) 

Composer George Gershwin died tragically of a brain tumor in 1937, but his melodies linger on. With the help of his brother and songwriting partner Ira Gershwin and Broadway songsmith Alan Jay Lerner, MGM wove more than a dozen of those melodies together to create an otherwise wholly-original movie musical starring Gene Kelly as the title character and as the choreographer of some sparkling production numbers, including the now-legendary “American in Paris” ballet.

Accentuated by the talents of Leslie Caron and Oscar Levant as well as art/set direction inspired by French impressionist painters, this showcase of creativity earned six Academy Awards, including the Oscar for Best Picture. S’Wonderful!