History Film / Gigi

* PopularityCycle: Gigi tells Gaston she doesn't want to be his mistress. She knows, from the newspaper's tabloid headlines, that in such a relationship, Gaston would soon tire of her and move on to someone else, forcing Gigi to "crawl into another man's bed" to survive. She would become a permanent courtesan, just like her Aunt Alicia. Later, though, she changes her mind, telling him, "I'd rather be miserable with you than without you." [[spoiler: At the end, he realizes he wants the real, "slightly-untamed-Gigi" and asks to marry her.]]

** Birds are everywhere in the film as a classic symbol of personal freedom and independence. In one significant appearance, Gigi's at lunch at her Aunt Alicia's eating a poor tiny ortolan: a bird's been reduced to fodder for lessons on proper table manners, the same way Gigi's plucked from the beautiful park only to end up in her aunt's stuffy chambers getting ready to be eaten alive by society's plans for her. In another notable role, Gigi's delivering her angry screed against romance with "I Don't Understand the Parisians," and she throws herself against a wrought-iron park gate. Beyond her, a flock of birds fly across the sky. How's that for a cage-versus-freedom image? And for a third example, as Gaston begins to understand that he's falling for Gigi, he glides through the park, singing, "You're not at all the funny, awkward little girl I knew." In point, swans float by in a pond behind him. Plus swans partially mate for life.

* HighClassCallGirl: Calling her a "courtesan" makes it sound nicer. What's amazing is that Gigi's grandmother and aunt look down on Gigi's mother for getting a job instead of following family tradition and becoming a fancy prostitute, though admittedly they're probably more condemning of the fact that said job brings in so little money. Remember that courtesans were a ''high'' step above prostitutes: they moved in distinguished circles, chose their own clients, maintained their own flats and could rake in a considerable fortune. Gigi's mother, by contrast, is "slaving away at the Opéra Comique in ridiculous little roles." Who can blame Grandmama for being annoyed?

In [[GayParee Paris]] during TheGayNineties, Gaston Lachaille is a rich young playboy who wants to break free from the stultifying traditions of his family. He finds refuge in his time with Madame Alvarez (Hermione Gingold) and her tomboyish granddaughter Gilberte, or "Gigi" for short; a sincere and happy teen being raised by her refined great-aunt and grandmother to be a wealthy man's courtesan. For quite a while, the two see each other as nothing more than good friends. Over time, however, Gaston comes to the realization that Gigi has grown up. Can he really bear to take her as his mistress in a transactional relationship?

* PopularityCycle: Gigi tells Gaston she doesn't want to be his mistress. She knows, from the newspaper's tabloid headlines, that in such a relationship, Gaston would soon tire of her and move on to someone else, forcing Gigi to "crawl into another man's bed" to survive. She would become a permanent courtesan, just like her Aunt Alicia. Later, though, she changes her mind, telling him, "I'd rather be miserable with you than without you." [[spoiler: At the end, he realizes he wants the real, "slightly-untamed-Gigi" and asks to marry her]].

* PopularityCycle: Gigi tells Gaston she doesn't want to be his mistress. She knows, from the newspaper's tabloid headlines, that in such a relationship, Gaston would soon tire of her and move on to someone else, forcing Gigi to "crawl into another man's bed" to survive. She would become a permanent courtesan, just like her Aunt Alicia. Later, though, she changes her mind, telling him she would "rather be miserable than be without [him]." [[spoiler: At the end, he realizes he wants the real, "slightly-untamed-Gigi" and asks to marry her]].

* LessonsInSophistication: Aunt Alicia spends hours teaching Gigi such things as the proper way to eat lobster, and how to tell a real jewel from a fake.

** Usage of lush color is everywhere. The green of the Bois de Boulogne, deep reds of Mamita's house, Gigi's brightly-colored schoolgirl clothes, colorful dresses on the ladies at Maxims' all convey excitement and delight, even though they bore Gaston to death. You'll notice that the less sophisticated women and ladies of the demimonde dress in the brightest colors, while the haut monde (fashionable, respectable women) are more subdued. The women in the park are in white and pale pinks, while Gigi's first glam dress is elegant white. Liane's dress at Maxim's is garish, definitely a comment on what Gaston thinks of her—common and crass. Gigi's simple but gorgeous white gown lets us know that she's different from the other mistresses.

* ParentalAbandonment: Gigi's father is never mentioned--unless he is the "young man with all those flour mills" whom her grandmother almost implies to be him (especially given Gigi's reaction when she says this)--and her mother "has neither the mind nor the inclination to take care of her," being absorbed by being a second-rate opera singer. Gigi was raised by her grandmother.