Gigi *** (1949, Danièle Delorme, Gaby Morlay, Yvonne de Bray, Franck Villard, Jean Tissier) Classic Movie Review 14,276

Danièle Delorme stars in the 1949 French romantic comedy film Gigi as a young girl who is being trained as a courtesan by her family, and realises she is in love with the debonair, close family friend Gaston (Franck Villard).

Director Jacqueline Audry’s French 1949 black and white comedy romantic film Gigi is a colourful, sympathetic, well-acted version of the Colette 1944 novella about an early-1900s Parisian teenager Gigi (Danièle Delorme), brought up as a courtesan by her charming socialite aunt Alicia (Gaby Morlay) and down-to-earth, doting grandmother Mamita (Yvonne de Bray).

In 1900 Paris, Gigi realises she not only adores the close family friend Gaston LaChaille (Franck Villard), who has always spoiled her, but also that she is in love with him. Luckily for the love story, he realises the same thing.

Then, against the rules of her courtesan education, Gigi marries the debonair bounder Gaston for love and brings him to heel.

Director Audry finds a simple, direct film-making style appropriate to the prose of Colette, who helped Pierre Laroche on the screenplay.

The story is seen through the eyes of the elderly Honoré LaChaille (Jean Tissier) who watches over the 16-year-old schoolgirl Gigi, the young ward and granddaughter of his old friend Mme Alvarez (Yvonne de Bray). Honoré’s young bachelor nephew, Gaston (Franck Villard), is the centre of Parisian society and heir to a French sugar empire, but he is bored with his social life. Gaston finds peace in regular visits to Mme Alvarez’s apartment, where he sees Gigi and becomes attracted to her.

The 1949 film Gigi is very appealing, amusing and charming, and still fresh seeming.

The first of three Jacqueline Audry – Danièle Delorme films based on Colette stories.

It was remade in the US as the nine-Oscar-winning musical Gigi in 1958, starring Leslie Caron.

Running time: 82 minutes.

Release date: 5 October 1949.

The cast are Danièle Delorme as Gilberte ‘Gigi’ Alvarez, Yvonne de Bray as Mamita, Gaby Morlay as Aunt Alicia, Jean Tissier as Honoré LaChaille, Franck Villard as Gaston LaChaille, Paul Demange as Emmanuel, Madeleine Rousset as Liane d’Exelmans, Pierre Juvenet as Monsieur Lachaille, Michel Flamme as Sandomir, Colette Georges as Minouche, Yolande Laffon as Madame Lachaille, Hélène Pépée as Andrée.

© Derek Winnert 2026 Classic Movie Review 14,276

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