Funny Face (1957)

In Stanley Donen's colorful and romantic musical comedy from Paramount with George Gershwin music, derived from the Gershwin's 1927 Broadway musical of the same name, and somewhat considered a redo of An American in Paris (1951):

• the opening energetic production number "Think Pink," was performed in the offices of Quality Magazine by fashion editor Maggie Prescott (Kay Thompson) (representing Harper's Bazaar editor Diana Vreeland), her office staff, and many fashion models; the lyrics promoted the color pink: "To the women everywhere. Banish the black, burn the blue, and bury the beige. From now on, girls, Think pink!...Red is dead, blue is through, green's obscene, brown's taboo. And there is not the slightest excuse for plum, or puce or chartreuse -- Think pink!"

"Think Pink"

Fashion Editor Maggie Prescott

• fashion photographer Dick Avery (Fred Astaire, 58 years old) (reportedly representing Richard Avedon) discovered shy and withdrawn bookshop clerk-assistant Jo Stockton (Audrey Hepburn, 28 years old) in Greenwich Village - a used book-shop known as Embryo Concepts; Avery mistakenly pushed a book-shelf ladder holding Jo when the Quality Magazine crew arrived to use the bookshop as a backdrop for a fashion shoot; she vehemently objected to their unauthorized intrusive presence
• Avery promoted Jo to his magazine associates, Maggie and Dovitch (Alex Gerry), that Jo was the new "Quality Woman", although Maggie was very reluctant - and held her magnifying glass up to an enlarged picture of Jo: ("Look at her. I think her face is perfectly funny. The 'Quality Woman' must have grace, elegance and pizzazz"); Avery responded: ("This is the first time I've ever seen you lack imagination. Every girl on every page in 'Quality' has grace, elegance and pizzazz. Now, what's wrong with bringing out a girl who has character, spirit and intelligence?")
• in Avery's reddish-tinted dark-room (illuminated by a single red lightbulb), Jo found herself hiding; he photographed and printed her picture and sang "Funny Face" to her to assure her: "Frankly dear, your modesty reveals to me, Self-appraisal often makes us saddened, and if I add your Funny Face appeals to me, please don't think I've suddenly gone mad. You have all the qualities of Peter Pan, I'd go far before I'd find a sweeter Pan. I love your Funny Face, your sunny Funny Face. Though you're a cutie with more than beauty, you've got alot of pers-o-nal-i-ty for me..."
• during Jo's first appearance on a fashion runway - she received widespread acclaim: ("Beautiful. I don't believe it"), but she admitted: "It feels wonderful, but it's not me"
• a lively and joyful on-location, split screen tour of Paris (a parody of Cinerama travelogues) was undertaken by the trio of Maggie, Dick, and Jo; they took pictures all over "The City of Lights" at famous landmarks while they were singing "Bonjour Paris" - culminating with a visit to the Eiffel Tower
• Jo made an unforgettable grand entrance - photographed in a bright red Givenchy gown (with a red chiffon scarf) as she descended a long set of stairs in the Louvre, in front of the statue of Winged Victory of Samothrace

Musical Tour of Parisian Landmarks
"Bonjour Paris"	Split-Screen	Ascending Eiffel Tower Elevator

• Avery and Jo were paired in one of the loveliest song-and-dance numbers ever performed in film - "He Loves and She Loves" - filmed in soft-focus and danced in the green countryside at the Chantilly churchyard near Paris (with Hepburn in a white wedding dress)
• during a gala show to present Jo as the new "Quality Woman," Jo and Dick were arguing backstage; Maggie delivered an introduction to build up the audience: ("I'm certain you'll not be disappointed. She is a rare creature chosen from hundreds for her appearance, her grace, her poise, and her ineffable charm...May I present the Quality Woman!"); but then when the curtain was opened, it revealed a major disaster - an overturned fountain and flooding water leak
• Avery apologetically gave a heartfelt performance to Jo when he sang "Let's Kiss and Make Up", and then danced with his umbrella

Two Similar Settings
"He Loves and She Loves"	"S'Wonderful"

• the film's final scene was a soft-focus, fairy-tale romantic pairing of Dick and Jo (again in a white wedding dress fashion gown), singing and dancing to Gershwin's "S'Wonderful" in the country chapel garden