Funny Face–Part Two (1957)

While the Pygmalion-like plot is ordinary (photographer takes a plain Jane, avant-garde philosophy student and turns her into an international fashion model), the transformation of a woman-child into a woman of substance is incredibly vibrant, even to this day. One can read a lot into the betrayal of her philosophy professor (about her own age) and the fact that she turned to an older man who she could trust; but in the end, Audrey Hepburn’s portrayal of a young woman who loves a man 30 years her senior brings the entire movie together and sets up the final moments of the film at the Church.

Sets become real-life havens of safety and love; emotions captured in the photo shoots become all too honest in the lives of the characters. Paris becomes part of the story, not just part of the set. Life and fiction blur; we cry; they fall in love. It sounds so simple; it is, in reality, so hard to achieve. For more, please click on the link to our website.

For me, the great moment of truth came at the train station, as Audrey’s real tears replaced the staged sequence of photographs. But it would have meant nothing, unless that moment had been set up very carefully by both words and music.

The overture sets the mood; George Gershwin’s tunes start the process of removing reality. The dingy Greenwich Village bookstore is replaced by a darkroom, where Fred Astaire starts the process of changing the caterpillar into a butterfly; he explains to her how beautiful she really is: “I love your Funny Face, your sunny, Funny Face.” This song came from the original Broadway show.

Audrey wakes up to the world of emotional fulfillment, as she sings “How Long Has This Been Going On,” a Gershwin song, transplanted from 1928’s Broadway musical, Rosalie.

Audrey, Fred and Kay describe Paris in buoyant terms in one of the added songs from Roger Edens, “Bonjour, Paris.”

In one of the most elegant arrangements ever made for a Gershwin tune, Fred sings “He Love and She Loves” to Audrey.

Another Gershwin tune that came from the 1927 Broadway musical was “ ‘S Wonderful,” and it helps to establish the strong bond of friendship turning into love between Fred and Audrey.

The film ends with an instrumental reprise of “How Long Has This Been Going On,” as the lovers reunite and we melt into the credits.

We decided to use only the key love songs in this post; in the next post, we will provide the rest of the musical numbers from the movie.