Fred Astaire plays Dick Avery, a fashion photographer based on real-life cameraman Richard Avedon, in the new release Funny Face – Paramount Centennial Collection, an entertaining musical directed by Stanley Donen. Audrey Hepburn stars as Jo Stockton, a salesgirl at a Greenwich Village bookstore who reluctantly allows Avery and his boss, “Quality” magazine owner Maggie Prescott, to transform her into an international supermodel. The film was nominated for four Oscars, including Best Writing, Best Cinematography, Best Art Direction and Best Costumes, and features original music by George Gershwin.

This movie is a technicolor joy to watch. From the eye-popping colors of Maggie Prescott’s office to the brilliant green of the trees in Paris, even Audrey Hepburn in all black seems to glow onscreen. And while I can’t claim to have totally understood the sub-plot of her being a “disciple” of a French Philosopher whose philosophy is called empathicalism, I have to guess that questioning one’s place in the universe was in vogue back in the 50′s, so it makes it’s appearance as a plot point here.

I learned some interesting fashion trivia while reading the IMDb page for this movie-Hepburn’s character is based on real-life model Suzy Parker, who makes a cameo appearance in the “Think Pink” dance number. Parker was the first model to make $100 an hour and $100,000 a year, and at the height of her popularity, was known as the most photographed woman in the world.

Watching Fred Astaire dance is always a pleasure, and Kay Thompson goes from cool to charming. This movie has comedy, romance, singing and dancing, and some really beautiful clothes, too. I’d say it’s a quintessential chick movie!