People say Gene Kelly was a tough task master. He was, but he was a very good friend and he took care of me
French-born dancer and Hollywood star Leslie Caron tells MARION McMULLEN that movie legend Gene Kelly would be proud of the new stage version of An American In Paris
How did your film debut in 1951 movie An American In Paris come about?
GENE Kelly spotted me on an opening night of a ballet I was dancing. I was the principal and he remembered me a year later when he was doing An American In Paris. Cyd Charisse was going to do the movie but became pregnant.
(Laughs) Gene had tried to meet me the opening night of the ballet, but I was just a very young girl, just 17, and had gone home without waiting for well-wishers in the dressing room. I didn’t know that tradition.
Did you know who Gene Kelly was?
I HAD never heard of him and I think he knew it. As soon as I arrived, he put together all his famous roles one after another on one superb film and he had it projected for me so I knew the work he did.
How was your English at the time?
NON-EXISTENT. My mother was American and my father, being part of a distinguished family, had English nannies and they would speak together in English when they did not want the children to understand.
I had just a small notion of English – not even enough to go into a restaurant.
Gene would give me the lines in the movie and I would just imitate him and do it phoenetically and he would just make fun of me.
What was it like working with the famous song and dance man?
HE would watch out for me. He was very paternal. People say he had the reputation of being a tough taskmaster and, yes, he was, but he was a very good friend and he took care of me.
Saturday night I could always go to his house and the door was always open to me as his friend.
He was a really good guy. He discovered quite a few people and gave so many a chance. He used to turn me to face towards the camera during filming and would say ‘Honey, look at the camera otherwise your grandmother won’t know you are in the film.’
How did you find leaving Paris to film in Hollywood?
GOING to America was like going to the moon back then. It took about 30 hours and you had to change planes and stop for refuelling so many times. It was an adventure.
California was like another world. They used to tell me how they had suffered during the war and could only have on chocolate bar a week.
It made me feel a little isolated and a little lonely. They didn’t know how bad it had been in Europe.
The stage version of An American In Paris is about to be broadcast in cinemas. What is it like seeing it again?
IT’S exciting. I’m so thrilled to see something that we started, I don’t know how many years ago, is still inspiring young people. It is just magical. I’m so proud to be part of that. I’ve met the wonderful people involved. Chris Wheeldon is a fabulous choreographer, Robert Fairchild plays the male lead and Leanne Cope the role I played, Lise.
They are wonderful performers and Leanne can sing as well as dance, which I couldn’t do. I was really impressed.
It would have been unbearable if I had not felt they were terrific. I would really have been angry, but they were so good and work so hard.
They wanted to know everything about our film and how it came about and how we worked. I think Gene would have been very proud of this version as well.
What is the enduring appeal of this musical?
THE music of Gershwin. It’s as simple as that. It all started with great music and then they came up with a plot to go around the music and songs. It was the way it was done in those days.
I remember on Saturdays the creatives, the writers, the different musicians, the pianist, everybody, would get together and discuss what they been doing. It was the same story when they created the plot for Singin’ In The Rain.
What is it like playing Countess Mavrodaki in ITV drama The Durrells?
(LAUGHS) I’ve just done a little bit. At one stage the director was my son’s half-brother, my grandson was playing one of the roles and my son was one of the producers. It made me feel comfortable having everyone around.
You are an extremely stylish 86-year-old. What is your secret?
I GUESS dancing keeps you fit and gives you a great deal of discipline. I don’t eat cake and I don’t have scones except once a year. I am very careful about my food and I don’t drink and I don’t smoke.
I still do my exercises, believe it or not. I take my dog to the park and he goes running, running, running, but then he knows it’s my turn. He’s a Shih Tzu and they are good guard dogs. He sits with his back to me and surveys everything and makes sure everything is OK and I do some kicks and stretches. It’s my routine.
■ STAGE hit An American In Paris will be broadcast in cinemas on Wednesday, May 16. Visit AnAmericanInParisCinema.com for details.