Gigi (1958)

Leslie Caron: Gigi

Photos 

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Quotes 

• Aunt Alicia : Love, my dear Gigi, is a thing of beauty like a work of art, and like a work of art it is created by artists. The greater the artist the greater the art. And what makes an artist?

  Gigi : Cigars and jewelry?

  Aunt Alicia : Gigi, you're from another planet.

• Gigi : I don't know what you want. You told Grandmamma...

  Gaston Lachaille : I know what I told your grandmother. We don't have to repeat it. Just tell me simply what you don't want... and tell me what you do want.

  Gigi : Do you mean that?

  Gaston Lachaille : Of course.

  Gigi : You told Grandmamma that you wanted to take care of me.

  Gaston Lachaille : To take care of you beautifully.

  Gigi : Beautifully. That is, if I like it. They've pounded into my head I'm backward for my age... but I know what all this means. To "take care of me beautifully" means I shall go away with you... and that I shall sleep in your bed.

  Gaston Lachaille : Please, Gigi, I beg of you! You embarrass me!

  Gigi : You weren't embarrassed to talk to Grandmamma about it. And Grandmamma wasn't embarrassed to talk to me about it. But I know more than she told me. To "take care of me" means that I shall have my photograph in the papers. That I shall go to the Riviera, to the races at Deauville. And when we fight, it will be in all the columns the next day. And then you'd give me up, as you did with Inèz des Cèvennes.

  Gaston Lachaille : Who's been filling your head with all these old stories? How do you know about that?

  Gigi : Why shouldn't I know? You're world famous. I know about the woman who stole from you, the Contessa who wanted to shoot you, the American who wanted to marry you. I know what everybody knows.

  Gaston Lachaille : These aren't the things we have to talk about together! That's all in the past, over and done with!

  Gigi : Yes, Gaston. Until it begins again.

• Aunt Alicia : Did you work hard in school today? What did you study?

  Gigi : History. Napoleon's defeat at Waterloo.

  Aunt Alicia : How depressing. What else?

  Gigi : English.

  Aunt Alicia : English? I suppose we must. They refuse to learn French.

• Gigi : [to Gaston]  I'd rather be miserable with you than miserable without you.

• Gigi : Do you make love all the time?

  Gaston Lachaille : I beg your pardon?

  Gigi : Do you make love all the time, Gaston?

  Gaston Lachaille : Certainly not! The only people who make love all the time are liars.

• Gigi : Why did he fly off the handle? He knew I'd answer him back.

• Gigi : Gaston, I have been thinking. I'd rather be miserable with you than without you.

• Gigi : [pointing]  Is that the scandalous Madame d'Exelmans?

  Gaston Lachaille : Yes, that is she. Tell me, Gigi, the way that you express yourself... does you grandmother hear you talk this way?

  Gigi : She doesn't listen to me much.

• Gaston Lachaille : I brought you some caramels.

  Gigi : Thank you, Gaston.

  Madame Alvarez : Gaston, you spoil her so.

  Gaston Lachaille : The champagne is for you.

  Madame Alvarez : You spoil me too.

• Gigi : [pointing at Gaston's cane]  Is that gold?

  Gaston Lachaille : The handle, yes.

  Gigi : You must be very rich to have a gold handle on your cane.

• [playing cards] 

  Gaston Lachaille : And therefore, I win!

  [playing his hand] 

  Gigi : And therefore... you lose!

  [playing her hand] 

  Gaston Lachaille : You cheated! Where did you get that fourth king?

  Gigi : I won! I won! I won!

  Gaston Lachaille : Now, you gypsy! You thief!

  Gigi : You're a muttonhead - do we go to Trouville?

  [excitedly claiming the win of their bet] 

  Gaston Lachaille : Yes, yes. You go to Trouville.

  Gigi : Hurray! Grandmama, we go to Trouville!

  Madame Alvarez : Oh, no, Gatson, it's out of the question.

  [Gigi lunges across Gaston's lap to pour herself a glass of Champagne] 

  Gaston Lachaille : Not at all. I'd love it. Believe it or not, Mamita, I have a better time with this outrageous

  [spanks Gigi's behind] 

  Gaston Lachaille : brat or your's than anybody in Paris. It'll be marvelous fun.

• [Aunt Alicia proudly displays a dazzling emerald from her collection] 

  Gigi : Who gave it to you, Aunt?

  Aunt Alicia : A king!

  Gigi : A great king?

  Aunt Alicia : No, a little one. Great kings do not give very large stones.

  Gigi : Why not?

  Aunt Alicia : In my opinion it's because they don't feel they have to.

  Gigi : Well, who does give the valuable jewels?

  Aunt Alicia : Who? Oh the shy, the proud, and the social climbers, because they think it's a sign of culture. But it doesn't matter who gives them, as long as you never wear anything second-rate. Wait for the first-class jewels, Gigi. Hold on to your ideals.

• Gaston Lachaille : [about Liane d'Exelmans]  What do you think of her?

  Gigi : She is... common!

  Gaston Lachaille : Common? What, you mean "ordinary" common or "coarse" common?

  Gigi : Ordinary common... and coarse!

  [leaves] 

• [Gastone brings some champagne for Mamita] 

  Gigi : Can I take a glass of champagne, Mamita?

  Madame Alvarez : Have you lost your mind, Gigi? Of course not!

  [heads towards the kitchen; Gaston quickly slides his glass over to Gigi] 

• [Gaston, outraged by the comments made about Gigi, drags her out of Maxim's] 

  Gigi : But I don't want to go home, Gaston! Let me go! What did I do, Gaston? What did I do?

  [Gaston arrives at Madame Alverez's home, angrily raps on the door and throws Gigi into Alvarez's shocked arms] 

  Madame Alvarez : Gigi! What happened?

  [Gaston leaves; Gigi bursts into tears] 

• [singing] 

  Gigi : What time tomorrow will we get there? / Can I watch you play roulette? / May I stay up late for supper? / Is it awfully awfully upper?

  Madame Alvarez : Gigi, you'll drive us wild! / Stop, you silly child!

  Gigi : Is everybody celebrated, / full of sin and dissipated? / Is it hot enough to blister? / Will I be your little sister?

  Madame Alvarez : Gigi, you are absurd! / Now not another word! Gigi!

  Gaston Lachaille : Let her gush and jabber, / let her be enthused! / I cannot remember / when I have been more amused!

  Madame Alvarez : Stop it!

  Gigi : The night they invented champagne, / it's plain as it can be / they thought of you and me. / The night they invented champagne, / they absolutely knew / that all we'd want to do / is fly to the sky on champagne / And shout to everyone in sight / that since the world began / no woman or a man / has ever been as happy as we are tonight!

  Gaston Lachaille : The night they invented champagne...

  [pops a cork] 

  Gigi , Gaston Lachaille : ...It's plain as it can be / they thought of you and me. / The night they invented champagne / they absolutely knew / that all we'd want to do / Is fly to the sky on champagne / and shout to everyone in sight

  [pops another cork] 

  Gigi , Gaston Lachaille : That since the world began / no woman or a man / has ever been as happy as we are tonight!

  [a cork is popped] 

• Gigi : A necklace is love! A ring is love! / A rock from some obnoxious little king is love! / A sapphire with a star is love! / An ugly black cigar is love! / Everything you are is love! You would think it would embarrass / All the people here in Paris / To be thinking every minute of love!

• [singing] 

  Gigi : I don't understand the Parisians / Making love every time they get the chance / I don't understand the Parisians / Wasting every lovely night on romance! Any time and under every tree in town / They're in session two by two / What a crime with all there is to see in town / They can't find something else to do! I don't understand how Parisians / Never tire of walking hand in hand / They seem to love it, and speak highly of it. / I don't understand the Parisians! When it's warm, they take a carriage ride at night / Close their eyes and hug and kiss / When it's cold, they simply move inside at night / There must be more to life than this! I don't understand the Parisians / Thinking love so miraculous and grand / But they rave about it, and won't live without it / I don't understand the Parisians!

• Gigi : Do you make love all the time, Gaston?

  Gaston Lachaille : Certainly not! The only people who make love all the time are liars.

• [Gaston sees Gigi dressed in an alluring white gown] 

  Gigi : Look, Gaston! Four yards of material in the skirt! Well, don't I look great ladyish?

  Gaston Lachaille : You look like an organ-grinder's monkey!

  Gigi : An organ-grinder's monkey?

  Gaston Lachaille : What happened to your little Scotch dress? And that ridiculous collar!

  Gigi : And what's wrong with that collar?

  Gaston Lachaille : It makes you look like a giraffe with a goiter!

  Gigi : With all the talk there is about you, Gaston, I've never heard it said you had any taste in clothes!

• [Gigi prepares for her night with Gaston] 

  Gigi : Say a prayer for me tonight / I'll need every prayer that you can spare / To get me by... Say a prayer / And while you're praying, keep on saying / "She's much too young to die..." "On to your Waterloo," whispers my heart / Pray I'll be Wellington, not Bonaparte... Oh, say a prayer for me this evening / Bow your head, and please stay on your knees / Tonight...

• Madame Alvarez : You go to school every morning. You see your Aunt Alicia once a week. That's all the lessons you need. When the time comes, you'll be ready.

  Gigi : Ready for what, Grandmama?

• Gigi : I hate this coat. It makes my legs feel so long.

  Madame Alvarez : Yes, your legs are long.

• Gigi : I'm always on my own. Why does Grandmama stop me from accepting invitations?

  Aunt Alicia : She's right for once. You'd only be invited by ordinary people.

  Gigi : What about us? Aren't we ordinary people?

  Aunt Alicia : No.

  Gigi : Why are we different?

  Aunt Alicia : They have weak heads and careless bodies. Besides, they are married.

• Aunt Alicia : Today you will learn to eat ortolans.

  Gigi : What are ortolans, Aunt?

  Aunt Alicia : Exquisite little birds. Most people attack them like cannibals. You must learn to eat them properly.

• Gaston Lachaille : I'm not going to woo her on ice. Come along before I spank you.

  Gigi : You wouldn't dare!

  Gaston Lachaille : Oh, I wouldn't, eh?

• Gaston Lachaille : Just what are serious matters?

  Gigi : I don't remember it all by heart. One mustn't read novels; they depress you. Don't wear powder; it ruins the complexion. Don't wear corsets; they spoil the figure.

• Aunt Alicia : You must learn to choose cigars.

  Gigi : Aunt, but I don't smoke cigars.

  Aunt Alicia : Of course you don't smoke cigars. But a man does.

• Gigi : I can't wait to see the face of the janitress.

• Madame Alvarez : [Gaston helping Gigi snapping peas]  Be careful. You'll ruin your hands.

  Gaston Lachaille : It doesn't matter. I have a manicure every morning.

  Gigi : What a nuisance.

• Gigi : Your sugar isn't that good. I'd rather play you for candy.

• Gigi : What I would really like - is a Nile green corset with rococo roses embroidered on the garters.

• Gigi : *If* I lose, what would you really like? Silk stockings?

  Gaston Lachaille : Oh, no! Silk stockings make my legs itch.

• Aunt Alicia : Pick up the coffeepot with one hand and the cup and saucer with the other. Always both. *Never* the coffeepot alone.

  Gigi : Like this, Aunt?

  Aunt Alicia : You must have a grip on the saucer that is firm. but not obviously so. The saucer must seem so much a part of your fingers that one would think it could only be removed by surgery. Now pour - and be sure the coffeepot is upright before you take the cup away. There must be no drops.

• Aunt Alicia : A bad year will be sharp. A good year, which this is, of course, will waft.

  Gigi : Oh, marvelous.

• Gigi : Grandmama, you must admit, one doesn't have to turn oneself inside out for an old friend like Gaston. It's silly. It's absolutely silly.

• Gigi : When it's over and done with, Gaston Lachaille goes off with another lady. And I have only to go into another gentleman's bed. That won't do for me. I'm not changeable. That won't do for me.