feature
Spotlight on
Funny Face Regarded as one of Audrey Hepburn’s most stylish film moments. 61 years since the American musical was released. Funny Face, inspired by people at the forefront of the fashion industry, paying homage to Dianna Vreeland and Carmel Snow. A film in love with fashion. Think Pink! Text by Gaby Smith
Released in April 1957, Spotlight pays homage to the ro-
the fashion and modelling industry as nonsense, “it is chichi, and an unrealistic approach to self-impressions as well as economics”, before embarking on an incredible modelling career, becoming the cover star for the magazine in Paris.
mantic musical classic Funny Face. Helmed for its ode to the fashion industry, starring the legendary Audrey Hepburn, over 60 years on Funny Face remains a cult classic. Paramount’s American musical romcom directed by Stanley Donen and written by Leonard Gershe, featured assorted songs by George and Ira Gershwin. Despite have the same title as the 1927 Broadway musical Funny Face by the Gershwin brothers and featuring Fred Astaire, the plot is entirely different with only four songs from the state musical included. The film plot was instead adapted from another Broadway musical, Wedding Bells by Leonard Gershe.
The inspiration behind the characters for the film, came from real like people at the forefront of the fashion industry. Fred Astaire’s character is based on renowned photographer, Richard Avedon. Avedon was actually hired as the movie’s visual consultant, with his photographs featuring in the opening segment of the film and through the scenes in Paris. An iconic photograph by Richard Avedon, is an extreme close up shot of Hepburn focusing on her delicate facial features. The ditzy model featured at the beginning of the movie, before the discovery of Jo Stocken, was played by Dovima who often worked with Aveon and was a one of the top fashion models of the day.
Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer Studios originally bought the rights to the film, as a possible vehicle to acclaimed actors Fred Astaire and Audrey Hepburn. However, Audrey Hepburn was under a strict contract solely with Paramount. MGM eventually sold the film over to Paramount, with Hepburn insisting on Fred Astaire as her co-star. Industry insiders have long joked that Funny Face was the only MGM musical ever made at Paramount, with a host of producers, orchestrators and experts being borrowed from MGM. Vocal coach and choral arranger, Kay ThompsonW worked for MGM usually in the background but instead took centre stage landing the film’s most prominent supporting role as the fashion editor of the magazine.
Another famous model who influenced the film, was Suzy Parker who was said to have inspired Hepburn’s character, with Parker making several fashionable appearances during the opening Think Pink scene. Kay Thompson’s character, fashion editor Maggie Prescott, was inspired by real-life figures from the fashion world. It has long been reported that Vogue editor, Diana Vreeland and Harper’s Baazar editor, Carmel Snow served as inspiration to the creation of Maggie Prescott’s character. Funny Face saw Hepburn take centre stage, singing all the musical numbers herself. Unlike her later film, My Fair Lady, Hepburn displayed her talent in her solo ‘How Long Has This Been Going On’, her duet with Fred Astaire ‘S Wonderful’, her duet with Kay Thompson ‘On How to Be Lovely’, and an ensemble performance of ‘Bonjour Paris’.
The plot for Funny Face sees Maggie Prescott played by Kay Thompson, a fashion magazine publisher and editor for Quality magazine, looking for the next big fashion trend. Amongst a photoshoot set in a bookshop, she comes across Jo Stocken played by Audrey Hepburn, a timid and shy literature fanatic. Hepburn’s character famously described
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