The Beauty of Marriage in Gigi

Among the great musicals from the golden age of Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer, Gigi is a film that celebrates one of life’s simple truths. Little boys and girls grow up and begin to notice each other romantically. Their awareness of their sexuality occurs naturally at an appropriate time in their development. The best way to enjoy this discovery is through marriage. That there is beauty in this gradual process runs counter to today’s culture, which wants children to become sexually aware earlier than is normal and wants adults to put off marriage for as long as possible.

Gigi is the story of a young girl “Gigi” played by Leslie Caron, whose family is raising her to be a kept woman in the fashion of the Parisian aristocracy. However, against their best efforts, she retains her youthful innocence. What she eventually comes to understand from their training repulses her. Their family friend, Gaston, sees Gigi as a child. He enjoys spending time with her and her grandmother because they are his only escape from the materialistic and hedonistic society in which he is expected to live.

Gaston finds his life monotonous, “a bore”. In fact, everyone apart from Gigi and, to some extent her grandmother, live tedious lives, unaware that their choices have caused their own difficulties. Gigi’s mother is never seen. She is only heard off-stage singing, practicing for the minor parts on the stage that she values more than her daughter. Gigi’s aunt never leaves her home and, instead, trains Gigi by reliving her past showing Gigi the jewelry given to her by aristocrats in exchange for sexual favors. Gaston’s uncle Honoré chases after younger women but never moves on from the relationship he once had with Gigi’s grandmother. Their relationship ended because of his lack of faithfulness and commitment.

That marriage is good and a blessing is a truth beautifully depicted in Gigi. Contrary to today’s understanding, marriage does not result in boredom; rather, it allows those who enter into it to intimately share their lives with another person. They live for something greater than themselves. This commitment allows married individuals to give themselves fully to the other person and to fully enjoy the other person. It is lives lived for casual sex, lacking this genuine intimacy, that becomes tedious and unsatisfying.

Societies that insist on treating sex casually are particularly harsh for women. In his opening speech, Honoré refers to himself as “a collector of beautiful things.” In overly sexualized societies, people are viewed as objects rather than persons. He goes on to say that, in Paris, there are, “some who will not marry, and some who do not marry… but in Paris, those who will not marry are usually men and those who do not are usually women.” This is not so different from society today where women are expected to want to engage in sex outside the security and commitment of marriage.

As the story progresses, Gigi begins to grow up and she and Gaston begin to see each other in a new way. In one of the most moving songs of the movie, Gaston realizes that Gigi has become a woman, and he is overwhelmed by her. Gigi too begins to realize that she is no longer a child and that she loves Gaston. He initially asks to make an arrangement the way he has with other women. To his surprise, Gigi rebuffs this idea. She tells him that when their relationship ends he will go on, but “ I will only have to go into another man’s bed”. When he tells her that he loves her she responds by calling him a “wicked man” for being willing to subject her to such a life. He eventually realizes that he cannot subject Gigi to the life of a kept woman and, to his greater surprise, finds that, in marrying her, his life is no longer “a bore”.

Modern society and French aristocracy have significant similarities in the way they treat sex. Today’s society is also materialistic and lacks intimacy. The culture of cohabitation and casual sex has limited women’s options for marriage. Many want children to be aware of their sexuality much earlier than is natural. Societies that operate this way cannot fulfill the deeper needs of human beginnings.

Gigi depicts a beautiful view of how life can be lived. There is something truly good in the natural way boys and girls begin to recognize each other at the right time, in the right way, and this eventually leads to marriage where that awareness can be fully lived out and enjoyed. The message of Gigi is simple and profound: a good marriage is captivatingly beautiful.