Variety hailed An American in Paris as "one of the most imaginative musical confections turned out by Hollywood in years."
Bosley Crowther of the The New York Times thought it "the most commendable enchantments of the big, lavish musical" ever put to screen.
Film critic Jeanine Basinger wrote, "An American in Paris is frequently criticized as being too sentimental, too romantic and, because of the ballet, too pretentious. Nevertheless, the film undoubtedly contributed to the maturing process of the musical genre. By challenging the idea that audiences would not understand or accept a long ballet deeply linked to the narrative of the film it helped to free the dance visually and to expand the horizons of viewers as well as the creative possibilities for the artists making musical films."
Additionally, this film has received the following awards and/or honors:
Gene Kelly looked forward to altering some preconceptions about Hollywood movie musicals when it came Oscar time. "There is a strange sort of reasoning in Hollywood that musicals are less worthy of Academy consideration than dramas," he stated. "It's a form of snobbism, the same sort that perpetuates the idea that drama is more deserving of Awards than comedy."
No musical from Arthur Freed's unit at MGM had ever been nominated for a Best Picture Oscar prior to An American in Paris.
Gene Kelly and company smashed the perceived prejudice against musicals by winning big at the Academy Awards. An American in Paris won Oscars for Best Picture, Writing (Story & Screenplay); Cinematography; Art Direction (Color); Best Score of a Musical Picture; and Costume Design (Color). Also nominated was Vincente Minnelli's direction. Gene Kelly was given an Honorary Award for his "versatility" and "his brilliant achievement in the art of choreography on film."
Because most critics and Hollywood insiders expected A Streetcar Named Desire (1951) or A Place in the Sun (1951) to sweep the Oscars, many were shocked when An American in Paris won in six categories. Sycophantic critic Bosley Crowther of The New York Times, who had put the musical on his top 10 list, was aghast that the Academy had "so many people so insensitive to the excellencies of motion-picture art that they would vote for a frivolous musical picture over a powerful and pregnant tragedy." It's unclear whether Crowther was referring to A Streetcar Named Desire or A Place in the Sun.
