You know that feeling when you're scrolling through endless streaming carousels and everything looks... blue? Or gray? Or just generally gritty? Sometimes you just need a shot of pure, unadulterated Technicolor. That’s exactly why a funny face movie watch is basically the cinematic equivalent of a double espresso and a croissant. It’s vibrant. It’s high-fashion. It’s kind of ridiculous, but in the best way possible.
Released in 1957, Funny Face isn't just another golden-age musical. It’s a weirdly perfect intersection of Gershwin tunes, Richard Avedon’s photography, and the sheer magnetic force of Audrey Hepburn. Most people think it’s just a "rom-com," but if you look closer, it’s actually a sharp satire of the fashion industry and 1950s intellectualism. It's surprisingly cynical for a movie where people burst into song in a darkroom.
The Plot That Shouldn't Work (But Does)
Fred Astaire plays Dick Avery. He's a high-fashion photographer for Quality magazine, loosely based on the legendary real-life photographer Richard Avedon. Then you have Jo Stockton, played by Audrey Hepburn. She’s a "plain" (I know, I know—Hollywood’s version of plain is still Hepburn) bookstore clerk in Greenwich Village who is obsessed with "emphaticalism," a parody of the existentialism popularized by Jean-Paul Sartre.
Dick and his editor, the whirlwind Maggie Prescott (Kay Thompson), decide Jo is the "Quality Woman" they’ve been looking for. Jo only agrees to go to Paris for a photoshoot because she wants to meet her intellectual hero, Professor Flostre. It’s a clash of the "superficial" fashion world and the "deep" world of philosophy.
Honestly, the age gap between Astaire and Hepburn is... noticeable. He was 58; she was 27. In today's world, that would be a whole different genre of movie. But back then? It was just Tuesday in Hollywood. Despite the thirty-year difference, their chemistry works because they aren't playing a typical lusty romance. It’s more of a mutual admiration of craft and spirit.
Why the Visuals Still Matter in 2026
If you’re doing a funny face movie watch for the first time, pay attention to the colors. This wasn't just "point and shoot." Richard Avedon himself was a visual consultant on the film. The opening title sequence? That’s pure Avedon. The way the screen freezes into high-contrast stills? Avedon again.
The "Think Pink!" number is a masterpiece of production design. It mocks the very industry the movie belongs to. Maggie Prescott decides that every woman in America needs to wear pink, even though she hates it herself. It’s a biting look at how trends are manufactured by a handful of people in a room.
The Music: More Than Just Background Noise
The score is primarily George and Ira Gershwin. You’ve got "S'Wonderful," "He Loves and She Loves," and the title track "Funny Face." But the real standout—the one that everyone remembers—is "Bonjour, Paris!"
It’s a massive, split-screen technical marvel. You see Jo, Dick, and Maggie exploring different parts of the city simultaneously. For 1957, that kind of editing was incredibly ambitious. It captures that frantic, "first time in Paris" energy that anyone who has ever stepped off a plane at Charles de Gaulle can relate to.
- He Loves and She Loves: A slow, dreamy sequence in a misty park.
- Basal Metabolism: This is Hepburn’s solo dance in a smoky jazz cellar. It’s weird. It’s "beatnik" interpretive dance. Lady Gaga famously referenced this vibe in her early career, and you can see why. It’s iconic.
- On How to be Lovely: A charming duet between Hepburn and Thompson.
The choreography is a mix of Astaire’s classic ballroom elegance and Eugene Loring’s more modern, theatrical style. Hepburn wasn't a powerhouse singer—her voice was thin and delicate—but she was a trained ballerina. You can see it in her posture. Every move is deliberate.
The Fashion: Givenchy and the "New Look"
We can't talk about a funny face movie watch without talking about the clothes. This film solidified the relationship between Audrey Hepburn and Hubert de Givenchy. While Edith Head handled the "normal" clothes, Givenchy designed the high-fashion pieces Hepburn wears in the Paris sequences.
The red dress. You know the one. She’s descending the stairs at the Louvre, a red chiffon scarf trailing behind her, shouting "Take the picture!" It is arguably one of the most famous fashion moments in film history.
But there’s also the wedding dress. The short, tea-length bridal gown with the veil. It broke the "rules" of the time and influenced wedding trends for decades. It’s simple, architectural, and perfectly suited to Hepburn’s frame.
Is it Actually Funny?
Actually, yes. Kay Thompson as Maggie Prescott steals every single scene she’s in. She’s a hurricane. Her character is reportedly based on Diana Vreeland, the legendary Vogue editor. The dialogue is snappy. When Maggie is trying to convince Jo to be a model, the back-and-forth about philosophy versus fashion is genuinely witty.
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"I don't want to be a model! I'm interested in the mind!"
"Well, you can have both, dear. It's called being a person."
It’s that kind of light-hearted cynicism that keeps the movie from becoming too sugary. It knows it's a fantasy. It knows it's selling a dream.
Modern Criticisms and Nuance
Let's be real: the "Professor Flostre" character hasn't aged perfectly. The movie sets him up as a lecherous fraud to prove that the "intellectual" world is just as shallow as the fashion world. It’s a bit of a "gotcha" moment that feels a little forced by modern standards.
Also, the way the movie treats the "beatniks" in Paris is pure 1950s caricature. Long hair, dark clothes, lots of finger-snapping. It’s what your grandparents thought "cool kids" looked like. If you go into it expecting a documentary on 50s subculture, you’ll be disappointed. If you go into it expecting a vibrant, stylized satire? You'll love it.
Where to Stream and How to Watch
Finding a funny face movie watch online is usually pretty easy. It’s a staple on platforms like:
- Paramount+: Since it’s a Paramount film, this is its natural home.
- Amazon Prime Video: Usually available for rent or purchase in 4K.
- Apple TV: Often has the remastered version which looks incredible on a high-end screen.
The 4K restoration is worth seeking out. The Technicolor process used back then—VistaVision—was incredibly high-resolution. On a modern OLED TV, the colors pop in a way that feels almost psychedelic. The greens of the park, the reds of the dresses, and the deep blacks of the jazz club are stunning.
Technical Stats for the Nerds
- Director: Stanley Donen (the same guy who did Singin' in the Rain).
- Aspect Ratio: 1.85:1 (VistaVision).
- Running Time: 103 minutes (Perfect length, honestly).
- Studio: Paramount Pictures.
Making the Most of Your Viewing
To really appreciate the film, don't just have it on in the background. Look at the framing. Notice how many shots are composed like magazine spreads. Notice the use of "white space" in the frame.
Check out the "Think Pink" sequence and count how many different shades of pink they managed to fit into one frame. It’s a technical nightmare for a cinematographer, yet they pulled it off without it looking like a muddy mess.
If you're a fan of The Devil Wears Prada, this is its spiritual ancestor. It explores that same tension between "important" work and the "frivolity" of aesthetics. Spoiler alert: the movie concludes that aesthetics are important.
Practical Steps for Your Next Movie Night
If you're planning to watch this weekend, here’s a quick checklist to elevate the experience:
- Upgrade to the 4K version: The colors are the whole point. Don't settle for a grainy 720p stream if you can help it.
- Watch for the "Avedon" touches: Every time the film stops for a "fashion shoot" sequence, notice the lighting. It shifts from movie lighting to high-key strobe lighting.
- Listen for the Gershwin: If you're a jazz fan, you'll recognize the melodic structures immediately.
- Research Richard Avedon: Before you hit play, spend five minutes looking at his 1950s Harper's Bazaar work. It makes the movie ten times more interesting when you see what they were parodying—and honoring.
- Double Feature Idea: Pair it with Charade (1963) for the ultimate Audrey Hepburn Paris experience. It’s a completely different vibe—a Hitchcockian thriller—but shows her range perfectly.
Funny Face remains a high-water mark for the Hollywood musical because it didn't just follow the rules; it used the camera to mimic a different medium entirely. It’s a movie about photography that feels like a photograph come to life. Whether you're in it for the Givenchy gowns, the Astaire footwork, or just a bit of mid-century escapism, it’s a film that rarely fails to deliver. Skip the gritty reboots for one night and see what happens when a studio actually cares about the color red. It’s worth the 103 minutes.
For the best experience, try to find the 2017 restoration. It cleaned up a lot of the color fringing that plagued earlier DVD releases. You want those whites to be crisp and those blacks to be deep. Anything less and you're missing half the artistry. Take the time to settle in, turn off the lights, and let the 1950s version of Paris wash over you. It's a trip that doesn't require a passport, just a decent internet connection and an appreciation for a really good hat.