Three years after her fabulous performance with Eddie Albert and Gregory Peck in the 1953 hit, Roman Holiday, Audrey joined forces with Fred Astaire to star in Funny Face.  This time the backdrop was Paris.  Not bad, eh?  First Rome and then Paris.  A good life for sure!

Actress Kay Thompson, well-known author of the Eloise series of children’s books, joined Audrey and Fred in the production. Here’s a still of Miss Thompson in a great set using the hot colors of the late 1950s, pink and gray:

The film was enhanced by the contributions of famed photographer Richard Avedon who designed the opening title sequence and consulted throughout. In fact, Astaire’s character in the film is a still photographer named Dick Avery, based upon Avedon. Here’s a picture of the photog.

And here are a couple of famous shots he took of the luminous Miss Hepburn for Funny Face:

Avedon supplied some of the still photographs used in the production, including its most famous single image: an intentionally overexposed close-up of Miss Hepburn’s face with only her famous eyes, eyebrows, nose and mouth. It is still recognizable as Audrey.

Here’s how the famous still was used:

Hepburn was actually Avedon’s muse in the 1950s and 1960s, and about her he said “I am, and forever will be, devastated by the gift of Audrey Hepburn before my camera. I cannot lift her to greater heights. She is already there. I can only record. I cannot interpret her. There is no going further than who she is. She has achieved in herself her ultimate portrait.”

Of course Miss H got to show off some of her famous dance skills in the movie:

Including dancing with Mr. Astaire:

Edith Head was again, as in Roman Holiday, responsible for the overall look and fashions Miss Hepburn wears in Funny Face.  Here is Miss Head with some of her sketches.

This sketch provided the inspiration for the dress worn in the famous Avendon shots with Audrey and the balloons.

The divine Miss Hepburn also wears sumptuous gowns designed by Hubert de Givenchy as below:

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There is a silly plot involving the photographer Dick Avery and the bookstore intellectual turned model, Jo Stockton, played by Miss A.

The fictional photog and model fuss and fume:

And then they potentially marry:

To find out if they do marry, you’ll have to watch the film! Here is a clue.

There is a superfluous number called “think pink” that is a lot of fun:

And of course the city of Paris plays a role as well. Here are two shots of Audrey set off by the River Seine.

And even the Louvre and the famous Victory of Samothrace play a role in the gorgeous film.

The entire extravaganza is a lot of fun to watch!  Just go and see!