An American in Paris

I don't know about you, but I just can't get enough Gershwin or Kelly or even enough classic movie musicals.  I'm a big fan of all the individual elements that make up An American in Paris, so why, oh why, did I not enjoy the film?
Now don't get me wrong, it's not a bad picture.  It's of course got great music and dancing.   It has great sets and art work.  It's not even a terribly bad story, but from the awkward title drop and "no, that's not me" gag in the first few scenes to the less than satisfactory wrap up with our supporting cast at the end, I just felt that, for a Best Picture winner, this film was certainly lacking.  I would have a hard time justifying An American in Paris as the best film of the year when I see it standing next to classics like The African Queen, A Streetcar named Desire, Show Boat, Strangers on a Train, and even The Day the Earth Stood Still and Alice in Wonderland.  I get why it won, but it just goes to show that getting a Best Picture doesn't have any direct relation to whether it's actually the picture that stands the test of time (Vertigo wasn't even nominated for a best picture and it's considered one of the best films of all time).
So, here's my take on An American in Paris: it won because it had style.  It showcased art in a way that really hadn't been done before, and really hasn't been done since.  It (though not actually filmed in Paris) captured the feel of Paris and the art scene as it was pumped full of fresh blood and fresh ideas after the war.  It painted a world where even the most out of luck artists and performers can make the big time, and find true love all at the same time (we know the academy just can't resist a story about young artists struggling to make it).  It certainly was a work of art visually, which I won't deny.  My concern is that there's pretty terrible writing to back up the performance.
The story is fair at best, and the plot seems to be designed to move from song to song rather than the songs naturally fitting into the story.  Our classical musician that argues that jazz can't compare to the classics so that we can sing "By Strauss!" is found throughout the rest of the film to be singing the Gershwin classics with everyone else.  An English lesson leads to "I Got Rhythm".  We even use a dream sequence to randomly throw in a concerto piece.  It's a challenge when writing a film for already written music, but Kelly's next big film, Singing in the Rain (which didn't even get a best picture nomination at all), does a much better job with fitting in everything with the story (though admittedly, there are still issues).
So, my recommendation would be to take the opportunity to watch An American in Paris if it presents itself, if you're a big classic musical fan, you may even opt to buy it, but I wouldn't pay full price if I can avoid it.  I would spend a little time reviewing the featured artists from the film before watching, because the finale just isn't the same without a little back ground.  If you want the same experience without a trip to your local art school, watch Singing in the Rain, then listen to the Best of Gershwin afterwards.  You'll be spared the struggles of the film and left whistling the same tune, plus you'll get a little more Rhapsody in Blue, so, win-win.