Vincente Minnelli is responsible for so much more than classic musicals, but that’s the genre for which he’ll always be best known. Watching the best scenes from those films, it’s easy to see why.

If I had to limit myself to one song and/or dance scene per Minnelli musical, I’d rank them like this (links provided where available):

14. Yolanda and the Thief – Yolanda

13. Kismet – Stranger in Paradise

12. Ziegfeld Follies – A Great Lady Has an Interview

11. A Matter of Time – Do It Again

10. Brigadoon – Heather on the Hill

9. Cabin in the Sky – Taking a Chance on Love

8. On a Clear Day You Can See Forever – Go to Sleep

7. The Pirate – Niña

6. Bells Are Ringing – The Party’s Over

5. I Dood It – Taking a Chance on Love

4. Gigi – I Remember It Well

3. An American in Paris – Our Love is Here to Stay

2. The Band Wagon – Dancing in the Dark

1. Meet Me in St. Louis – Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas

Four of my top five have featured on the blog already, either as part of this Minnelli series or in an earlier post. That leaves #3, a gorgeous standout number from An American in Paris, to highlight today.

This clip is a great example of why Minnelli favored the square aspect ratio for his musicals. The frame is concerned with nothing but the elegant moves of Gene Kelly and Leslie Caron (Dana, this is Leslie Caron).

‘Our Love is Here to Stay’ is, of course, a timeless Gershwin classic, and paired with the romantic dancing it becomes transcendent.