Gigi Scene 33 Summary

  • The gossipy, glittery crowd at Maxim's is up to their old tricks, laughing, drinking and flirting.
  • The music stops and everyone freezes as Gaston and Gigi enter.
  • Gigi straightens Gaston's carnation and the couple walks to a table with everyone's eyes on them.
  • Gaston discusses future travel plans. Gigi wants to gamble, she says, laughing.
  • She sees that his coffee cup is empty and she offers him more, pouring just like Aunt Alicia taught her. She laughs, saying that the roulette wheel won't be as easy to cheat as Gaston is.
  • A server approaches with a box of cigars, and Gaston reaches for one. But Gigi insists that she pick one out, just as Aunt Alicia has taught her and just as Liane did for Gaston in the very same restaurant. Gaston looks a bit bemusedly put but watches her perform the ritual.
  • Raucous laughing off-camera gets Gigi's attention. She recognizes a society woman from the gossip pages and Aunt Alicia's stories about those infamous dipped pearls. "The poor thing doesn't know it," Gigi says, with a put-on air.
  • Gaston smiles politely and asks her to dance. He's looking more uncomfortable by the minute.
  • Honoré approaches Gaston, saying he'd been waiting for him as they'd agreed earlier in the cafe.
  • Gigi says hello and Honoré's speechless at her transformation.
  • The lovers waltz on the Maxim dance floor. Gigi asks what's in Gaston's breast pocket.
  • It's a present for her, he says. "Wouldn't you like to see it?"
  • But Gigi says not right now; she'd rather dance. Usually, she jumps to open is gifts. She's just not acting like herself.
  • Back at the table, she asks to see the gift.
  • Gigi fawns over the bracelet and holds it up so everyone can see it, parroting something about emeralds Aunt Alicia has told her.
  • Gaston's embarrassed to see how everyone's staring—he tells her to go to the powder room to put it on.
  • As she leaves, Honoré approaches to ask what happened. He goes on and on about how young and fresh Gigi looks. So Gigi's changed her mind? Gaston must have sweetened the deal? Older women are boring he says, but Gigi will amuse him for months!
  • This really pushes Gaston over the edge. He suddenly seems to realize what he's doing to Gigi—turning her into an object of curiosity and ogling, forcing her to be someone who's not the girl he fell in love with.
  • When Gigi comes back from the powder room, he drags her by the hand from the restaurant. People stare.