Singing in the Rain
By Charlotte Dekle
Source: Amazon
logline: A silent film production company and cast make a difficult transition to sound.
Source: IMDb
If there was to be one film that has the title of “Best Movie Musical” or a “Perfect Film,” is bestowed upon it, it would be this one. It's high praise for a more than an almost seventy-year-old jukebox musical. If you have not seen this classic gem of cinema, I do not know where you have been. It is hard to pinpoint the exact reason why this film is adored by so many. The ethereal beauty has a sort of je ne sais quoi feeling about it that you just can’t name. It could be the wonderful musical numbers. From the beautiful You Were Meant For Me to the toe-tapping Moses Supposes to the merry Good Morning, every musical number is magical and entertaining. I do understand that this is a jukebox musical (which many people may not know.) Being a jukebox musical means that all the numbers are from other properties. But that does not bother me as much as it does with other jukebox musicals. The songs mostly consist of dazzling dance sequences which makes the actual bulk of the song devoid of singing. Another reason for its longevity could be clever dialogue. Cosmo Brown (Donald O'Connor) gets most of these clever one-liners. One funny moment is when Don Lockwood (Gene Kelly) is being mauled by a group of fans. In the frenzy, he shouts to Cosmo, “Call me a cab!” and Cosmo replies “Okay, you’re a cab!” Another example is when RF Simpson (the owner of the movie studio) says “Cosmo, remind me to give you a raise” after he contributes a brilliant idea and Cosmo immediately replies “Uh. RF. Give me a raise.” Some of the jokes are derived from the hilarious silent films that the fictional Monumental Studios create. The exaggerated facial expressions of the characters on the movie screen within the movie screen are hilarious. Especially when the words they speak are out of sync with the movements of their mouths. It could also be the direction and the montages that he employed. These montages show the direct contrast between the “dignity, always dignity,” that Don Lockwood’s motto claims to the demeaning traveling shows that he had to perform in. Its endurance could also be attributed to the delightful performances, which I highlight below. Another hot contender is the dance sequences. I already addressed the songs but I need a separate section to address the choreography. I just want to shout out to the choreography of Fit As A Fiddle. I have the good sense to know that they are not playing the fiddle during Fit as a Fiddle but that doesn’t make the number any less impressive. I found myself mesmerized while they were "playing" those instruments. Another special shout out to the leggy performance of one Cyd Charisse during the Broadway Melody section. But if I were to pinpoint its longevity for me, it would be the nostalgia. I started to tear up when the instrumental from the title song slowly filled the screen and you heard the iconic first doo’s. When the chorus started, a sense of childlike wonder filled my soul. This sensation started at the first main title sequence and did not subside until the last fade-out. Despite what you may think, I am hesitating to say anymore because YOU SHOULD WATCH IT. IT IS NOT VERY LONG. If watching Gene Kelly grinning while tap dance in torrential downpour does not put a smile on your face, I do not know what will.
my favorite characters:
Jean Hagen as Lina Lamont: what do you think I am? Dumb or something? Because it would be dumb to not credit Jean Hagen’s Lina Lamont with my favorite character. As Cosmo describes her, “She can’t act, She can’t sing, She can’t dance. A triple threat.” Listening to her voice is grating on the ears and her personality is grating on the psyche. If you exclude her fantastic voice work, her villainous portrayal of Lina Lamont is almost relatable. If you were in her shoes, you might do the same thing, maybe not to her evil extent but you will certainly think about it. Her physicality and exquisite acting talents make me love to hate her. She believes that the world revolves around her and when someone comes to threaten that ideology, she does what she can to remove the obstacle. It should be noted that she does not go to a drastic measure to ensure the removal. But her motives are clear and understandable. She wants to be a big movie star and there is a cast of people standing in the way. Jean Hagen is an underrated actress who got a well deserved Oscar nomination for this.
Donald O’Connor as Cosmo Brown: the forever secondary character to Gene Kelly’s leading man, he is the perfect hype man to have around you. He also has one of the most expressive faces of the cast. The expressiveness is shown in the song “Make ‘Em Laugh” where Cosmo is trying to cheer Don up after Don fails to find Kathy Selden. This song is brilliant. While not a difficult song to sing, O’Connor imbues it with humor and unrestrained athleticism that makes me jealous every time I watch it. He leaps around the set, he does backflips off of walls, the physical comedy he displays is breathtaking. This amount of energy is not lost throughout the almost two-hour runtime. He’s just such a fun character that bounds around and it’s frankly fabulous. O’Connor is also an underrated comedic talent that got a Golden Globe for his exuberant portrayal.
this movie is rated….G! (wow i think this is literally the only thing on the site rated G)
my favorite part: I guess I’ll talk about the title number in this section because it is my favorite part of the film. I don’t know if that makes me ‘basic’ or whatever just let me love what I love okay? I choose this song in particular because I guarantee you know it even if you haven’t seen the movie. It’s inarguably the most famous song of the film and has fully submerged itself in the cultural zeitgeist of every generation that follows. It has been parodied in many properties after 1952, but nothing beats Gene Kelly happily dancing on cobblestone streets, swinging from street lamps, and stomping in puddles. All the while having the largest grin on his face. Gene Kelly is a cultural icon and this fame is somewhat on account of this song in this movie. You think you don’t know it. I promise you will: https://youtu.be/D1ZYhVpdXbQ?t=47. Go on, watch it. You’ll see.
where to watch:
IMDb:
