Singin' In The Rain

Stanley Donen & Gene Kelly, USA, 1952, 103 minutes

Arguably the most iconic of musicals, Singin in the Rain is not to be missed if you like mind-boggling tap-dancing sequences, sing-a-long songs and charming 50s humour.

Set in the 30s just as talking pictures were making a breakthrough, Gene Kelly stars in his most well known role as Don Lockwood, one half of the hugely popular Lockwood and Lamont team. Their stardom is threatened , however, when a rival studio releases the first feature length talkie and suddenly their theatrical, melodramatic acting abilities are called into question (especially since the popularity of Lamont would have been much less likely if people could actually hear her). Throw into the mix a bit of romance with a young Debbie Reynolds and a best friend who can flip off walls (the legendary Donald OConnor, who gives Gene Kelly such a run for his money its criminal how little people know him.) and youve got yourself one of the happiest, toe-tappin films in movie history!

Interestingly enough, the plot was actually written around the musical numbers, not the other way around and yet still manages to engage the audience, unlike a lot of musicals of the time which existed only for the dancing and singing. The chemistry between Kelly and Reynolds is palpable, the scenes in which she pretends to hate him especially convincing, which may or may not be a coincidence considering the reputation Kelly had for being a tyrant on set. The friendship between Lockwood and Donald OConnors Cosmo Brown is translated into a couple of incredible tap-dancing numbers and the villainous character of Lina Lamont is so side-splittingly hilarious, the movie wouldnt have been even half as good without her. All in all, not one to be missed, especially on the big screen and especially if youve never seen it before! Prepare to come out of the cinema singin' and dancing! Probably in the rain, this is Scotland after all.

Review by Sorcha Ni Chroinin
Written for EUFS Programme Autumn 2008

Singin' in the Rain

Gene Kelly / Stanley Donen, USA, 1952, 102 minutes

Before it was a classic, before it was a hit musical, Singin' in the Rain was a hit song. 'What?' you say. Yup. Gene Kelly decided to build a wonderful movie around a hit song. But it works to perfection.

Don Lockwood (Gene Kelly) and Lina Lamont (Jean Hagan) are silent screen stars. But with the advent of sound, their studio pushes them towards the rising trend. However, Lina's voice leaves much to be desired. With the help of friend Cosmo (Donald O'Connor) and love interest Kathy (a young Debbie Reynolds in her first major role), Don devises a plan to dub Lina's voice, without her knowledge. However, Lina, who is much smarter and more scheming than those around her would believe, finds out . . . to hilarious effect.

With songs like 'Moses Supposes', 'Good Morning', and the title song, the film was destined to be infectious. And with great choreography by Kelly and O'Connor (who, by the way, ad-libbed most of his rendition of 'Make 'Em Laugh'), the film will make you want to join in (or at least tap your feet). And with great performances all around, the film is a gem and transcends all generations.

Initially ignored by the critics, over the years it's reputation has grown to be deemed Hollywood's best musical. Although there were others to follow, Singin' in the Rain was the pinnacle of the Hollywood Musical. They don't make 'em like they used to!

Review by Leslie Meyer and Pauline Chung
Written for EUFS Programme Spring 2002