One of the Best

Rating: 10/10 (15 May 2005)

SINGIN' IN THE RAIN's story is well known, and concerns 1920s silent romantic acting team Don Lockwood (Gene Kelly) and Lina Lamont (Jean Hagen.) Trouble is that sound is coming in--and Lina's speaking voice could peel paint off the wall. The solution? Don's best friend (Donald O'Connor) and love interest (Debbie Reynolds) have the inspiration of revamping Lockwood and Lamont's debut sound film as a musical, with Reynolds dubbing Hagen's vocals. The resulting story is a high-energy, extremely witty, and truly sparkling film laced with period songs by Arthur Freed, a film that many regard as the single finest musical to emerge from Hollywood.
In many respects SINGIN' IN THE RAIN is a throwback to the early musicals of the era it satirizes, for many of its musical numbers ('Make 'em Laugh' is a notable example) have absolutely nothing to do with the story it tells--but unlike such early musicals the storyline is exceptionally strong, and since the film is about the creation of an early "all talking, all dancing, all singing" movie in which such musical numbers were typical, they have here a certain validity that could not otherwise be achieved.
The cast is absolutely flawless, and without exception Kelly, Reynolds, O'Connor, and Hagen (particularly memorable as the literally unspeakable silent star) give the finest performances of their respective careers. The musical numbers range from the vibrant and complex 'Good Morning' to the lyrical 'You Are My Lucky Star' to the brilliantly conceived and executed title song, each without exception the definition of perfection. The art designs are meticulous, beautiful, and recreate the late-silent and early-sound era of Hollywood with considerable wit and charm. As a whole, SINGIN' IN THE RAIN possesses an energy and vitality that simply makes you bounce in your seat from excitement.
SINGIN' IN THE RAIN is a musical that even people who hate musicals love. Whether or not you consider it "the" finest musical ever created by Hollywood is, ultimately, a matter of personal preference; there are several contenders for that title, most notably MEET ME IN ST. LOUIS, GIGI, and THE WIZARD OF OZ. But no matter where you personally rank it, SINGIN' IN THE RAIN is certainly ONE of the best, a film that simply gains in critical and popular stature with every passing year, a national and a world treasure of cinematic art.
Gary F. Taylor, aka GFT, Amazon Reviewer