The...best...musical...EVER!

Rating: 10/10 (24 August 2003)

I watched Singin' in the Rain for the first time ever this afternoon and I think I'm in love. Oh Gene Kelly!.. *What* I would give to have you flash those pearly whites at me! The story is really just a musical about a musical, going into various dream-like sequences embodied in the twelve minute "Broadway Ballet". The songs are cleverly intertwined with the acting so there's none of that phoniness one is used to seeing in some musical pictures. To watch the choreography is to watch pure genius. Gene Kelly is so talented it should be outlawed. (It's downright sacrilegious he wasn't nominated for the Academy Award®!) I mean - DAMN! I kept backing up to the 'Singin' in the Rain' part seventy-five times in a row...it fills me with such a sense of joy! My Gramps once broke his ankle trying to imitate ol' Gene.
The supporting cast is perfect as well, you really must hand it to Debbie Reynolds! She wasn't a trained dancer up until this point. They made her rehearse eight hours a day, hiring different dance instructors to work with the young actress in shifts. The stress proved so overwhelming she eventually had a breakdown and caught the attention of neighboring Fred Astaire who asked, "Why are you crying?" Not able to recognize the man through her tears, Reynolds confessed she felt hopeless and would never meet Kelly's standards. Astaire led her to another rehearsal room where he was busy working on Royal Wedding. "You come watch me," he said. "You watch how hard I work. I don't cry, but I do get frustrated and upset and I'm going to let you watch." The experience showed her how a legendary performer like Astaire, known for his elegant moves on the dance floor, can even feel daunted : )
Finally, what else can I say (other than Cyd Charisse wears the hottest dress I've ever seen)? This is one of THE greatest films of any genre ever! They just don't make 'em like this anymore.