The Definitive Musical

Rating: 10/10 (31 December 2001)

This is a movie that'll give you Happy Feet just thinking about it once you've seen it. Quite possibly the purest movie musical ever made, `Singin' In the Rain,' directed by Gene Kelly and Stanley Donen, has everything you could want in a musical: A good story, perfect cast, imaginative choreography, memorable music and songs, terrific performances, and a presentation that is nothing less than inspired. It takes you behind the scenes of the movie business, set during the transitional period between the heyday of silent films and the advent of talkies. Don Lockwood (Kelly) and Lina Lamont (Jean Hagen) are two of the biggest stars in Hollywood, the Tracy and Hepburn of Monumental Studios, which is about to release their latest movie-- a swashbuckling costume drama. But a rival studio has just released `The Jazz Singer,' and overnight the industry is revolutionized, and silent films are just that quickly a thing of the past. To keep up and stay afloat, the major studios need to produce pictures that talk. And where does Monumental start? By retooling their latest big star vehicle (with Lockwood and Lamont) into a MUSICAL swashbuckling costume drama. If it's song and dance the public wants, then that's what they'll get-- right along with the drama of the costume and the swashbuckling thrown in to boot. There's one problem, though; the sound of Lina's voice has the effect of fingernails scraping a chalkboard, and her diction isn't going to land her the role of Juliet anytime soon. The powers that be at Monumental fear they may soon have a `falling' star on their hands. But there's always a solution, of course; and leave it to Don's partner, Cosmo (Donald O'Connor), to come up with it. And it just happens to involve a young lady named Kathy (Debbie Reynolds), with whom Don has just recently become acquainted. And that's where the story really begins.
Kelly and Donen (who also teamed up for `On the Town' and `It's Always Fair Weather') certainly know how to put on a show. The name of their game is Entertainment-- yes, with a capital `E'-- and that's exactly what you get. The dazzling production numbers are upbeat and electrifying: Donald O'Connor's `Make 'Em Laugh;' `Good Mornin',' which features Debbie Reynolds (joined by Kelly and O'Connor); a diction lesson by Kelly and O'Connor that begins with `Moses,' who `Supposes his 'toeses' are roses;' and a transporting routine with Kelly and Cyd Charisse. But the highlight is Kelly doing the title song while `Singin' and dancin' in the rain.' And these are but a few of the magical marvels of this film.
When Kelly sings `Gotta dance!' you'd better believe it, because he's the best of the best, and he's at the top of his game here. He's a consummate entertainer and a perfectionist, and simply a joy to watch. And with O'Connor next to him you really have something special, as they tend to bring out the best in one another (I submit their `Moses' number as evidence). Also, they seem to genuinely enjoy working together; there appears to be an almost fun sense of spirited competition going on as they dance, and it's an invigorating experience (if this wasn't so, then they've pulled off a marvelous bit of acting). But no one can out-dance Gene Kelly. Period. And he may not be the world's greatest singer, but in this film his voice is in top form, as well.
Also a consummate performer, Donald O'Connor more than holds his own with Kelly on the dance floor (and he's at the top of a very short list of those who can), and the sense of humor and personality he brings to the film are invaluable. His energetic `Make 'Em Laugh' number does just that; and while it's funny, it also showcases O'Connor's versatility and gives him a chance to display some amazing moves (how many people-- even professional dancers-- can dance up the side of a wall and into a back flip?). And he makes it look so easy. As Cosmo, he's the quintessential second banana and jack-of-all-trades. He dances, sings, plays piano, cracks jokes, pops up for tech work in the sound booth, and on top of everything else he's an idea man and a general facilitator of anything and everything that needs facilitating. If Danny Kaye had a brother it would be O'Connor; and-- like Kelly-- he's just a pleasure to watch.
Debbie Reynolds was twenty-years-old when she made this film, and she's a perfect fit with Kelly and O'Connor. Beautiful and talented-- and mature beyond her years-- she has a kind of sparkle all her own and a terrific screen presence. She can sing and she can dance, she looks good no matter what she's doing, and there's a wholesome, girl-next-door quality about her that makes her endearing. It also makes Kathy a very real and believable character, and Reynolds plays her perfectly.
As Lina Lamont, the girl with a voice that could make cats cry, Jean Hagen is an absolute riot. Reminiscent of a character Mia Farrow would create years later in `Radio Days,' Sally White-- though perhaps a bit more dense-- Lina takes the `vain' out of `vanity,' and Hagen brings her to life with a vivid, memorable performance. And it's just another of the many elements that make this such a great film.
The supporting cast includes Millard Mitchell (Simpson), Rita Moreno (Zelda), Douglas Fowley (Roscoe) and Kathleen Freeman (Phoebe). If pure entertainment is what you're after, you need look no further than `Singin' In the Rain,' which successfully dispels any doubts that there is, indeed, magic in the movies. Because this movie is magic, a sheer delight from beginning to end no matter how many times you see it. There's been a number of great musicals made over the years, but of them all, with Kelly and O'Connor at the top of their form, this one just may be the definitive offering. 10/10.