Hollywood Melody

Rating: 10/10 (21 December 2005)

A man and a woman stand at the top of a stoop in the pouring rain. After they kiss and embrace, the man walks down the stairs and waves off his driver. The stage is now set for one of the most legendary sequences in cinema history.
MGM's Singin' in the Rain (1952) has dazzled audiences for over 50 years. It's a movie about singing, dancing, and movie making. Gene Kelly (An American in Paris) stars as Don Lockwood, a silent film star who along with everyone else in the movie making industry is trying to make the transition from silent's to talkies in the 1920's. He is part of the duo Lockwood & Lamont, the other half being Lina Lamont (Jean Hagen). The unseen member of the threesome is Don's right-hand man and best friend Cosmo Brown (Donald O' Connor, Francis).
One night after a successful premier of the latest Lockwood & Lamont feature, Don finds himself in trouble with hardcore fans and jumps into a passing car. The driver, Kathy Selden (Debbie Reynolds, The Unsinkable Molly Brown), is startled to find out that it is Don Lockwood, and continues to hurl a barrage of insults to his profession, "If you've seen one, you've seen the all,". Later that night at the after party, Don finds Kathy is one of the dancers who ends up getting herself into quite a mess with Lina.
When the movie The Jazz Singer, the first full length talkie, debuts it's a smash hit. All the studios must make the change to compete. This brings production to a halt and the need for a new screenplay. Their current work in progress The Dueling Cavalier is a travesty and needs to be revamped. The only problem is Lina can't sing, dance, or act "the triple threat". Now they must find a way to make a winning picture.
Directed by Kelly and Stanley Donen, Singin' in the Rain only received two Oscar nominations for Best Supporting Actress (Jean Hagen) and Best Score. This movie was ranked 10th all time on AFI's 100 Greatest Movie list. How could it only receive two nominations and no wins? Most likely it was due An American in Paris, released one year prior to Singin' in the Rain by MGM, winning a total of six Oscars and eight nominations.
Today's cinema has changed dramatically since Singin' in the Rain. Movies have incredible special effects, the cost has gone up considerably, and the values have changed. Kelly worked like a dog to make this movie all it could be and he did that and more. The movie is filled with color and sound using a well crafted style.
One of the most intense sequences in the film is the "Make em' Laugh" number performed by the incomparable O'Connor. He showcases his dancing abilities and acrobatic stunts. The scene involves Cosmo trying to cheer up Don. The only way he knows how is to make him laugh. The scene was so tiring that after filming O'Connor was in bed for three days straight. Reynolds also endured a lot on set trying to keep up with Kelly and O'Connor.
To truly become a masterpiece a film has to have survived through many years and Singin' in the Rain has done just that. It's truly a work of art that will be cherished for years to come.