Genial, Strongly-Made Satire With Music About the Early Days of Talkies

Rating: 7/10 (14 November 2005)

"Singin' In the Rain" I find to be a relaxed musical, one whose subject is the traumatic changeover that was faced by Hollywood producers, actors and directors when sound was introduced into film circa 1928. Many fans and critics believe the musical is one of the best ever; I disagree. But it is quite unusual in several respects, I suggest: first because its background is so realistic as a milieu from which to draw appealing characters and opportunities to introduce songs; and second because the film is played on the edge of parody without ever really falling into that error. The three characters at the center of the film are a love triangle. Don Lockwood, played amiably by Gene Kelly, is the on-screen partner of Lina Lamont (Oscar-worthy Jean Hagen); she has mistaken his sincere performance for real interest; he is in love with Kathy Selden, played by too-young but plucky nineteen-year-old Debbie Reynolds, about whom Lina knows nothing. The professional duo are completing one more romantic adventure film as a silent when suddenly sound is introduced into movies. The studio executives panic; and Don and his partner, played by Donald O'Connor, convince the director, craggy-faced and very realistic Douglas Fowley, to get the studio to let them remake the film as a musical--completing the unfinished portion, etc. The problem turns out not to be Don's transition to talkies but Lina's; she has the voice of a screech owl. Coaching becomes necessary; sensational dance numbers are introduced, including Kelly's solo "Singin' in the Rain", motivated by his falling in love with Kathy; Donald O'Connor's "Make 'Em Laugh" acrobatic classic; and the unnecessary but very-well-done "Gotta Dance" showcase ballet with Cyd Charisse as a gangster's moll, and Kelly as a Broadway hopeful. Then, the film is completed and debuted; of course Lina has found out about Kathy. And of course this intelligent satire works out well for all concerned, after some trials and tribulations. Great fun is gotten I suggest from the actors having to learn to "talk into the flowers", where early microphones had to be hidden, etc. Harold Rosson provided the cinematography, with art direction by Randall Duell and Cedric Gibbons. Nacio Herb Brown's songs were intelligently recycled for the film. Arthur Freed, MGM's master musical specialist, had the use of the talents of Betty Comden and Adolph Green for the screenplay and one song, "Moses Supposes"; he also had then-28- year-old nice guy Stanley Donen as director, soon to add "On The Town" and "Seven Brides For Seven Brothers" to this triumph. Walter Plunkett did the period costumes, with complex set decorations being done by Jacques Mapes and Edwin B. Willis. The studio's boss was played by Millard Mitchell, with Rita Moreno and a dozen familiar faces in smaller parts and uncredited appearances such as Joi Lansing, Paul Maxey, Sylvia Lewis, Kathleen freeman, King Donovan, Dawn Addams, Elaine Edwards, Mae Clarke and Snub Pollard. The film was influential, I assert, my criterion for including it among these reviews, because, immediately afterward, other 1920s and period projects were inspired by its success; these included, "Has Anybody Seen My Gal", the TV show "So This is Hollytwood", and ultimately "The Great Race", "The Rise and Fall of Legs Diamond Story" and a hundred others, including a few musicals. I consider it to be genial, a clever period evocation, lightweight, exuberant, youthful, and a very seminal work with a strong central character and unusually-interesting reality background.