Great..

Rating: Null/10 (8 November 2011)

This film was certainly not my first foray into the realm of musicals, but it is easy to see why this film garnered such critical acclaim upon its release. Everything aspect of this film is top notch. The fact that it is a musical that plays on the first sound films being released and the whole slew of trouble that ensued makes it even better. This brings me to my next point, humor. This film is genuinely funny, and not just as a student, but as a viewer as well. The writing is sharp and witty, albeit a bit sentimental for my taste. From the films opening scene on the red carpet, as a viewer there is no mistaking that this movie is going to be great. Gene Kelly's acting, singing, and of course dancing, is superb to say the least, and is made even better by the cast around him. The music in the film was a bit slow for my taste, but it is understandable considering this film is supposed to be set in the 1920's. I feel as though there is not much I can say that has not been said already by many others about what a high caliber film this is. Jean Hagen as the nasally and pompous Lina Lemont made me want to cringe every time she entered the scene. While I understand that it is a movie, nonetheless, I can't imagine that role did not stick with her for a while. What I mean to say is, I'm sure that people berated her on the street because of her performance. But I digress.. The overall feel, or mis-en-scene of the film is great, from the costumes to the set and production design, all the way down to the minor details like the microphones in the flower pot. It just goes to show that something as simple as sound in films, which assuredly we all take for granted every day, had at best, rocky beginnings to get to the point where it is today. Not to sound overly clichÃ©, but this film is a timeless classic that I would highly recommend to others.