"Gee I'm glad you turned up, we've been lookin' inside every cake in town."

Rating: 10/10 (15 November 2006)

Just a great piece of Golden Age Hollywood entertainment, and this coming from someone who doesn't generally take in a musical complete start to finish. The 'Singin' In The Rain' number I could watch over and over again, it strikes a wonderful balance of joy, freedom and artistic expression. Besides that, it's flawless, making me wonder if it could possibly have been done in one take. Curious though, if you watch closely, you won't see any 'rain' hitting Gene Kelly's face.
Though it's primarily Kelly's vehicle, I was sure impressed by the little bit of dance time Donald O'Connor got. That 'Make 'Em Laugh' number was funny and bold, and if I had to say, might have been the best part of the film. OK, for me it was, without taking anything away from Kelly, especially the numbers done with the exotic Cyd Charisse. Growing up in the Fifties and Sixties, one would see all of these greats appear on a variety show every now and then, but this movie puts into perspective just how great each performer actually was.
It seems to me the film got away with quite a bit in the sly innuendo department, some cleverly low key and some right out there. The Kelly/Charisse flapper number gets downright steamy at times even while it looks as innocent as all get out. For a head spinning double take, you don't get much more brazen than Lina Lamont (Jean Hagen) - "Well I can't make love to a bush."
"Singin' In The Rain" is one of those films that will continue to wear well and entertain audiences for a long time to come. It captures the grandeur of that Hollywood Golden Age without getting overly theatrical and choreographed, and with a great blend of romance and comedy mixed into the story. It's the kind of film they don't make anymore, and in a way, that's just a bit too bad.