Wow.

Rating: 9/10 (2 April 2012)

Being somewhat ambivalent about musicals and having a general tendency not to watch movies which debuted before I was born, I had no real knowledge of this movie other than its existence. I also was only peripherally familiar with Technicolor and wasn't aware it was really any different than any other color film technology. Now that I have seen both, it is easy to understand why this movie is so famous.
Yes, to those of us who are less able to appreciate the intricacies of some of the extended dance scenes, they can seem too long, but this is a small criticism which is easily washed away by the deluge of all the other excellent qualities the movie possesses. The acting is, of course, superb, but I think I was struck most by how humorous and clever the writing is. The music and singing are also exceptional. Every time someone says "Good morning!", I am reminded of Debbie Reynolds' particular way of singing the words. The vibrancy of the color saturation due to the Technicolor process lends the movie an almost dream-like quality that fits so well, I cannot imagine it any other way. The camera work is so fluid it sometimes seems the actors are dancing with, not just for the camera. The costumes and sets are great and done is such a way that the movie has aged well; it doesn't seem to be a movie made over 60 years ago.