One of my favorite movie musicals!

Rating: 10/10 (13 November 2012)

I was never a big fan of musicals as a kid. They often lagged forever and I never really listened to the lyrics. I got very bored, very fast. Then in my junior year of high school, my friends pushed me at the last minute to audition for my school's production of Cabaret and I ended up getting a small role. I started to fall in love with the genre and the following year, I landed the male lead (Professor Henry Higgins) in their production of a show that's considered to be one of the greatest musicals of all time, My Fair Lady. The experience changed me and really made me appreciate the process that goes into making one.
The first time I watched "Singin' in the Rain" was for an assignment. I could not believe what I had been missing. Everyone knows the famous title sequence where Gene Kelly, Donald O' Connor and Debbie Reynolds are walking towards the camera in yellow slickers and holding umbrellas as well as singing the title song. This may seem cheesy for many and may be a huge turn off if all you know about the film is this and Gene Kelly's infamous "Singin' in the Rain" number. It's so iconic that I practically walked into the scene when I went on The Great Movie Ride in Disneyworld. This is the musical that works for people who aren't even a big fans of musicals.
What is it that makes this film so great? The level of talent that the three leads possessed back then is more than the biggest stars in Hollywood today. Gene Kelly plays the likable and charming Don Lockwood in a role that was basically made for him. He effortlessly makes song and dance look like anyone can do it, but Kelly has been dancing since childhood. He is not a show off however; the first thing I wanted to do (and I'm sure everyone wants to do but never actually does) after seeing the film is sign up for tap dancing lessons. He and Donald O' Connor make dancing look like it's the greatest job in the world, such as in their "Moses Supposes" number. O' Connor provides a lot of comic relief and is a likable personality all his own. Many people underestimate his big "Make Em' Laugh" song which is one of the better numbers in the film.
This brings me to my next point: there are no bad numbers in Singin' in the Rain. I'll repeat that: there are no bad numbers in Singin' in the Rain. Each number with it's fusion of song, dance and innovative creativity is never boring to watch. The same rules apply for the scenes, Kelly and co-director Stanley Donen have created several little witty moments and gags which are associated with the genre of musicals. The big rule with musicals is that you have to accept how unrealistic they are and Singin' in the Rain is no exception but even so, most audiences will embrace this. For example, the unscripted facial expressions of Cosmo Brown. Big kudos also go to actress Jean Hagen who plays the villainess Lina Lamont. Although an unlikable character, Hagen succeeds at making her very humorous.
There's a reason this film is considered to be one of the greatest of all time, but to understand the magic of why it is you'll have to see it for yourself.