Unforgettable Masterpiece

Rating: 10/10 (22 January 2020)

When asked to name movie musicals, the average person might list Into the Woods (2014), La La Land (2016), or The Greatest Showman (2017). A real theater kid knows that the greatest movie musicals were made before our time. The greats include My Fair Lady (1964), The Sound of Music (1965), and, of course, Singin' in the Rain (1952). Despite being nearly 70 years old, MGM's Singin' in the Rain still proves itself as one of the greatest musical movies. The light-hearted and fun musical dazzles audiences new and old with every viewing.
Singin' in the Rain shows a studio switching over from the silent film era to "talkies". Don Lockwood (Gene Kelly) works with his friend Cosmo Brown (Donald O'Connor) and "love interest" Lina Lamont (Jean Hagen). When they try to make the change to talkies, they discover that Lamont's voice, sounding more like nails on a chalkboard than a voice, is unsuitable for film. After a hilarious run in with chorus girl and inspiring actress Kathy Seldon (Debbie Reynolds) Don falls deeply in love and works with Cosmo and Kathy to get her into the talkies and to replace Lina. Hilarity ensues as Kathy dubs for Lina in the film and the secret is uncovered. The film is filled with unforgettable songs and jaw dropping dance numbers done by the stellar cast. The title number, singin' in the rain, in which Gene Kelly sings dances around a street while drenched in rain, is the most famous part of the film, but the other overshadowed numbers are nothing short of masterpieces. "Make em' Laugh", sung by Donald O'Connor, is a joyful and lively number about how everyone loves a comedic performance where O'Connor does a number of ridiculously hilarious tricks and flips. It never fails to impress me as i can only imagine the toll running that scene must've done on O'Connor's body as he never seems to stop moving. Another overshadowed song is "Good Morning" sung by the lead trio, Kelly, Reynolds, and O'Connor. They sing together in a heartwarming pick-me-up song filled with dancing and laughing. Balancing out the breath-taking numbers is some forgettable scenes. The whole broadway melody scene is so unnecessary and drawn out. I find myself fast-forwarding past it every time I watch this movie. While a beautiful dance, its adds nothing to the film and takes away from the plot already built up. They smacked it right in the middle of the movie with no explanation and it ends up being a 15 minute useless interlude to an otherwise incredible story. Besides this fault I can't help but forgive the film because the rest of it is so fun to watch. Gene Kelly and Debbie Reynolds beautifully play a wonderful couple and both put so much passion into their performances that you can truly feel the love oozing from the screen. The talent and commitment of the entire cast is incredible and something that is rare in movies now and can only be seen on the stages of broadway.
Singin' in the Rain will forever be a film that I will never tire of no matter how many times I see it. The combination of fantastic acting, singing, choreography, cinematography, and colorful costumes make this into a highly entertaining movie that can cheer anyone up. I don't use the word masterpiece lightly, but this film is truly a masterpiece and I hope the new generation doesnt let it pass them by.