Singin' in the Rain (1952)

A silent film production company and cast make a difficult transition to sound.

Directors:

Stanley Donen, Gene Kelly

Writers:

Adolph Green (story), Betty Comden (story),

Stars:

Gene Kelly, Donald O'Connor, Debbie Reynolds

Top 250 #87 | Nominated for 2 Oscars. Another 4 wins & 7 nominations.

Cast

Complete credited cast:
Gene Kelly	...	Don Lockwood
Donald O'Connor	...	Cosmo Brown
Debbie Reynolds	...	Kathy Selden
Jean Hagen	...	Lina Lamont
Millard Mitchell	...	R.F. Simpson
Cyd Charisse	...	Dancer
Douglas Fowley	...	Roscoe Dexter
Rita Moreno	...	Zelda Zanders

Storyline

In 1927, Don Lockwood and Lina Lamont are a famous on-screen romantic pair. Lina, however, mistakes the on-screen romance for real love. Don has worked hard to get where he is today, with his former partner Cosmo. When Don and Lina's latest film is transformed into a musical, Don has the perfect voice for the songs. But Lina - well, even with the best efforts of a diction coach, they still decide to dub over her voice. Kathy Selden is brought in, an aspiring actress, and while she is working on the movie, Don falls in love with her. Will Kathy continue to "aspire", or will she get the break she deserves ?

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Plot Keywords:

Love | Actress | Friend | Singing | Secret | 

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Taglines:

What a Glorious Feeling !

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Genres:

Comedy | Musical | Romance

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Certificate:

Approved

Details

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Release Date:

11 April 1952 (USA)

Also Known As:

Cantando bajo la lluvia

Filming Locations:

Grauman's Chinese Theater - 6925 Hollywood Blvd., Hollywood, Los Angeles, California, USA

Box Office

Budget:

$2,540,800 (estimated)

Company Credits

Production Co:

Loew's, Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer (MGM), RKO-Pathe Studios Inc.

Technical Specs

Runtime:

103 min

Sound Mix:

Mono (Western Electric Sound System)

Color:

Color (Technicolor) Black and White

Aspect Ratio:

1.37 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

The Broadway ballet sequence was to feature Kelly and O'Connor but the latter had to leave because of a TV commitment. Cyd Charisse was tabbed to replace him. she was made up to look like Louise Brooks and had to diet off the extra pounds she had just gained during her recent pregnancy. Charisse had to adjust her dancing style to mesh with Kelly's, which was very different.

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Goofs

As the curtain opens on the preview showing of "The Dueling Cavalier", the title card shown on the screen spells it "Duelling". However, since both spellings are in fact correct (from a grammar perspective), it is entirely possible that one was used during production, and the other adopted only at the preview.

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Quotes

[first lines]
Dora Bailey: [broadcasting on radio] This is Dora Bailey, ladies and gentlemen, talking to you from the front of the Chinese Theater in Hollywood. What a night, ladies and gentlemen, what a night! Every star in Hollywood's heaven is here to make Monumental Pictures' premiere of "The Royal Rascal" the outstanding event of 1927! Everyone is breathlessly awaiting the arrival of Lina Lamont and Don Lockwood!

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Connections

Referenced in Un bonheur n'arrive jamais seul (2012)
Poster in Sacha's apartment

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Soundtracks

"All I Do Is Dream of You"
(1934) (uncredited)
Music by Nacio Herb Brown
Lyrics by Arthur Freed
Originally from Sadie McKee
Sung and Danced by Debbie Reynolds and Chorus

User Reviews

The dancingest, funniest musical of Hollywood's golden age.

Gene Kelly and Stanley Donen have produced the best musical written directly for the screen. They have used the period in film history during the transition to sound movies and embroidered it with the wonderful songbook of Arthur Freed and Nacio Herb Brown. The icing on the cake, of course is the choreography of Kelly and Donen. From the first moment, the movie takes flight as Kelly relates the tale of his rise as a silent film star with his sidekick, the incomparable Donald O'Connor. Watch the flying feet of O'Connor and Kelly in the "Fit as a Fiddle" number. It doesn't get much better than this. Everyone is familiar with the classic "Singin' in the Rain" sequence. Donald O'Connor's hysterical "Make 'em Laugh" number is probably the funniest musical three minutes on film. Even the Broadway Ballet is a kaleidoscope of color and movement, with a minimum of the highbrow balletic choreography found in the later "An American in Paris."

What makes "Singin'" such an entertaining classic is its superb integration of comedy and music. Jean Hagen gives the performance of her life as the vocally challenged silent film star, Lena Lamont. Every scene she's in is a comic gem. Her "fingernails on a blackboard" voice and massacre of the English language make her a figure of ridicule. However, in the end when she finally gets her comeuppance, one can't help feeling a little sorry for her.

This delightful film has been given its due on video. On VHS it can be purchased with the complete remastered soundtrack on CD. The laserdisc versions include one with commentary by film historian Ronald Haver (Criterion) and the film-only version from MGM/UA Home Video with a restored Dolby Digital stereo soundtrack., Last,but not least,is a masterful rendering on DVD with, unfortunately, no supplementary material to speak of.

This is truly a film for all time that can be watched just for its entertainment value and studied as probably the apex of the Hollywood musical in its Golden Age.