Singin'
in the Rain is one of the best movies ever made. The film is beautiful,
tuneful, and loads of fun. While it pokes fun at Hollywood it also does so with
great love. Little bits and pieces of Hollywood lore find their way into this
great film and it's a pleasure to view this movie.
The
star trio is just perfect: Gene Kelly give a funny performance as the hammy
silent actor; Donald O'Connor makes the most of his "second banana"
role; Debbie Reynolds is perfect as the ingénue trying to break into films. The
three stars perform many memorable numbers, including Kelly's "Singin' in
the Rain" classic; all three in the "Good Mornin'" number;
O'Connor's "Make 'Em Laugh"; and Kelly and Reynolds in "You Were
Meant for Me." The masterpiece however may be the "Gotta Dance" production
number with Kelly and Cyd Charisse—just perfect. Also great fun are O'Connor
and Kelly in "Fit as a Fiddle" and "Moses Supposes."
The
screenplay by Betty Comden and Adolph Green. Without their screenplay the movie
does not get made. It is a great script that was made better by Gene Kelly and
Stanley Donens' fluid direction. They
have used the period in film history during the transition to sound movies and
embroidered it with the wonderful songs. The icing on the cake, of course is the choreography
of Kelly and Donen.
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.
I
recommended this movie to all age groups, it pure entertainment and also shows
how acting isn’t as easy as we think. The actors have put a lot of effort into
this movie which is the main loveable highlight.
Verdict
4.5/5
Singin
in the Rain (1952)
Stars: Gene
Kelly, Donald O'Connor, Debbie Reynolds
Run
time: 1hr 43 mins
Directors: Stanley
Donen, Gene Kelly
Genre: Musical,
Comedy, Romance
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