Actors - Singin' in the Rain

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	Actors - Singin' in the Rain

Singin' in the Rain is a 1952 musical film starring Gene Kelly and directed by Kelly and Stanley Donen. It offers a comic depiction of Hollywood's transition from silent films to "talkies". The movie is frequently described as one of the best musicals ever made.

The film was co-directed by Kelly and Donen, with Kelly also taking responsibility for the choreography. Shooting began on June 18, 1951 and was completed on November 21.

Plot

Gene Kelly plays Don Lockwood, a silent film star with humble roots. Don barely tolerates his hilariously vapid leading lady, Lina Lamont (Jean Hagen), who is convinced their screen romance is real. After the first talking picture, The Jazz Singer
, proves to be a smash hit, Don's studio decides to convert the current Lockwood/Lamont vehicle, The Dueling Cavalier, into a talkie. The production is beset with difficulties (most if not all taken from real life), not least of which is Lina's comical voice.

After a disastrous test screening, Don's best friend, Cosmo Brown (Donald O'Connor), comes up with the idea to overdub Lina's voice and they convince studio head R.F. Simpson (Millard Mitchell) to turn The Dueling Cavalier into The Dancing Cavalier, a musical comedy. Meanwhile, Don falls in love with the overdub artist Kathy Selden (Debbie Reynolds). Furious, Lina does everything possible to sabotage the romance. She also demands that Kathy continue to provide her voice in all future films. An irate, but desperate R.F. is forced to agree; Kathy has no choice because she is under contract.

The premiere is a tremendous success. When the audience clamors for Lina to sing live, Don and Cosmo improvise and get Lina to lip-synch while Kathy sings into a second microphone from behind the curtain. Unbeknowst to Lina, as she starts "singing", Don, Cosmo and R.F. gleefully raise the curtain, revealing the deception. Exit one star and enter a new one.

The film features a famous rendition of the 1929 song "Singin' in the Rain" by Arthur Freed (who also produced) & Nacio Herb Brown, along with other Freed and Brown tunes from the late 1920s and the 1930s. The song "Make 'Em Laugh" is practically identical to Cole Porter's "Be a Clown", although it is said Porter gave his tacit permission. Comden and Green wrote the music and lyrics to "Moses."

Themes

The movie includes a number of timeless themes: in particular the concept of certain arts being inferior to others, or the immortal "if you seen one of them, you've seen them all" (what Rossini said about his operas).

Soundtrack

The soundtrack is largely composed of recycled songs from other MGM musicals from the 1929-1940 period. Main composers include Arthur Freed & Nacio Herb Brown.

Songs

"Fit As A Fiddle (And Ready For Love)"
"Temptation" - instrumental version only, from Going Hollywood (1933)
"All I Do Is Dream Of You" from Sadie McKee
(1934)
"Make 'Em Laugh" - considered an original song, but a near-plagiarism of "Be a Clown"
"Beautiful Girl Montage" comprised of "I Got A Feelin' You're Foolin'" from Broadway Melody Of 1936 (1935), "The Wedding Of The Painted Doll" from The Broadway Melody (1929) and "Should I?" from Lord Byron Of Broadway (1930)
"Beautiful Girl" from Stage Mother (1933)
"You Were Meant For Me" from The Broadway Melody (1929)
"You Are My Lucky Star" from Broadway Melody Of 1936 (1935)
"Moses"
"Good Morning" from Babes In Arms (1939)
"Singin' In The Rain" from Hollywood Revue Of 1929 (1929)
"Would You?" from San Francisco
(1936)
"Broadway Melody Ballet" comprised of "The Broadway Melody" from The Broadway Melody
(1929) and "Broadway Rhythm" from Broadway Melody Of 1936 (1935)

[ Visit the complete Wikipedia entry for Singin' in the Rain (film) ]

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