(Singin' In the Rain, Stanley Donen and Gene Kelly, 1952)I've had a deep, passionate love for musicals for as long as I can remember. Watching a musical is one of my favorite forms of escapism because not only do they generally end happily, the insertion of singing into a film adds an entirely new layer of fantasy. In my opinion, there are not enough musicals on this list (one egregious omission is The Sound of Music, which is really the musical to end all musicals), but I am glad that Singin' In the Rain made the cut because not only is it a musical, but it's also a movie about making movies, and I've always found that to be sort of wonderful. I will now try to not use the word "musical" for the rest of my post.
I don't exactly remember the first time that I watched Singin' in the Rain, but I believe it was when I was in music class in elementary school (probably around fourth grade). I remember that no one really payed attention because we were young and uninterested and lacking the required focus pr knowledge of movies to appreciate some of the jokes (e.g. the scene in which the picture and the sound are not in sync). I do, however, recall being amazed by Donald O'Connor singing "Make 'em Laugh," and being completely awed by his physical comedy (even though I was somewhat unaware of just how skilled he was in that field). As I've gotten older, my understanding of what this movie is really about has grown along with my appreciation for it. While Donald O'Connor doing backflips off of a vertical wall is still impressive, I also find meaning in the film's exposition about the evolution of the motion picture.
I don't feel like I need to write a whole lot in order to convey this message: Singin' in the Rain is one of those movies that EVERYONE should see. It tells a classic Hollywood love story while also shedding light on the industry that created it. It's deep and intelligent, but it's still fun and light and entertaining. And to me, that makes it classic.
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New York Times film critic (and thus one of my favorite people) A.O. Scott said, "The thing about Singin' in the Rain that makes it so special is not that it's greater than the sum of its parts, but that it IS the sum of its parts." And, really, I think I have to agree.
Singin' in the Rain is one of those movies where you can just read the cast list and a one-sentence explanation of the premise and know it's going to be a hit. For your money, there is no better dancer/comedian/star than Gene Kelly, with the only possible exception of Donald O'Connor, his co-star. O'Connor is funnier than Kelly, but the two play off each other in a way that makes them seem as if they've been buddies for life.
And we can't forget our female stars. Debbie Reynolds is smolderingly sexy while retaining an air of innocence that never goes away. That, and her singing voice is off the charts. She spends the bulk of her screen time with at least two Hollywood heavies (Kelly and O'Connor) and more than holds her own. Jean Hagen as Lina Lamont operates perfectly in the film's world of stars, providing instant comic relief any time she chooses to open her mouth.
On top of that, add one of the most powerful studios of its day (MGM) as well as team well-versed in song-writing and dance choreography (the same team created Meet Me in St. Louis, Annie Get Your Gun and An American in Paris), and there's basically no way for Singin' in the Rain to fail. And for an audience in 1952 it was a smash hit.
But here's the thing: a modern audience can enjoy it just as much. Sure, some references are dated, as is some of the slang. It's a movie made in the '50s about the '20s for crying out loud. But musical scenes like "Make 'Em Laugh" and the titular number are so joyous and full of life that it's impossible not to smile. They don't make 'em like this anymore, and that's a darn shame.
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