Day 97: Singin' in the Rain

"Lina. She can't act, she can't sing, she can't dance. A triple threat!"

After already recommending two musicals in this site’s run, it’s easy to see I have a soft spot in my heart for films that perpetuate spontaneous singing and dancing. It’s kind of weird that this is a truth for me considering my love for minimalist films, but the style and grace that make up a musical are hard to resist. From the insane production values to the toe tapping songs, musicals will forever hit my film sweet tooth.  But, for as much as I adore musicals, there is one that captures my attention every time it’s on. The musical in question is undoubtedly one of Hollywood’s musical cornerstones: “Singin’ in the Rain”.  Most people usually go the route of “The Wizard of Oz”, and deservedly so, but the infectious energy found in “Singin‘…” always bowls me over.  The root of the energy stems from the plot, which comes as a surprise considering the film was green lighted simply because the producers wanted to put the title song to use in an MGM picture. With this in mind, one would expect a paper thin concept, but that's not what we get.

The whole concept itself is quite satirical of how films transitioned from silent pictures to ‘talkies’, while mixing in a few jabs about Hollywood power couples. It follows Don Lockwood (Gene Kelly), a Brad Pitt for the 20’s, who is looking to extend his career by making films with sound. Unfortunately, Lockwood has made a career out of teaming up with Lina Lamont (Jean Hagan), a blonde bombshell whom the press often cites as his muse, despite the ferocious hate he holds for her off screen. The transition these two attempt to make to talkie superstars hits a snag when hilarious vocal and technical issues threaten to derail their careers. As is the case with most musicals, the film also works up a love story between Lockwood and a girl, Kathy Selden (Debbie Reynolds), he meets serendipitously. Reynolds has been said to have had issues with Kelly, but you really couldn’t tell it from watching the film as their growing love is palpable.

But for as enjoyable as the plot is and the numerous laughs it generates, it isn’t the best part of the film. Instead, the film’s greatness derives from the off the wall song and dance numbers that radiate off the screen, and the sheer chemistry that works its way through the combination of Gene Kelly, Debbie Reynolds, Jean Hagan, and Donald O’Connor. That previous statement sounds like a miracle when considering Kelly’s history for being extremely demanding on set. Nonetheless, Kelly’s gumption and hard work shine through when his song and dance numbers pop with what seems like no effort. With Kelly being a co-director on the film, sometimes his indulgences get the best of him, but his desire to perfect the film’s numbers shouldn’t go unrecognized. Especially considering how great they look against the Technicolor ready backdrops. Whether it’s serenading his lady or dancing amidst a down pour, Kelly rounds out the film’s sound with his tapping feet and charming voice. Matching the sheer charisma and talent of Kelly is Donald O’Connor, whose character Cosmo Brown, Don Lockwood’s best friend,  represents the film’s true hidden gem.

With his beaming smile and vaudevillian skills in hand, O’Connor nearly steals every scene he’s in. If there was ever a number that exemplified O’Connor’s undeniable talent it’s his musical number “Make Em Laugh”, which asks O’Connor to flip off walls and dance his way through a Hollywood set with a stunt doll in tow. O’Connor’s talent is something you don’t see in Hollywood these days, which makes his performance in “Singin’” seem like it’s lost in time. On par with O’Connor’s presence is Jean Hagan, who is constantly grinding out new laughs from her character’s oblivious nature. Her role is somewhat selfless considering her character is the butt of most of the jokes, but Hagan admirably carries her character through the trenches. Rivaling Hagan’s Lamont is  Debbie Reynold’s Kathy Selden, who vies for Mr. Lockwood’s undivided attention. Reynold’s sheer beauty is only matched by her ability to light up the screen with her innocence. The film is truly blessed to have the aforementioned actors in its graces. They all can sing, dance, and most importantly, all of them use their comedic talents to elevate the potential the plot holds. Needless to say, it’s hard to walk away from this movie without smiling.