Classic Movie Review: Singin' in the Rain
By Clint Chirpich
September 8, 2016
The musical numbers are, by far, the main draw of Singin' in the Rain and they do not disappoint. By my count, there are a dozen of them in the film and they range from amusing and lighthearted - "Fit as a Fiddle," "Good Morning," and the aforementioned "Make 'Em Laugh" - to love ballads - "All I Do Is Dream of You," "You Were Meant for Me," and "You Are My Lucky Star" - but the main attraction, the showstopper in my eyes, is definitely the title song. The song, "Singin' in the Rain," and accompanying dance number is probably even more famous than the film itself, and it's a wonderful achievement in choreography and performance. Don is in love and doesn't care who knows it as he dances down a wet city sidewalk and into the deep puddles of the gutter, singing and twirling his umbrella. Kelly choreographed all the dance numbers in the film, but he deserves special attention for the fantastic work he put in during this nearly five minute sequence. It's an even greater achievement when you know Kelly was very ill - 103 degree fever and potential pneumonia - during the two days it took to film the number. It's just another instance of Kelly being a perfectionist. Hey, at least he wasn't just pushing other people hard - he did the same to himself!
One of my favorite aspects of the film - other than the marvelous song and dance numbers - is the plot itself, most notably the Hollywood angle. I tend to really enjoy movies about movies and Singin' in the Rain is no different. I love the behind the scenes look at film-making, even if it's exaggerated for comedic effect like it is here. When the frustrated director, Roscoe Dexter (Douglas Fowley), is trying to adapt to recording sound AND picture at once, it's a joy to watch. His interactions with the woefully unsuited for sound Lina are hilarious. He's got this big star, but doesn't know what to do with her. The studio head, RF Simpson (Millard Mitchell), is also quite entertaining. He's probably a lot more affable than most real life studio heads and lends a bit of good-natured charm to the proceedings. In addition to the characters, I liked seeing the sets and how things worked during the time period. In this year's Hail, Caesar! from the Coen brothers, I was able to see similar aspects and I loved them there, too. That film is almost a love letter to the time period when Singin' in the Rain was made and the two films would make for a terrific double feature some night.
Another great facet of the film is how visually stunning everything is. From a cinematography, production design, and costuming standpoint, Singin' in the Rain is one of the best I've seen. Depending on the scene in question, you might be wowed by the bright colors, impressive shadows, or even how fantastic the rain looks as it falls to the ground. During one scene, Don sets up an impressive display to express his love to Kathy. He brings her onto a sound stage, adjusts the lights, the backdrop, and even adds in wind effects. The end result is beautiful. In another, for a Broadway sequence in the film they're making, bright neon and costume changes are used effectively, as is the gorgeous Cyd Charisse. Throughout the entirety of Singin' in the Rain, I was in awe of the visuals.
Even though I really enjoyed a lot about the "Broadway" sequence - including the visuals, music, and Kelly and Charisse's dance routine - it didn't seem to fit into the film all that well. It takes up a good chunk of time and kind of slowed the pace down a bit too much for my liking. Since it's a part of the movie within the movie, this sequence doesn't add anything to the plot or help to develop any of the characters. It's very well done, but I wonder how the film would feel if it were excised completely? Or if it had been shortened to a few minutes rather than ten? Maybe the next time I watch the film, I'll try to fast forward through it, but then I'd miss some great stuff, too.
Singin' in the Rain is nearly flawless from a technical level. In addition to the cinematography and direction, the editing is a strong suit. The "Broadway" sequence contains the only bad edit of the film, but it's not really due to any fault of the filmmakers. During a moment when Kelly and Charisse are dancing very closely together, there's an abrupt jump cut. It's a jarring moment made even more noticeable by the fact everything else is so smoothly handled. The cut was demanded by the censor board - reportedly because Charisse wrapped her leg around Kelly's waist - because the move was too suggestive. Apparently, the censorship committee thought movie audiences were too innocent to see a fairly standard dance move used by many ballet dancers at the time. It's strange to think about stuff like that now when pretty much anything can be shown.
Some films are well received initially and then mostly forgotten as time goes on. Some are mostly ignored or unfairly slighted during their release, but then get reevaluated later. Singin' in the Rain fits somewhere in between. It was a big success commercially - the fifth highest grossing film in North America in 1952 - but not critically. Like I mentioned earlier, it didn't win many awards - but it's held in much higher esteem now. The American Film Institute ranked it the #1 Greatest Movie Musical, #5 Greatest Film (regardless of genre), and has placed it on several other lists such as 100 Laughs, 100 Passions, and 100 Songs. In 1989, Singin' in the Rain was among the first 25 films selected by the Library of Congress to join the National Film Registry.
Singin' in the Rain is definitely worthy of its "classic" status and I'm excited to see it again. As I'm writing this, I'm considering ordering the 60th Anniversary Blu-ray set - it even comes with an umbrella! - so I can devour all the special features. It seems like the kind of movie that would never get old or lose its charm.
I can imagine people watching and loving it in another 60 years, it's just that good.
Continued:
1
2
3
|
|
|
|
Print this column
