This is an enjoyable movie. I first saw it back in July of this year; I was looking for a reason to cheer myself up and several Dopers recommended Singin’ in the Rain. I saw it, I loved it, it was better than CATS.
In August, I dropped by a friend’s apartment to see his roommate watching the same movie. He was well into his cups at that point in the evening, and was shouting “Make me laugh, motherfucker!” and “He’s running up the goddamn wall!” at Donald O’Connor during his make 'em laugh routine. Ah, Chuck; truly, a connoisseur for the ages.
The last few movies have been less-than-cheerful – The Graduate, On The Waterfront, Schindler’s List – good movies, all, but hardly films to make you smile and sing along with the actors. It’s somewhat a relief to see a frivolous movie, without a message, without a moral, and without being sickeningly sweet.
I rented this very movie as a pick-me-up for myself and my children; it’s one of their favorites.
One or two of the production numbers get a little long, in m y opinion (most certainly the “Gotta Dance!” one, which is supposedly part of what The Dueling Cavaliar becomes with the songs added) but this is really the only flaws in the movie. The dancing is incredible. The songs are fun and happy and, when appropriate, romantic. Comedy is rampant. Most of Lina Lamont’s lines are repeated around our house daily. “I KIN’T stannum!” “Whaddya think I am, STUPID or sumpin’?” “I make more money than Herbert AND Hoover … put together!!”
I listened with half an ear last night to interviews with the screenwriters, I think they were. I need to go back and pay closer attention – but what I THINK they were explaining was that they were told to write a movie called Singin’ in the Rain – and that there would be one song entitled Singin’ In the Rain. The rest was up to them – how to work in the song and come up with a plot that would somehow support it. They got the idea for the Lina character from the stereotype fishwife … what if she were beautiful and still SOUNDED like a fishwife? This edition also had a song by Debbie Reynolds which was cut from the final version. She is singing
I think she was singing Lucky Star. I found a nice rundown of the plot and songs at filmsite.org and I’m eager read through it all.
Well foo I forgot everything else I was going to say. It is one of my favorite movies and I’m thrilled my children like it too. Doing my part to increase the show-tuning beltin’ public, I am.
I think she was singing Lucky Star. I found a nice rundown of the plot and songs at filmsite.org and I’m eager read through it all.
Well foo I forgot everything else I was going to say. It is one of my favorite movies and I’m thrilled my children like it too. Doing my part to increase the show-tune beltin’ public, I am.
Yes, it was “Lucky Star,” and the scene was supposed to go right after Kelly dances for her while she stands on the ladder. It’s actually a good performance, and probably shouldn’t have been cut, since it ties in when Kelly sings it to her at the end. (It’s on the anniversary video.)
This is probably my favorite movie of all time. Great songs, great dancing, great script.
Of course, this is Calvin Coolidge (Hoover wasn’t elected until 1928)
Wonderful movie, although everyone thinks Gene Kelly and very few credit Stanley Donen, who was a great choreographer and knew how to move a camera to maximize performances without being intrusive or self-conscious. I prefer this film much more than American in Paris which won the Best Picture Oscar the year before, which might account for the almost complete snubbing of SitR by the Academy (although Jean Hagen did get a supporting actress nod)
Although it gets lots of technical details “wrong” about the conversion to sound, who cares? The film has a grand time lampooning the movie industry and inserting a ton of MGM standards that were introduced in films of the late 20s and early 30s–except for the “original” Make 'Em Laugh which is virtually plagarized from Cole Porter’s Be a Clown from The Pirate (with another great Kelly performance)
My favorite moments include Don & Kathy in the car together for the first time; “Fit as a Fiddle”; Cyd Charisse’s long, long legs in the “Broadway Melody” piece; Don’s memories as a stunt man; the first screening of The Royal Rascal; and the title tune, natch. I remember when Gene Kelly died, ABC didn’t have an obit or career retrospective–they just showed the title number in its entirety. <sigh>
Given that today has gradually turned into the kind of day at work where you wish that not only had you stayed in bed, but that you had turned in your resignation the day before, I think it’s very appropriate that I get to watch this tonight.
But don’t mind me. I dislike almost all those latter-day Technicolor extravaganzas. I just can’t get into the overwhelming niceness and innocence (too totally foreign concepts to me) and I think just about anything looks better in black and white.
HOWEVER…
That title song? With Gene Kelly dancing down the street in the rain? Singing about the simple unbeatable pleasure of life, all beaming smiles and quiet elation? That is great, great stuff. One of the best scenes in movie history. And it renders me speechless and completely still every time I see it.
I love this movie! I hadn’t seen it in ages until we had to study it last semester in one of my classes. I don’t like the whole Gotta Dance sequence … I always fast forward through that bit.
My favourite scene is the one where they try to get Lina to speak inside the microphone and the scene where they screen the film. And I agree with Myrnalene … the Singin’ in the Rain scene is pure magic, even if Gene Kelly did get pneumonia afterwards.
The first time I was watching this movie I liked it well enough. THEN comes the point when Gene Kelly sees Debbie Reynolds pop out of the cake, recognizes her as the girl who gave him the ride, and this slow smile spreads across his face. At that point I thought he was the best looking guy I had ever seen(I was twelve or so) And I learned that with the right kind of smile a guy can be attractive WITHOUT being conventionally handsome. Of course, a few years later I saw Lawrence of Arabia and fell in love with Peter O’Toole, and left Gene behind.
Marnie Nixon-singing
Jean Hagen-speaking
Gene got Debbies gum on himself. (She had put it on the ladder.)
Was it milk? Water doesn’t show up very well on camera.
Don’t know the song.
“All I Do Is Dream of You”, which Debbie & co. first sing at the party (and [trivia hijack] which Chico plays on the piano in A Night at the Opera[/trivia hijack])
And it was a water/milk solution (which caused Kelly’s suit to shrink after dancing in it for several days)
I just watched this the other day! It’s the ultimate feel-good movie, and a perennial fave around Casa Dave-Guy.
One of our traditions when watching most movies is to insert our own in-jokes at opportune times. One of our favorites occurred at the end of the film, when Kathy is running up the theater aisle and Don Lockwood shouts out, “Stop her! Stop that girl!” I impulsively shouted, “She’s got my wallet!” This cracked us all up, so now we’ve made it a point to try to pinpoint the moment when Kathy picks his pocket (We think it’s at the Hollywood party, just before the “All I Do” number). Throughout the film, as Don tries to track Kathy down, it’s because she stole his wallet. Makes the movie that much more interesting.
We also have changed the “Gotta Dance” number. We sing along, at the top of our voices, “Where’s my pants? Where’s my pants, whe-e-e-re’s my pants?” The mental image of Gene Kelly, wearing the black tie, tails, holding a walking stick and top hat, and then tapping along in big ol’ boxer shorts and garters holding up his socks is pretty funny.
I really like this movie. And every time I see it I vow I’m going to get some more movies with Jean Hagen. I saw Born Yesterday (I think that’s the right title) and thought she was terrific. Can anyone recommend other Hagen movies?
I hate to break this to you, but Jean Hagen was not in Born Yesterday–that was Judy Holliday. They both appear in Adam’s Rib so it’ll be easier to tell them apart. SitR was undoubtedly Hagen’s opportunity to shine, although The Big Knife is also quite good.
Bravo, guys! You got almost every question right. Except: No, it wasn’t Marni Nixon who dubbed the singing. I don’t remember exactly who it WAS, but it WASN’T Marni.
(HER name I’d remember). Yes, it WAS Jean Hagan dubbing the speaking – that was her natural voice.
As to the “Royal Rascal” footage – anyone got any guesses yet as to which movie it was from? (And, yes, it’s a real Gene Kelly movie.)
