Singin' in the Rain
in one of Lin-Manuel Miranda's excellent Twitter posts from over the past week he shared a video clip of his youngest son staring mesmerized at the Moses Supposes scene from Singin' in the Rain. Times like these are perfect for sharing movies like the 1952 musical that defined musicals. In what was kind of a reverse approach to the situation, we sat down with my parents on Saturday night and showed them the movie for the first time too.
Singin' in the Rain was not part of my childhood movie routine, which in retrospect is surprising given our love of all musicals but now makes sense after it was revealed over the weekend that my parents had never seen the film in its entirety. I watched it for the first time about four years ago when I was sick in bed, after my boyfriend expressed utter disbelief that I'd never seen it before. It's his favorite movie, so I put it on in my sad state and felt happier afterward. Over the last few years, we've watched it together, when we were looking for something familiar and joyful. And it was the perfect fit for Saturday, which is probably why I've seen several Twitter posts over the last few weeks with others who are taking the opportunity to share this classic with family members or rewatch it themselves.
The movie premiered on March 27, 1952 at Radio City Music Hall (look at that accidental timing!) and on its release reviews were already highlighting some of my favorite aspects of the film -- the brilliant choreography, the light-hearted story, the beautiful colors. Singin' in the Rain tells the story of Don Lockwood (Gene Kelly), a Hollywood star from humble beginnings, and his lifelong best friend Cosmo Brown (Donald O'Connor), a musician providing contstant comic relief, as the movie studio they work at makes the transition from silent pictures to "talkies." Along the way they meet aspiring actress Kathy Selden (Debbie Reynolds), who clashes with Don's leading lady (and pretend love interest for the tabloids) Lina Lamont (Jean Hagen), who has a voice only suited for silent pictures. Guys, Gene Kelly starred in this movie (he basically appears in every scene); co-directed the movie; and choreographed the movie. He also looks like he's having the most fun in every scene. The musical numbers are my favorite part, from the toe-tapping Fit as a Fiddle (And Ready for Love), physical comedy-filled Make 'Em Laugh, the show stopping tongue twister Moses Supposes, the charming Good Morning and of course the famous title song. Tap dancing makes everything better! Watch it and smile! If you're looking for some supplemental reading, I've got you covered too.
Singin' in the RainDeep Dive:
'Singin' in the Rain': 60 Years Later, an Example of Film Nostalgia Done Right
‘Singin’ in the Rain’ 60th Anniversary: 25 Things You Didn’t Know About Hollywood’s Greatest Musical
Top 10 Movie Dance Scenes: A Wet, Soft Shoe in Singin’ in the Rain (although some tidbits in here are disputed in the other articles...)
There Could Be No ‘Artist,’ No ‘La La Land’ Without Debbie Reynolds
