Singin' in the Rain was never intended to be as popular as it is today; MGM merely wanted another musical to join the popular lineup of that time. In fact, hardly anything was original about Singin'- almost all of the songs were recycled from other, earlier MGM pictures. However, ask anyone today, and they'll tell you "Make 'em Laugh" and "Good Morning" were from Singin' in the Rain, and not The Pirate (1948) or Babes in Arms (1939). Why do you think the movie holds up so well as the greatest musical of all time, despite lacking any original numbers? And how did you like the way songs were used in the film?
Though the story is indeed fictional, the studio's problems with transferring from silent pictures to "talkies" actually existed. Adapting to this new form of entertainment is hilariously captured in Singin' in the Rain, and argues that (like the message in The Philadelphia Story) the fun people can sing and dance, and those who cannot must therefore be villains. Lina Lamont grows more reptilian with each viewing, and film professionals love to hate her. She causes problems just to keep her fame- much like Gloria Swanson in Sunset Boulevard and Margo Channing in All About Eve. She's consistently rated as the best character in the movie, with actress Jean Hagen nominated for an Oscar and also selected as a finalist for the AFI's greatest film villains of all time. Who was your favorite character? What about them stood out to you- were they relatable or naturalistic in any way? Consider them in conjunction to Bicycle Thieves' characters- how do they compare in terms of characterization and story arcs?
The musical remains a very blissful genre, an optimistic view of the world where everyone beats under the same drum and sings the same tune. Originally adapted for cinema as an escapist form of entertainment away from World Wars and the Great Depression, the musical quickly became one of the prominent genres of the 1930s-1950s. Each major studio had its own unique stars and directorial styles for musical productions, with some emphasizing dance, and others focusing on songs. As inspired as it was by the vaudeville theater, musical films differentiated themselves by incorporating the music into the narrative, with each song progressing the story further. What's your view on musicals? They're a love them or hate them type of genre, and everyone seems to have their own opinions about the musicals of yesterday and today.
Stanley Donen and Gene Kelly remain two of the most successful film musical duos in history. Gene Kelly was a highly respected dancer and choreographer when he met Donen in a chorus line on Broadway. He went to Hollywood in the early '40's with little success, but when he and Donen teamed up to make On the Town in 1949, his career was set. Both worked for MGM with commercial acclaim, and even made this truly impressive and flawless animation-and-dance spectacle in 1944. In 1952, they were selected to direct Singin' in the Rain- their greatest achievement. When their relationship fell apart in in the mid '50s, Kelly continued to make musicals on the stage, while Donen switched to comedies. Kelly is the more well-known of the pair, but without Donen, Singin' in the Rain could not have happened. Something to consider about Donen/Kelly is that they're the only co-directors on the syllabus. The "director" is usually a singular entity, with an individual vision; how do directorial pairs change that dynamic? Is there something about musicals that filmmakers prefer to team up then go at it alone?
Also, say hello to color! That's right, technicolor started to take off around the time of Singin' in the Rain's release. Some academics have even pointed out that the conflict between silence and sound in the movie is metaphorical for the conflict between black-and-white and color filmmaking.
The musical numbers are choreographed in a way movies today cannot replicate. Gene Kelly is a master at the top of his form here, and his "Singin' in the Rain" was shot in nearly one take, in the pouring rain... all while he had a fever of 103 degrees. Impressive in any time period (though rumors that this story has been highly exaggerated over the years have sprung up as of late). Also, consider this: Debbie Reynolds was not a dancer or an actress when she was cast in this movie. Kelly, known for his perfectionist nature, pushed Reynolds hard during the production. She would later go on to say, "Singin' in the Rain and childbirth were the two hardest things I ever had to do in my life."
The only point of tension with critics and historians remains the infamous "Broadway Melody" sequence. Lasting over ten minutes, the exaggerated dance scene does nothing for the story, and only exists to promote the film in trailers. Cyd Charisse, the woman with the cigarette, was a famous dancer who appeared to help sell the film in the marketing. Did you like this part, or were you annoyed by it?
Singin' in the Rain took the #1 spot in AFI's Greatest American Film Musicals, and landed at #5 for the greatest movies ever made. It's been alluded to in such hits as A Clockwork Orange and The Artist. An intriguing look at Hollywood, this film remains a highly popular masterpiece.
Singin' in the Rain took the #1 spot in AFI's Greatest American Film Musicals, and landed at #5 for the greatest movies ever made. It's been alluded to in such hits as A Clockwork Orange and The Artist. An intriguing look at Hollywood, this film remains a highly popular masterpiece.
"Singin' in the Rain" was a refreshing film after watching films like "Vertigo" and "Bicycle Thieves". I enjoyed the musical numbers, the choreography was delightful and the singing was amazing. Being a Bollywood fanatic, I love watching movie musicals so it was a wonderful experience for me. The Broadway medley was a phenomenal number, it fit the narrative of the movie but not the "movie" they were trying to film. And for a musical that no original numbers, I believe that it has done quite well.
ReplyDeleteIt is interesting to know that this was directed by a pair instead of one director. It seems as though that would complicate the film because if the pair disagreed there would be trouble on set. But as "Singin in the Rain" was a commercial hit, the pair was able to a phenomenal job with directing the film.
I thought this movie was pretty decent. Looking back now and knowing that the songs weren't original,l I think the movie did a pretty good job incorporating them into the film. I agree with the critics though when they said that the Broadway Melody sequence just messed up the movie. It was okay, but it didn't really add anything to the movie. I assume it was meant to show how the new movie would look after the change in plot and the addition of sound. But honestly it felt really disconnected and like the film makers were trying too hard. But overall, I did like the musical numbers and it didn't seem like they were a waste of time. They added to the movie rather than made it worse.
ReplyDeleteOf all the characters, my favorite was Cosmo. No one really appreciated him and he capitalized on this in the movie, drawing in people's sympathies. I think everyone can relate to his character, about the feeling of being overlooked. It was kind of sad really that he had gone through the same things Don had gone through, but he was just pushed to the side. So in that sense, he was relatable in spite of him dancing and singing perfectly.
I always enjoy watching Singin’ in the Rain. All of the musical numbers are very entertaining and give the movie an up-beat feel. My favorite character is Cosmo because he provides comic relief and is extremely talented. I love his dancing in the song “Moses” with Gene Kelly. I think that this film stands the test of time despite lacking original numbers because of how perfectly the songs fit the story line and circumstances. I love musicals because I feel that singing along to a film gives you a different kind of experience and connection with the film. I appreciated the happy ending of Singin' in the Rain far more after watching the neorealistic ending of Bicycle Thieves.
ReplyDeleteI really enjoyed Singin' in the Rain. Overall, I also enjoyed the musical numbers. They're extremely well choreographed and performed. "Make 'em Laugh" utilized Donald O'Connor's comedic abilities well, and "Singin' in the Rain" shows off Kelly's amazing dancing abilities. However, the Broadway Melody Sequence could have been much shorter. I objectively appreciated the skill involved in that scene, but it dragged on far too long for a number that didn't add anything to the plot.
ReplyDeleteI absolutely agree that musicals are a love/hate type of genre, and I usually represent the type that typically does not like them. However, Singin’ in the Rain is by far one of my favorite films we have watched in this class thus far. And perhaps that is why it is considered one of the greatest musicals of all time; that even those who dislike musicals find it easy to enjoy the film. I find that Singin’ in the Rain balanced out the musical piece with the character dialogue/script piece perfectly. For me, why I think it was such a successful musical is that the signing was only between three characters, and not the entire cast. The singing did not make up the majority of the film. So while the film was a musical, that was not the main focus of the film. It gives the “best of both worlds”, meaning it is able to appeal to musical lovers and haters.
ReplyDeleteI do feel that the Broadway Melody sequence did nothing for the film. In fact, it didn’t make any sense. Don mentioned it was a new number for the film “The Dueling Cavalier”, but it didn’t align with anything the film was supposed to be about. At one point, I paused halfway through the sequence thinking I missed something important because of the costumes used and the “broadway-ness” of the song. I thought, did I miss the part when “The Dueling Cavalier” suddenly become a broadway musical? Overall, I do not think it fit into the film and I found the use of the sequence to be very confusing (also far too long).
My favorite character in the film was Cosmo. His character seemed to embody the role of Don’s “sidekick.” What I loved about his character is that he knew he fell into the background (i.e. in the beginning when he stepped out of the car and no one cheered), but Cosmo hilariously accepted it. Every scene he was in was elevated by his character, or provided some level of comedic relief. Cosmo was smarter than the people he was working for, and he knew it. He was the easiest character to like, and was the most genuine.
I did not enjoy Singin in the Rain nearly as much as I enjoyed Vertigo, Bicycle Thieves or Double Indemnity. I really enjoy more realistic and dark themes, and I usually don't like to sit through musical numbers, but would rather like to hear the haunting orchestra that tells a story, such as in Vertigo. However, that being said, Singin in the rain was very visually beautiful and I am often fascinated by films that are set in the early 50s because the societal and cultural norms are so different. In this film, the cultural structures are what gives authenticity to scenes which seem so artificial, so I enjoyed the film in that sense.
ReplyDeleteSabrina Barotn
I loved Singin in the Rain. I think it upholds its reputation seeing that it brings unrealistic settings into very realistic emotions. I was honestly quite surprised because I didn't know that a musical this old could still leave such an imprint in todays age. I still hear people singing and talking about how amazing the film is. Honestly, for most musicals, I hate them. They are very time consuming and boring. But, this was different and the tap dancing was spectacular.
ReplyDeleteSingin' in the Rain is one of my favorite movies of all time. I love Gene Kelly and Donald O'Connor in this film. After watching some heavy films the last couple of weeks, this film brought a little bit of my spirit back. As a person who spent half his childhood in Los Angeles, it was amazing to hear "Sunset and Camden." I know exactly where that it is and have taken numerous runs down Camden. As a old Hollywood movie buff, this movie is at the top of the list. I'm going to watch "An American in Paris" now given how much of a Gene Kelly mood I currently am in! Ha!
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