Who couldn't like "Singin' in the Rain?" Even these decades after it was made in 1952 - at the height of Hollywood's golden era,,
this film still entertains audiences, old and young. Gene Kelly, Donald, O'Connor and Debbie Reynolds are sure to sing and dance their way into the hearts of audiences for many more decades. The sheer talent in the three leads makes this one of the liveliest musicals of all time. All three sing and dance, and the full cast join in for superb choreographed numbers. Kelly and O'Connor have original and unique routines that are among their best. The film has more than a dozen songs, including hit tunes from Broadway and several earlier musical films of the Golden Era.
To package this exceptional ensemble of entertainment, the producers wrapped it in a scintillating plot. The setting is Hollywood in 1928. The glamorous stars, the top director, the studio head and the cast and crew of a fictional big name studio are in a stew over what to do. Sound pictures are being made. Many put them down but the studio head foresees trouble. Then, Warner Brothers releases "The Jazz Singer," and overnight, audiences clamor for more sound. The era of silent films is about to end, and a new motion picture industry is born.
So, the story provides a fictional look at the big transition period in Hollywood history as well. Then, to top it off, the outstanding writing team of Betty Comden and Adolph Green wrote a humorous screenplay filled with many good laughs and more than a couple of jabs and pokes at the film industry, people in it, and the fans.
The entire cast of this film gave top performances. Jean Hagen did a great job playing the sexy idol of the silent screen who wouldn't make the transition to sound. Her voice said it all, and the story is very funny as everyone keeps Lina Lamont from ever speaking. Kelly's Don Lockwood does all the talking. Of course, the film audience knows what the audiences in the picture don't know until the very end. That the great leading lady of silent film really can't sing or even speak well with her squeaky, high-pitched voice. Lamont answers her own question, "Do you think I'm dumb or somethin'?" Hagen's real voice is normal and very good, but she plays the ditzy blonde bombshell to a tee.
Millard Mitchell is very good as R. F. Simpson, the studio head of Monumental Pictures, and Douglas Fowley is very funny as Roscoe Dexter, the studio's top director. Some of the humor pokes fun at cinema fans when Lockwood and Lamont arrive at an opening night event and fans are lining the streets to catch glimpses of the stars. The young girls scream with delight as Lockwood gets out of their limo with Lamont, and while the police cordon holds back the people, a couple of fawning girls faint. The scenes of Lamont speaking for the first sound picture by the studio are very funny,
This is just top entertainment from start to finish. It's one of the best musicals of all time.
To package this exceptional ensemble of entertainment, the producers wrapped it in a scintillating plot. The setting is Hollywood in 1928. The glamorous stars, the top director, the studio head and the cast and crew of a fictional big name studio are in a stew over what to do. Sound pictures are being made. Many put them down but the studio head foresees trouble. Then, Warner Brothers releases "The Jazz Singer," and overnight, audiences clamor for more sound. The era of silent films is about to end, and a new motion picture industry is born.
So, the story provides a fictional look at the big transition period in Hollywood history as well. Then, to top it off, the outstanding writing team of Betty Comden and Adolph Green wrote a humorous screenplay filled with many good laughs and more than a couple of jabs and pokes at the film industry, people in it, and the fans.
The entire cast of this film gave top performances. Jean Hagen did a great job playing the sexy idol of the silent screen who wouldn't make the transition to sound. Her voice said it all, and the story is very funny as everyone keeps Lina Lamont from ever speaking. Kelly's Don Lockwood does all the talking. Of course, the film audience knows what the audiences in the picture don't know until the very end. That the great leading lady of silent film really can't sing or even speak well with her squeaky, high-pitched voice. Lamont answers her own question, "Do you think I'm dumb or somethin'?" Hagen's real voice is normal and very good, but she plays the ditzy blonde bombshell to a tee.
Millard Mitchell is very good as R. F. Simpson, the studio head of Monumental Pictures, and Douglas Fowley is very funny as Roscoe Dexter, the studio's top director. Some of the humor pokes fun at cinema fans when Lockwood and Lamont arrive at an opening night event and fans are lining the streets to catch glimpses of the stars. The young girls scream with delight as Lockwood gets out of their limo with Lamont, and while the police cordon holds back the people, a couple of fawning girls faint. The scenes of Lamont speaking for the first sound picture by the studio are very funny,
This is just top entertainment from start to finish. It's one of the best musicals of all time.