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Gene Kelly and Debbie Reynolds star in one of the most loved musicals ever made. Singin’ in the Rain sprinkles a dozen colorful musical numbers throughout its storyline about Hollywood’s thorny transition from silent films to sound. Kelly plays Don Lockwood, an A-list star whose antagonistic relationship with Reynold’s up-and-coming dancer gradually turns to true love. This greatly displeases Lockwood’s usual co-star, played for devilish laughs by squeaky-voiced Jean Hagen. The love story is pushed to its breaking point when it’s decided that Reynolds should dub over Hagen’s voice to preserve her public reputation.
I really like Singin’ in the Rain, but before I go into the movie’s strong points, I’m going to point out it’s weakest. Most screen musicals succeed by integrating the musical numbers into the storytelling in such a way that no song and dance number stops the film’s narrative momentum. Unfortunately, most of the numbers here fail at that imperative. Nearly every musical number brings the story to a temporary halt. The worst offender is the climactic, fourteen-minute Broadway Melody number — my least favorite part of the whole movie.
Surprisingly, though, most of the numbers are entertaining in their own right. I especially love Donald O’Connor’s comedic solo piece, “Make ‘Em Laugh”. O’Connor plays Lockwood’s childhood pal and fellow actor and provides a lot of comic relief throughout the film, but his centerpiece moment is this high-energy, athletic number that has him literally jumping head over heels and through walls. Another terrific sequence is the “Good Morning” number led by Kelly, Reynolds, and O’Connor after they’ve stayed up all night brainstorming ways to save a imperiled production called “The Dueling Cavalier” from disaster. The choreography is simple but elegant, carried by the three charming actors and an incredibly catchy tune.
What I like most about this classic is its humor, which come across better in the dialogue and narrative segue-ways than in any of its musical numbers. While Kelly, Reynolds, and O’Connor all give charismatic turns, Jean Hagen is an absolute scene-stealer as the film’s dim-witted but volatile villain. She’s constantly revealing new levels of ignorance and incompetence, but everyone’s afraid to call her out for it since she’s such a big star. It’s a lot of fun to see her get her comeuppance in the final act. Other great moments of comedy arise from the difficulties of sound film production, especially when the sound and picture fall out of sync during an audience screening.
Finally, this film endures because it has heart. When I first saw Singin’ in the Rain in a college film class, there was a wave of women going, “Awwwww” during a climactic shot when Debbie Reynolds turns teary-eyed to Gene Kelly inside a crowded theater. He’s just revealed to the world that she has been the real voice behind Hagen’s acting, and in that moment, we know all misunderstandings between the two lovers are instantly washed away — that true love has indeed won the day. The formula for romantic comedies has lasted many decades, and while it’s not usually one of my favorites, it’s comforting to see it affecting audiences generations after the film’s initial release.
Directed by Stanley Donen (Seven Brides for Seven Brothers) and Gene Kelly. Written by Betty Comden and Adolph Green (Auntie Mame). With Millard Mitchell, Cyd Charisse, and Rita Moreno (West Side Story).
Oscar Nominations: Best Supporting Actress (Jean Hagen), Best Score (Lennie Hayton)