In contrast to films like The Longest Day and Davy Crockett: King of the Wild Frontier which my brothers and I practically watched on repeat, Singin' in the Rain is one of those films I grew up with that remained "in the background" as it were. It was a film I remember watching on Friday nights when it would air on Elliot Wilhelm's show on PBS (good times) and that my sisters would check out from the library occasionally when they were in the mood for a musical. It was only as a grew an appreciation for Hollywood history in my late high school years that I began to appreciate the film more.
Like many musicals of the era Singin' in the Rain is essentially built around its musical numbers and, what may surprise many given the film's stature, they are almost all taken from earlier films. The idea for the film was thought up by Arthur Freed, the head of the "Freed Unit" at MGM which was responsible for the studio's musicals. His idea was to produce a musical based on the studio's back catalog of songs (many written by himself). This was a relatively common practice at the time but one which suits Singin' in the Rain uncommonly well.
The film, essentially, sets out to tell the story of the difficult transition to sound. Freed brought in screenwriters Betty Comden and Adolph Green to craft a coherent story around the songs and, as both writers had personal experience with this period, it was only natural that they zeroed in on it in order to accomplish this goal. The technical problems Monumental Pictures encounter in trying to produce The Dueling Cavelier with primitive sound equipment are reflective of the real-life struggles of many movie studios from this era, even if it's a little exaggerated. You would think the bad audio would have been picked up by the editors before the test screenings but no matter, it makes for hilarious viewing as Comden and Green milk the premise's innate comedic potential for all its worth.
The opening flashback sequence presents something of an overview of early Hollywood history as we see the rise of Don Lockwood from a poor kid on the street to a struggling vaudeville actor to a Hollywood superstar. Similar to real life actors like Douglas Fairbanks and Tom Mix, Lockwood gets his start as a stuntman before being recognized as a potential star and given a major role by the head of studio. Gene Kelly's narration of this sequence is layered with irony as he paints a rosy picture of his career ("dignity, always dignity") that directly contrasts what we see on screen.
In general, the film presents the glamourous world of Hollywood with a sense of irony but one tempered by a breezy, light-hearted tone. The fictionalized tabloid romance between Don and his leading lady Lina Lamont (Jean Hagen) is brushed off by him as a minor irritant while Lina, true to her "dumb blonde" stereotype, seems to fall for her own press. Lina's inevitable fall as a major star is tragic but the film plays it for laughs. Of course, Lamont's scheming to use Kathy to permanently prop up her own career relieves us of any uneasy feelings we may have had on this score.
The musical numbers are uniformly great, lavished with all the production value and talent that old Hollywood could muster. Many of them are diegetic. "Fit as a Fiddle (And Ready for Love)" is used for the aforementioned opening sequence, where we see Lockwood and his childhood friend Cosmo Brown struggling to please an unreceptive crowd during their time on Vaudeville. "All I Do Is Dream of You", is sung by Kathy Seldon during the party celebrating the premiere of The Royal Rascal, a scene which reveals that she is a struggling young actress. In the "Beautiful Girl Montage" we see Kathy in her first screen appearance, and she is reunited with an apologetic Don as a result. "Would You?" is used when Don and Cosmo convince the studio exec to repurpose The Dueling Cavelier, as a musical as is "Broadway Melody." The latter, in particular, is a perfect showcase of Hollywood glitz, and is practically a short film it its own right, chronicling the rise of a promising young Hollywood star who struggles to maintain enthusiasm for his work.
The most memorable songs are those sung by the characters in a non-diegetic fashion. In these songs there's often an absurdity to lyrics that complements the film's tongue-in-cheek tone. This is nowhere more clear than in "Moses Supposes" where Don and Cosmo make the best of a tedious speech class they have to take by turning the tongue twister Don is tasked with reciting into some rather nonsensical lyrics for a song ("A rose is for Moses as potent as toeses"). There is a sense of whimsy and exuberance to this song that characterizes the tone of the film in general. Though this film was never a favorite of mine growing up, there was one song I really liked: "Make 'Em Laugh" (which bears a striking resemblance to Cole Porter's "Be a Clown" from The Pirate). There was something infectious about watching Donald O'Connor's cartoonish antics and it appealed to the show-off in me.
Though musical numbers are uniformly great what really makes the film work is Gene Kelly's performance. Kelly is so athletic and filled with energy, so charming and magnetic that it's impossible not to have a giant grin while watching him on screen. Reportedly, he did not get along with co-star Debbie Reynolds, but you'd hardly know this by watching them together on screen. On the contrary they have wonderful chemistry. "You Are My Lucky Star" (originally from Broadway Melody of 1936 (1935)) serves as the film's love theme and, along with "You Were Meant for Me" (from The Broadway Melody (1929)) is sung by Don to express his love for Kathy. Both are at once corny and endearing in a way that only old school Hollywood could pull off.
The films centerpiece is the one-two punch of "Good Morning" (from Babes In Arms (1939)) followed by the film's titular song (adapted from The Hollywood Revue of 1929). The former is a wonderfully catchy and carefree little tune yet its practically eclipsed by "Singin' in the Rain." This is fitting as the former expresses the sense of release that Don, Kathy and Cosmo feel in having come up with a winning scheme to save The Dueling Cavelier and, by extension, Don's career while the latter channels the exuberant euphoria that Don feels at falling in love with Kathy. Even viewed in isolation there is something wonderfully cathartic about the sequence. Kelly's dance through the rain-soaked streets has justly become the stuff of Hollywood legend.
Singin' in the Rain may not be the most daring or original musical Hollywood ever produced, but its certainly the most fun. It's one of those movies that feels like it was made by Hollywood for Hollywood. There is a strong meta-commentary on the industry in a way that paints a rather rosy picture of it. Even if we might "know better" by now, while watching the film is hard not to be swept up in the magic.
