Singin’ in the Rain
It’s hard to know where to start with a film like this. I had not seen “Singin’ in the Rain” until I sat down to watch it for this review. Of course, scenes from the title number have been burned into my mind’s eye for as long as I can remember. Was there a commercial featuring it once? Was it a memory from awards show montages? I don’t know. But if you’re an American, and you care even in the least about film or film culture, you have seen that scene, heard that tune, and can probably whistle the melody on demand.
When I was younger, though, the clip meant relatively little to me. It was just a song from a movie, just a man dancing on screen. I had no idea who Gene Kelly was; I knew nothing about musicals. And now, here I am years later, somewhat infatuated with both.
I’ve experienced this before in life, where some piece of art was vaguely familiar to me and then “discovered” years later. To me, this is a bittersweet feeling. It’s always satisfying to find something to which you feel a deep connection, whether it’s a film, a book, a piece of music or anything else. But part of me can’t help but think, “Why didn’t you figure this out sooner?”
I had that feeling to some degree with “Singin’” but I’m also old enough to realize I probably wouldn’t have appreciated it the way I do now had I come across it three, five or 10 years ago. Does that mean I’m getting smarter, or more mature? The jury’s definitely out on those things, but my taste in movies is definitely evolving, and I’m enjoying the experience.
As for the film itself, it’s almost astounding how impressive all the musical numbers are, especially from the dance standpoint. There are at least 5 numbers in “Singin” that top anything else I’ve seen in the Kelly marathon thus far. I’d be the first to admit I’m still a novice in the realm of musicals, but even I can recognize that the work in this film is a crazy achievement.
The overwhelming emotion I got watching “Singin’” was joy. To watch a master like Kelly at the height of his powers, with Donald O’Connor a very game sidekick and a teenage Debbie Reynolds mustering all of her gumption to keep up (and pulling it off, by the way) just elicited such a joyful emotion. I was in awe of the performers and the craft itself. It was only when I watched some of the musical numbers a second time that the sheer joy gave way to pondering just how much rehearsing it must’ve taken to get these sequences right. Feet surely bled. Through my research I’ve learned that, like the performer, Kelly the director and choreographer was surely a perfectionist. Unfortunately, perfection in art is unattainable. This film, however, was as close as anyone ever got.
The song and dance numbers also show how Kelly kept pushing the envelope of choreography as well as physicality in his dance numbers. There are wow moments in all the films I watched during the marathon, but if you line them up chronologically, each gets more and more ambitious and thus impressive. “Singin’” is a fitting cap. The “Moses Supposes” sequence is the logical extension of Jerry and Adam’s apartment number in “An American in Paris” or the farmhouse kitchen dance in “Summer Stock,” but everything in “Moses” raises the stakes a notch or two. The “Broadway Ballet” sequence mirrors Kelly’s Broadway dream sequence from “On The Town,” but the version in “Singin’” is (at least) twice as grand. A lot of the ideas in this film are not new. Indeed, only one new song was written for “Singin’.” But Kelly’s elevation of the craft makes everything shine in a new way.
The film also seems like a fitting culmination of his idea that songs should help move the story along, or be an integral part of the story, instead of just loosely tying together plot points. We first discussed this in my write-up of “Cover Girl,” but Kelly has again taken the concept to new heights in “Singin’.” Nearly every song in the film moves the plot in some fashion, or at the very least, adds something essential for the viewer. Even “Good Morning” -which isn’t exactly integral to the plot- lets us in on how pleased our main trio is with themselves now that they’ve devised a way to save their latest picture. (Although even if “Good Morning” had absolutely no connection the rest of the proceedings, it would be hard to argue with its inclusion on the basis that it’s so damn fun.)
Perhaps the most heart-stopping number in the film doesn’t really involve Kelly at all. O’Connor’s work in “Make ’Em Laugh” is an absolute thrill to behold. The physicality of this sequence is stunning. O’Connor gets smacked in the face by a board, fights a stuffed dummy, contorts his face in a number of ways, runs up a wall and flips himself off it (twice), launches himself through a wall, and generally throws himself around the set like a rag doll for a solid four minutes. Looking back, Kelly was probably glad to sit this one out.
That brings us back around to the title number. As much joy as there is in the rest of the music in the film, the “Singin’ in the Rain” sequence is the most pure, unadulterated variety in the picture, or perhaps even in film history. While “Make ’Em Laugh” was certainly the greater technical dance achievement, the heart of the film is Kelly’s romp through the rainy street. The combination of the melody and Kelly’s total knack for making any situation wildly entertaining through dance is part of what makes this number so memorable to so many. But at the heart of it, you have a one of the oldest and most universal truths on the planet: nothing can bring down a man in newfound love. Certainly not a deluge on a street.
Honestly, the love story here was a bit lost on me. I know it was there and recognize that it was legitimately developed, but there is so much brilliance going on in the margins here I glossed right over the romance. I look forward to paying more attention to it during my next viewing, but to me the title number works just fine even having experienced the film the way I did. You don’t need to have Kelly’s feelings spelled out. If you’ve loved before, you already what’s going on inside him at that moment.
That brings Gene Kelly marathon to a close. This was probably my favorite series of films yet. With the La La Land and Marlowe marathons, I was more interested to dive into some different genres and enjoyed the experience, but more from an arm’s length or critical standpoint. Throughout this run, though, I really felt a personal connection to the films, but to a greater degree, to Kelly himself. I wasn’t really expecting this, but I’m glad it happened. I’ve greatly enjoyed reading about Kelly and his life and times, and I’m excited to continue it in the future.
