Christopher McKinnis

Professor Julie Hicks

LBST 1102-Arts and Society: Film

22 September 2015

Singin’ in the Rain Film Analysis

Acknowledged as one of “the best Hollywood musicals of all time” (Berardinelli),

Singin’ in the Rain (1952), directed by Stanley Donan and Gene Kelly, is a Hollywood

masterpiece detailing the magic of making movies. Through repetitive usage of joyous

and charming singing and dancing and the incorporation of memorable characters thanks

to well-performed acting, Singin’ in the Rain perfectly portrays the transformation of

modern film from silent movies to the beginnings of today’s “talkies”. There are many

aspects that help elevate this film to a level that cannot be touched by most movies, and

with such high level of technicality in the music, choreography, and in the skill of the

actors, Singin’ in the Rain would not be the same.

Singin’ in the Rain, according to Scott McGee, “epitomizes everything that made

the musical genre such an exciting form of entertainment during the heyday of the studio

era” (McGee). This point is valid when discussing the aspects of the film that help make

it one of my favorite films that I have seen so far. In my opinion, I found the music to be

a crucial part of how the film progressed and represents the nature of the 1920 American

society. For example, all of the musical numbers, with “Broadway Melody” as the partial

exception, possessed such a positive, upbeat, and entertaining vibe that allows the

audience to become fully engaged in the music and dancing. On the topic of dancing, the

choreography for me was another defining characteristic of the film that contributed to

the movie’s overall upbeat and charismatic nature. A good example of this was the

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musical number “Make ‘Em Laugh,” where Donald O’Conner’s character Cosmo Brown

exhibits an extraordinary routine of well-choreographed dancing. The intricacy that is

involved during this routine can be overlooked by the crazy tricks and stunts that

O’Conner pulls off, but the work that he performs is truly remarkable and helps elevate

the quirky and fun vibe that resonates throughout the movie. A third point that is worthy

making a note of is the brilliance of Gene Kelly’s acting ability to be able to not only

portray a time period that underwent such a drastic change in the way movies were seen

and made, but to portray a character as complex as Don Lockwood. Gene Kelly is a

brilliant actor, which such talent in the art of dance, singing, and theater. However, his

sheer ability to elevate not only a character but the film as a whole is truly remarkable,

and he is by far one of my favorite actors/performers of all time (Haver).

Although Singin’ in the Rain was produced in 1952, and the time period that the

movie was set in was the 1920’s, there are many similarities between the Hollywood that

was portrayed in the movie and the Hollywood society that thrives today. One of the

primary similarities that actually plays a crucial part to the development of the movie is

the concept of fake relationships; this is tested through the relationship between Don

Lockwood and Lina Lamont. From the beginning of the film, the audience is already

provided with enough information that Don has no feelings for Lina whatsoever, yet he

stays with her as if they were an item due to the constraints of the acting relationships.

This is quite a common happening in today’s Hollywood society, where many actors and

actresses on-screen and on the red carpet act in a manner that appears that there is

something between the two. Unfortunately, this isn’t always the case. Another thing that

becomes more prominent in this movie that is a common effect in Hollywood is the usage

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of special effects. In Singin’ in the Rain, the transition from silent movies to “talkies”

isn’t an easy one, and takes an extensive period of time to master. However, we see in

the movie as it progresses the increased use of special effects in order to further enhance

a scene. The major usage of special effects in Singin’ in the Rain was used in the rain

scene. The use of sprinklers and hoses helped give the illusion that it was actually

raining during the scene. Filmmakers also used a huge black tarp that they draped over

two poles to help heighten the scene by darkening the scene, giving off a sense of a

dreary street. In today’s time, Hollywood (and Americans) are huge fans of special

effects, and with modernized technology, the limits have become conquered. Another

important aspect of the movie that plays an important role in Hollywood today is the

usage of the technique of dubbing and lip synching. In Singin’ in the Rain, due to her

atrocious singing and voice, Lina’s voice was dubbed by Kathy Seldon, which protected

Lina’s image until the end of the movie. This is a common practice in Hollywood, not

only in the making of movies but is also used in the music business by many artists and

bands (Haver).

With such a high level of fun, excitement, and exuberance, Singin’ in the Rain is

by far one of my favorite films that I have seen so far. There are so many things that I

enjoy about this film, but the biggest influence that I truly found to be amazing was the

energy and excitement of the movie. I am a person who loves to have fun and enjoy life

for what it is, and with such comedic characters and entertaining musical numbers

reminded me of what I enjoy, which I really found to be truly refreshing. Another

component of the film that I found to be another deciding factor in my love for this movie

is definitely the musicality of the film. During the 1940s that began on Broadway,

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musical numbers were used in order to heighten the plot or to help indicate character

development and enhancement. Singin’ in the Rain does not do this, which is a very nice

change to see for most modern films and movies use music on a more interpretive level.

Here, on the contrary, the musical numbers in Singin’ in the Rain serve the mere purpose

to please the audience with entertaining music and dancing that were light and visually

appealing, but “in your face” enough to where it wasn’t overbearingly happy. Another

influential factor in my favoritism towards this film is the screenplay. Being able to see

the transition from silent movies to “talkies” in such a relatively accurate yet entertaining

and humorous manner made it much more interesting learning about the history of the

film business. The script work was masterful, and, as seen by many critics, can be seen

as “one of the funniest comedies ever written” (McGee).

At the start of its popularity in 1952, Singin’ in the Rain has become quite

successful, grabbing the hearts of the audience. Although it never won an Oscar, time

has become the film’s best friend, allowing audiences to fully appreciate the film for

what it is, with no doubt that it is “one of the most spellbinding examples of pure

cinematic entertainment ever to unspool in a projector” (Berardinelli). I truly recommend

this film to anyone who feels that old films are not worth any time of day, and I promise

that their viewpoint on the classics will change dramatically, because it sure did for me.

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Works Cited

Berardinelli, James. "Singin' in the Rain | Reelviews Movie Reviews." Reelviews Movie

Reviews. N.p., n.d. Web. 21 Sept. 2015.

Haver, Ronald. "Singin' in the Rain." RSS. The Criterion Collection, n.d. Web. 21 Sept.

2015.

McGee, Scott. "TCM's The Essentials: Singin' in the Rain." Turner Classic Movies.

TURNER ENTERTAINMENT NETWORKS, n.d. Web. 21 Sept. 2015.

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