Singin' in the Rain (1952)

Singin' in the Rain (1952)

8/10

Starring

Gene Kelly
Donald O'Connor
Debbie Reynolds
Jean Hagen
Millard Mitchell

Directed by Gene Kelly and Stanley Donen

Singin’ in the Rain is a classic 1950s musical that will leave you smiling and laughing all the way through. When the movie begins, you might not immediately see it as a classic, but as time progresses and the performances unfold, it leaves an imprint that you won’t forget.

The film had moderate success at the box office, produced with a budget of $2.5 million and earning over $7 million. However, over time, critics have recognized it as one of the greatest musicals ever made. It stars Gene Kelly, who also co-directed and choreographed the film. The plot revolves around Hollywood’s transition from silent films to talkies, exploring how actors adapted to this major shift. It also highlights the birth of musical films, even referencing The Jazz Singer (1927), the first feature-length talkie.

The film features three lead actors: Gene Kelly as Don Lockwood, Donald O'Connor as Cosmo Brown, and Debbie Reynolds as Kathy Selden. Set in 1927, Don Lockwood and Lina Lamont are a popular on-screen romantic duo, but while Don sees it as just acting, Lina mistakenly believes their romance is real.

Don and his longtime friend Cosmo have been chasing success for years, and Don’s rise to fame eventually lands him in a major Hollywood production. When their latest film is turned into a musical talkie, a major problem arises—Lina has a terrible voice. To save the production, aspiring actress Kathy Selden is brought in to secretly dub Lina’s voice.

During filming, Debbie Reynolds faced intense criticism from Gene Kelly because she wasn’t an experienced dancer. Frustrated and in tears under a piano, she was comforted by none other than Fred Astaire, who took her under his wing and helped her improve. (Astaire, widely regarded as one of the greatest dancers of all time, influenced many performers, including Michael Jackson and Gregory Hines.)

The film’s most famous scene features Gene Kelly singing the title song while twirling an umbrella and dancing in the rain. What many don’t know is that Kelly was running a fever during filming, yet still delivered one of cinema’s most iconic performances. The scene, which involved Kelly being completely drenched, took three days to shoot.

Singin’ in the Rain holds a 100% approval rating on Rotten Tomatoes and has been ranked the greatest musical film of all time by the American Film Institute (AFI). It also holds the fifth spot on AFI's 100 Years... 100 Movies (10th Anniversary Edition) list.

This movie is pure fun—the comedy will have you laughing, and with its G rating, it’s suitable for everyone. I highly recommend getting the DVD and watching it. It’s a true classic that never gets old.