Why singing in the rain is a classic

However, though Singing in the Rain might mock cinema culture, it never ceases to revel in the magic of the movies, right down to the eye-popping hues of its vivid flapper costumes and Technicolor skies. The effect, along with the music, is enchanting and exciting, full of the glamour and glitz of old cinema.

In short, this film is timeless, a perfect blend of comedy and commentary, pop culture and high art. But it is the unreserved love of cinema that makes Singing in the Rain such a success-this is a film full of magic and romance and laughter, that loves being a film and makes no apologies.

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So, if you can, please consider donating. Even if you can't support us monetarily, please consider sharing articles with friends, families, colleagues - it all helps! Sign in. Privacy Policy. Password recovery. After meeting while Don is running from crazed fans, they quickly develop a flirtatious back-and-forth, and a classic love story is born.

No one other than Gene Kelly could have brought the smooth talking charm of Don Lockwood to life on the big screen. Kelly strikes the balance between self-assured movie star and earnest man in love. This energy is also captured in his quick-witted dialogue with Don throughout the film. The women of the film do not disappoint either. Jean Hagen maximizes laughs with her deft portrayal of the shrill and dim-witted villain, Lina Lamont.

Without her comedic timing, her character would have come off as extremely annoying and unfunny. This is something amazing, especially considering that Reynolds was only nineteen at the time. The vivacious performances leave you wanting to stand up and cheer as if you were at a broadway show. Moments like Gene Kelly splashing around in a torrential downpour exude sheer joy.

Cohan and Jerome Kern, respectively. Many of those ditties were big hits, and Freed had certainly earned the clout at MGM to advance what might have otherwise been seen as a vanity project. The studio head in the movie, R. Simpson, is based on him.

The similarities were overwhelming and undeniable. She was quite young, too, turning 19 during the shoot. Kelly, her love interest, was Or she was when she wore heels, anyway, as she does in the film. To keep the height difference from being obvious, Kelly arranged the routine so that they were never both standing upright when they were next to each other, always bending toward or away from one another instead. All told, Plunkett designed about costumes for the film.

The whole shoot was difficult for that reason, and this number was particularly challenging. Reynolds said that at the end of a hour day shooting the scene, her feet were bleeding. So the job went to Cyd Charisse, an acclaimed dancer whom Kelly had admired since seeing her work with Fred Astaire in Ziegfield Follies. The unconfirmed but probably true explanation is that censors deemed a portion of the dance too suggestive. The footage was removed, and the music was re-scored to match the new cut.