Singin’ in the Rain

The talkies

Recording sound in films wasn’t easy. The mics had to be close but never seen. The star had to lose her Brooklyn accent. And it was easy for the sound to get out of sync with the picture.

The song

The song, with lyrics by Arthur Freed  and music by Nacio Herb Brown, preceded the film but Gene Kelly’s brilliant performance— his phrasing, his dance moves, his broad smile, splashing in puddles, swinging his umbrella, and hanging on the lamp post— is why everyone loves the song today. Peter Sellers sings it as Inspector Jacques Clouseau. Cary Grant whistles it in the shower in Hitchcock’s North by Northwest. Bing Crosby and Rosemary Clooney recorded it in 1961.

The dances

Donen began his career as a dancer. He then became a choreographer. He understood how to frame a dancer in action. Gene Kelly dances with Cyd Charisse. Gene dances with Donald O’Connor. Gene dances with Debbie Reynolds. Gene and Donald dance with Debbie. Donald dances with a dummy while singing “Make ’Em Laugh.” Debbie dances in a chorus line. Gene dances with a lamp post.

Self-referential

It’s a film about making a film. At the end we see Don and Kathy kiss in front of a billboard for the movie that we’ve just seen.