SINGIN' IN THE RAIN

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CREDITS

1952, 103 minutes, Technicolor.
Producer, Arthur Freed; Directors, Gene Kelly and Stanley Donen; Screenplay, Betty Comden and Adolph Green; Cinematography, Harold Rosson; Choreography, Gene Kelly and Stanley Donen; Music Director, Lennie Hayton.

CAST

Don Lockwood, Gene Kelly; Cosmo Brown, Donald O'Connor; Kathy Selden, Debbie Reynolds; Lina Lamont, Jean Hagen; R.F. Simpson, Millard Mitchell; Zelda Zanders, Rita Moreno; Roscoe Dexter, Douglas Fowley; Dora Bailey, Madge Blake; Phoebe Dinsmore, Kathleen Freeman; Cyd Charisse.

SONGS

Singin' In The Rain; Would You?; All I Do Is Dream Of You; I've Got A Feeling You're Fooling; Wedding Of the Painted Doll; Should I?; Make 'Em Laugh; You Were Meant For Me; Fit As A Fiddle; Good Morning; Beautiful Girl; The Broadway Melody; Broadway Rhythm by Arthur Freed and Nacio Herb Brown; Moses Supposes by Betty Comden, Adolph Green and Roger Edens.

PLOT SYNOPSIS

"The era is Movieland in the late '20's, when the coming of sound - talking pictures! - is striking terror to every silent film star's heart. To such as glamorous Queen of the Silver Screen Lina Lamont (Jean Hagen), for whom words of two syllables represent a major challenge, the mysteries of the microphone are unfathomable. Her voice resembles a cement mixer in heat. Nor is her vocal coach (Kathleen Freeman), late of the legitimate theatuh, much help. The solution devised by her matinee idol co-star Don Lockwood (Kelly), and his partner Cosmo (O'Connor), is to dub Lina's voice, have her mouth the words while they are actually spoken or sung by a young extra, Kathy Selden (Debbie Reynolds). It works, and the popularity of Lina and Don soars as their relieved fans find that their idols actaully can talk. But as the trio works its off-screen magic to save bitchy Lina's career, Don finds himself falling in love with Kathy, and is appalled to realize that he and his scheme have permanently ruined her career. His subsequent public unmasking of Lina - and the real talent of the voice behind her - resolves everything, sends Kathy zooming to stardom, and opens the possibility of marriage to Don."
- Lawrence B. Thomas, The MGM Years

NOTES

". . .Singin' In The Rain. . .remains an undoubted masterpiece and the finest, most durable musical ever to come out of Hollywood. If the test of a great musical is that you can see it over and over again without longing for the dialogue to end and the musical numbers to begin, then Singin' In The Rain passes cum laude."
- Clive Hirschhorn, The Hollywood Musical

"Though an inside-stuff yarn about filmdom, it's a backstage story with a difference; and the fact that Hollywood can laugh so heartily at itself, only adds to the film's appeal. Standout performances by Gene Kelly and Donald O'Connor, especially the latter."
- Variety

". . .probably the most enjoyable of all American movie musicals. . .The film falters during a too-long love song on a deserted studio stage (later cut from some of the prints) and during a lavish oversize Broadway ballet, but these sequences don't seriously affect one's enjoyment."
- Pauline Kael, 5001 Nights At The Movies


ACADEMY AWARD NOMINATIONS:
Supporting Actress - Jean Hagen
Scoring Of A Musical Picture

GOLDEN GLOBE AWARD WINNER:
Actor (Comedy/Musical) - Donald O'Connor

NATIONAL BOARD OF REVIEW AWARD WINNER:
Best American Film (#8)

Singin' In The Rain was the 10th highest-grossing film of the year. See Box Office Hits

Jimmy Thompson sang the 'Beautiful Girl' number; Debbie Reynolds' vocals for 'Would You?' were dubbed by Betty Royce.

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