Singin' in the Rain
1952 · Directed by Stanley Donen, Gene Kelly
Original language: English
- comedy
- romance
The story
In 1927 Hollywood, a silent film star falls for a chorus girl just as he and his paranoid screen partner struggle to make the difficult transition to talking pictures.
What it’s like
Saturated Technicolor in bright, almost candy-coloured tones: yellow slickers, lavender sets, a sky the blue of a postcard, all lit with the flat, cheerful clarity of a studio backlot in sunshine. Camera work is fluid and generous, with wide master shots that let the dancing breathe and the famous title-song sequence unfolding in a rain-slicked street under a single lamp. The sound is brassy and buoyant, full of tap rhythms, big orchestral swells and comic squeaks, and the whole film has the bounce of a perfectly tuned show. It feels like a warm, bubbly afternoon on the couch, a comfort rewatch or a sunny Saturday with nothing to do. Pacing is brisk and playful, with big comic set pieces alternating with romantic duets. The emotional register is light and affectionate: a vain, good-hearted leading man and his plucky partner, an affable sidekick and a determined newcomer, all learning to trust one another as the industry changes around them. Violence is absent and the only peril is slapstick and romantic misunderstanding, so it's entirely gentle. For anyone who loves musicals, old Hollywood glamour and joyful, athletic dancing.
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