Singin' In The Rain (1952)

Film: Singin' In The Rain

Director: Stanley Donen and Gene Kelly

Country: USA

Released: March 1952

Runtime: 103 minutes

Genre: Musical

Studio: MGM

Influenced: Jacques Demy, Chantal Akerman, Penny Marshall, Greta Gerwig, Damien Chazelle

Widely regarded as one of the greatest musicals of all time, Singin' in the Rain is also a love letter to the movie industry and the magic of cinema. Set in the late 1920s – at a time when Hollywood was undergoing a major technological shift with the advent of "talkies" – the film's plot revolves around Don Lockwood (played by Gene Kelly), a popular silent film star who is forced to adapt to the new era of sound films. Along the way, he falls in love with aspiring actress Kathy Selden (played by Debbie Reynolds) and faces off against his conniving co-star, Lina Lamont (played by Jean Hagen).

On one level, the film is about human adaptability, specifically to the large cultural shifts brought about by new technology, but the plot is mainly there to serve as a framework for the real highlight – the musical numbers. Kelly was the brains behind the choreography, notably the film's titular song, Singin' in the Rain, one of the most iconic musical numbers in cinema history. Kelly's dance sequence in the pouring rain perfectly captures the sheer joy of movement and the exuberance and positivity of Lockwood's character. The sequence has been imitated countless times in films, TV shows and stage productions.

Another standout musical number is Make 'Em Laugh, performed by Donald O'Connor as Lockwood's best friend, Cosmo Brown. The song is a showcase for O'Connor's incredible physical comedy and acrobatics, but for whatever reason O'Connor has never got the credit he fully deserved and has forever remained in Kelly's shadow. By all accounts, Kelly was a real taskmaster, putting his co-stars under intense pressure during rehearsals. Reynolds is magnificent in the famous Good Morning scene, but apparently it was so taxing for her to get right that she ended up under a piano crying and had to be consoled by Fred Astaire. 

But much of this is now forgotten in the mists of time. The film's finale, in which Kelly and Reynolds perform a spectacular dance number together, is a perfect example of the film's central message that, even in the face of change and adversity, the magic of cinema endures. Singin' In The Rain has had a profound impact on popular culture since its release, and has been referenced and parodied countless times on stage and screen. Its groundbreaking use of music and dance paved the way for other classic musicals such as West Side Story and The Sound of Music, and its influence can be seen in modern musicals such as La La Land and The Greatest Showman.