Plot: What’s it about?
Perhaps one of the most recognizable tunes that you might hear someone humming, or in this case – singing; is that of Singin’ in the Rain. It’s been referred to as the best Hollywood musical ever made and who am I to disagree. Though there have been many great musicals (which are starting a rebirth with the critical acclaim of Moulin Rouge). Still, one cannot doubt the success of the film. The American Film Institute has ranked it as number 10 on their coveted Top 100 list, so that alone should speak volumes. I would venture to say that the movie would work just as well without the musical numbers. It’s perfectly cast with Gene Kelly giving the performance of a lifetime as glossy Hollywood star Don Lockwood. Debbie Reynolds (who was only 20 years old at the time) is great as Kathy Selden, Lockwood’s love interest and Donald O’ Connor is the sidekick to Kelly’s Lockwood, hamming it up, but still as funny as ever. The old saying, ‘They don’t make ’em like they used to’ certainly rings true here as Singin’ in the Rain is just as fun to watch now as it was when it arrived in theaters, some 50 years ago.
As we meet the stars, Don Lockwood (Gene Kelly) and Lina Lamont (Jean Hagen), we see that they are not unlike the Hollywood couples of today. Much like America’s Sweethearts of then, the on screen duo is perceived to be a romantic off screen duo as well. The problem is that couldn’t be further from the truth. Lockwood recounts the origins of his career to the public at a screening of his latest movie and in between the questions of his love life, manages to avoid the questions and still come out shining. Aside from the fact that his “better half” has just gotten a new dancer fired, Kathy Seldon (Debbie Reynolds), Lockwood feels guilty for the whole incident and wants to make amends. But this is just the beginning of his troubles…It seems that the movie industry is undergoing a change, moving from silent films to the age of “talkies”. This is a bit odd, of course, as the movie itself wasn’t made too much ahead of when this really happened. The film The Jazz Singer (also an AFI Top 100 pick) is the topic of discussion during the course of the movie, as it’s the first movie to feature sound coming from the actual actors, as opposed to just good looks and screens with dialogue on them.
So Lockwood and Lamont are off to make a picture with sound and it turns out to be a real dud. The main problem, you see is that the high-pitched voice of Lamont is throwing things off. This, of course, was not an issue in the films of the silent era; but now her voice must be re-dubbed to try and save the seemingly doomed production. In an effort to save the movie, they also decide to make it a musical comedy (ironically enough, that’s what Singin’ in the Rain is as well). Probably one of the most famous scenes in all of cinema, is that of Gene Kelly twirling around a light post with umbrella in hand singing the title song. Timeless and classic! To say that this movie is a great American classic is an understatement, even some fifty years after it’s initial release, Singin’ in the Rain remains very dear to many people. And with good reason as well, this is one of the best movies I’ve had the chance to review and it simply must be a part of any collection.
Video: How does it look?
In the era before movies were shot in widescreen, Singin’ in the Rain is shown in it’s original full-frame transfer. For a movie of this age, the picture looks remarkably sharp and vivid. Colors, muted in some scenes, do look very rich and the level of detail is a lot better than I was expecting. There are a few problems, with a bit of artifacting and some black levels aren’t up to par, but for the most part, Singin’ in the Rain has never looked better.
Audio: How does it sound?
The soundtrack has been restored in a new Dolby Digital 5.1 mix and while it’s not nearly up to par with today’s soundtracks, I have to say that I was fairly impressed with the new mix. The musical numbers do sound better than I was expecting, as they tend to have been re-mixed in stereo (therefore making them sound a bit better in 5.1). Dialogue is very clear and only a tad of distortion can be heard. Lina Lamont’s voice has never sounded more annoying! While you may want to crank up the volume a bit here and there, the new soundtrack certainly does this fine film justice.
Supplements: What are the extras?
Sadly, the only extra that is available on the disc is the film’s theatrical trailer. With the actual 50th anniversary of the film coming up in 2002, maybe we can keep our fingers crossed for a “Wizard of Oz” style Special Edition for this movie. We can only hope! As I said before, this is one movie that you simply must own, regardless of the lack of features.
