Singin’ in the Rain

For the most part, I find musicals to be the goofy branch of film with flimsy plots interrupted by silly songs.  Yet, in my eyes, there has been one musical I could only love from the start: Singin’ in the Rain.  Now, what on earth made a sarcastic kid like me love Singin’ in the Rain?  It was the iconic musical numbers and catchy tunes.  It was Gene Kelly’s dance moves, Donald O’Connor’s one-liners, the sweet charm of Debbie Reynolds and how we love to hate Jean Hagen’s character.  It had to be the whimsical and slapstick comedy that gets me laughing every time.  And the depiction of the early film industry in transition captivated me and was my first introduction to film history.

After working his way up from the bottom with his friend Cosmo Brown (O’Connor), Don Lockwood (Kelly) is a big film star in Hollywood.  He and his co-star, Lina Lamont (Hagen) let the papers believe they’re an item, but Don can’t stand her.  While escaping his overly affectionate fans on the way to a party, Don meets Kathy (Reynolds), who scoffs that film acting is “making a bunch of dumb show” as she claims to be a real actress.  However, she’s just a chorus girl, popping out a cake and all, but Don could help her make it into film.

As movies are being pushed from silent to sound, Don and Lina’s current picture is about to change.  They and their director discover all the new challenges that come with bringing dialogue to a film, and it’s a great bit of comedy.  Only, their film isn’t supposed to be a comedy, and Lina’s voice is shrill and meant for silent film.  Don and his gang have to get inventive, turn the film into a musical and appease Lina along the way to save the film.

Though some of the musical numbers feel shoved in, I find them so enjoyable that I do not care.  Good Mornin’ is just a happy tune I love to have stuck in my head.  Moses is an oddly catchy way to make us appreciate the work of a diction coach.  Others have such elaborate dance numbers and well designed sets that my eyes can’t keep up with my ears.  And Singin’ in the Rain is the one scene and song that every musical film should strive to achieve.

Yes, I will talk about that unforgettable iconic scene.  Even if you haven’t seen the film, you have to be familiar with the scene.  After dropping Kathy off at home, and getting a great kiss at the door, Don decides to stroll home, despite the pouring rain.  As a kid, I saw this and thought he was just weird or nuts, or didn’t mind getting wet, but now I understand that he’s just so happy and in love that no matter how many gallons of water are pouring down on you, it can’t bring you down.  “Come on with the rain, I’ve a smile on my face!”  If the lyrics don’t convey his happiness enough, the way he dances down the street will.  It starts with just a casual stroll, swinging his umbrella and it gets bigger from there, clicking his heels in the middle of the street, swaying from the lamp post and splashing in big puddles like a nutty kid.  And in the end he gives his umbrella to a man who will use it.

The Make ‘Em Laugh sequence is one of my all time favorites in any musical.  O’Connor goes through a zany routine full of dancing, hilarious gags and some astoundingly physical comedy.  For the full number he doesn’t slow down, twists his face in knots and spins in circles on the floor like Curly in The Three Stooges.  But the kicker is his grand finale is when he runs up a wall and does a somersault, not once, but twice and then ends in a side splitting frenzy through a third wall.

At the Oscars, Singin in the Rain was not completely forgotten.  It was nominated for best scoring for a musical picture and Jean Hagen was nominated for best supporting actress in her role as Lina.  What I find funny is that in 1952 Singin’ in the Rain was counted out of the best picture race, but today considered one of the best films of all time, while The Greatest Show on Earth is often considered the most overrated best picture winner of all time.

When introducing kids to film history, Singin’ in the Rain is at the top of the list.  All of the challenges about turning silent films into talkies are brought out in hilarious and memorable ways.  There’s nothing like being able to have a fight while filming, as long as you can look happy and in love and then having a leading lady with the looks for film but a voice like a banshee.

“I don’t go to the movies much.  If you’ve seen one you’ve seen them all.”

Anchors Aweigh

Usually, I don’t use the phrase “It’s cute” as as praise in my reviews, but Anchors Aweigh is different.  There’s a charming mix of fantasy, romance, song and dance in this story about two sailors, their quest for dames and the obstacles that help them find love.  With all the good laughs, fun song and dance scenes and sincere motives that move the plot, cute isn’t belittling, but a real compliment.

Decorated sailors Joe Brady (Gene Kelly) and Clarence Doolittle (Frank Sinatra) are given a four day leave in Hollywood.  Joe, with his reputation as a wolf, plans to have a good time with a sultry sounding lady, Lola.  Clarence is more timid and inexperienced and asks Joe to help him find a girl.  Meanwhile, Donald (Dean Stockwell), a little boy wanting to run away to join the Navy, has just been found by the police, but they can’t get him to tell them where he lives.  Joe and Clarence are brought into the station, hoping that the boy will talk to his idolized sailors.  Donald is thrilled to meet them, warming up especially to Joe and lets them take him home.  They get stuck watching Donald until his Aunt Susie gets home, to which Clarence doesn’t mind but Joe is missing his big date with Lola.  Turns out, Aunt Susie (Kathryn Grayson) is a beautiful young woman, struggling to become a singer and Clarence wants Joe’s help in wooing her.  Instead, they promise Susan an impossible audition with José Iturbi, a famous conductor and pianist working in Hollywood.

To most classic film fans, a movie with Gene Kelly dancing and Frank Sinatra singing is pure gold.  Though this was their first of the three films they would be together in, the two collaborate so well and are a real treat to watch.  In the scene where they improvise a song about Susie, their sailor-buddy antics peak enough to scare off a prospective suitor for Susan and keep the audience in stitches.

One of the best and most famous song and dance scenes, many people have already seen without even knowing it.  When Joe is telling Donald and his classmates a fictional story about how he got his medal, the film goes into a fantasy world where Kelly sings and dances with cartoon animals, including Jerry the mouse from Tom and Jerry.  It’s a very well done scene showcasing Kelly’s moves and mixing live action with animation seamlessly.  The scene was ripped off by Family Guy, inserting Stewie over Jerry.  Just mimic the original choreography and you’ve got three less minutes of creative thinking to do.  I doubt many viewers realize how many classic dance scenes Family Guy shamelessly parodies.

Overall,  Anchors Aweigh is a really fun musical comedy with great actors, thought out characters and an interesting plot to the end.  This would make for a great classic movie night with the kids.  The sailor’s plight to find women and keep up appearances keep adults snickering while the singing, dancing and antics with Donald will keep kids connected.

“-These men have other things to do.
–No they haven’t, they’re on leave.”

An American in Paris

Riddle me this:  What does an American do in Paris?  He ruins it for everyone else.  I’ve witnessed it in my travels as well as in this film.

Jerry Mulligan (Gene Kelly) is an ex GI who decided to stay in Paris and live out his dream by becoming a painter.  He has an obvious love for the city.  One day he gathers up his paintings, trying to sell them on the street in order to pay the bills.  A heiress and fellow American, Milo (Nina Foch), offers him fifteen thousand francs a piece.  That’s much more than Jerry ever thought his work would be worth.  Milo genuinely likes his work and might be fishing for a date.  With her influence and money, she wants to make Jerry a successful artist.

When Milo dupes Jerry into a date, he couldn’t really care less, especially when he catches the eye of beautiful Lise (Leslie Caron).  He pursues her, unaware that his friend Henri (Georges Guétary) is already dating her.  But that’s what we expect an American to do in Paris; steal your girl when you’re not around.

Oh my, did I forget to mention this is a musical?  It is, filled with Kelly’s dance moves and songs about everything.  There’s even a song with French children all around Kelly as he sings a way to teach them English.  But I just didn’t enjoy the songs and that dance scene at the end was way too long for what little action was left to happen.  I felt that Kelly was just practicing for his greatest act around the corner: Singin’ in the Rain.

The great redeeming quality for this film is the character Adam (Oscar Levant) a struggling pianist and neighbor to Jerry.  Without Adam being the other side of the coin to Jerry, I don’t think I would have approved of half the musical numbers.  My favorite scene his Adam’s daydream when he becomes an entire orchestra.  Without a word being said, that scene says more about dear Adam than the entire flapity-jaws-singing film.

The problem is, Jerry is the main character, but I did not like him.  He leads Milo on to further his painting career, which he’s not sure if he’s ready (or willing) to be serious about, while he’s pursuing Lise, who doesn’t have much personality unless she’s dancing.

I agree that the sets are beautiful and I understand that many people love this film and sing along with all the songs, but I just didn’t feel it.  The more into the film I got, I started to remember an American tourist I saw while visiting the Louvre in Paris.  The beer gut gave him away before he opened his mouth and twanged, “We already saw Mona Lisa, can we just skip these paintings and find lunch?”  Americans just come to Paris to half-ass being a painter, steal your hot dancer girl and see nothing but The Mona Lisa in the entire Louvre.  Singin’ in the Rain is much more enjoyable.