Wednesday 26 November 2008

Singin' in the Rain [1952]


I can’t say that I have seen all the great musicals that are there to see; in fact musicals aren’t my favourite genre to start with. But of all the ones that I have seen, Singin’ in the Rain has got to be my favourite (may the makers of Sound of Music, An Englishman in Paris, My Fair Lady et al rest in peace). A delightfully loving homage on Hollywood’s dream factory, the movie has provided a captivating portrayal of star system and the real people behind the makeup, though a slapstick superstar of silent movies (Gene Kelly at his enthralling, histrionic best) and an ingenue who hates the glossy make-believe world portrayed therein (played charmingly by Debbie Reynolds), at the backdrop of cinema’s revolutionary and historic transition from silent films to talkies. Hilarious, humourous, satirical, affable, poignant, insightful – this is heartfelt, nostalgic and good cinema at its best. And who can ever forget Gene Kelly tap-dancing his way to glory to the title track “I’m Singin’ in the Rain”, rendered unforgettably by the mellifluous baritone of Frank Sinatra, in one of the most brilliantly choreographed and photographed sequences in film history. Pure magic.








Director: Stanley Donen & Gene Kelly
Genre: Comedy/Musical/Showbiz Comedy/Satire
Language: English
Country: US

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