Editorial Review:Product Description:A Hollywood actor who has risen from vaudville to become a silent film star must make the difficult transition to sound.
Genre: Musicals
Rating: G
Release Date: 24-SEP-2002
Media Type: DVD
Amazon.com essential video:Decades before the Hollywood film industry became famous for megabudget disaster and science fiction spectaculars, the studios of Southern California (and particularly Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer) were renowned for a uniquely American (and nearly extinct) kind of picture known as The Musical. Indeed, when the prestigious British film magazine
Sight & Sound conducts its international critics poll in the second year of every decade, this 1952 MGM picture is
the American musical that consistently ranks among the 10 best movies ever made. It's not only a great song-and-dance piece starring Gene Kelly, Donald O'Connor, and a sprightly Debbie Reynolds; it's also an affectionately funny insider spoof about the film industry's uneasy transition from silent pictures to 'talkies.' Kelly plays debonair star Don Lockwood, whose leading lady Lina Lamont (Jean Hagen) has a screechy voice hilariously ill-suited to the new technology (and her glamorous screen image). Among the musical highlights: O'Connor's knockout 'Make 'Em Laugh'; the big 'Broadway Melody' production number; and, best of all, that charming little title ditty in which Kelly makes movie magic on a drenched set with nothing but a few puddles, a lamppost, and an umbrella.
--Jim Emerson
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Customer Reviews
Average Rating:
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Excellent Sleep Therapy
This one has worked for me many times. I always keep a few musicals on hand to help me catch up on sleep.
In this production things like an over 13 minute "dance number" makes it especially valuable soporifically. Sometimes pretentiously referred to as a "Broadway Ballet" (or something of the kind) it consists, as far as I can see, of a lot of people in loud costumes prancing around and Gene Kelly intoning "Gotta Dance" repeatedly. Great stuff to induce some needed Z's.
On an even more positive note, Singin' In The Rain is a good song; it had been around for a long time when this movie made it deservedly popular. Jean Hagen does a good job, and O'Connor is energetic, but none of this is alarming enough to keep me awake for very long and disturb very pleasant slumber.
To see the whole thing through I think you've got to like musicals, and obviously many people do! Anyway, excessive originality would have kept me awake. Thankfully this production has a lot of standard tap dancing, traditional flourishes, corny dialogue etc which stops it getting too interesting. It is appropriately vacuous for the purpose of eliminating sleep deprivation. Reccomended if you dislike musicals and have trouble getting enough rest. A real treat for a certain kind of insomniac.
Rating: 
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I've been watching the wrong musicals.
Singin' in the Rain (Stanley Donen, 1952)
I have long held to a belief that Fiddler on the Roof was the only decent movie musical ever made (unless you want to count Pink Floyd: The Wall as a movie musical and not a long-form video, or The Umbrellas of Cherbourg, which I guess is more a musical than anything). I have now come to understand that I've just been watching the wrong movie musicals, because Singin' in the Rain is about as delightful as they come.
Don Lockwood (Gene Kelly) comes to Hollywood looking to make it big in the movies. He quickly hooks up with composer (and funnyman) Cosmo Brown (Donald O'Connor, who comes perilously close to stealing the movie), and together, the two of them make great silent films with Lockwood's ultra-popular, but shrewish behind the screen, leading lady, Lina Lamont (Jean Hagen). Lockwood, meanwhile, has met someone he actually likes, a dancing girl with a marvelous voice named Kathy Selden (Debbie Reynolds). The voice comes into play with the advent of talkies; Lina Lamont has a voice to match her personality. What to do?
I've been (no pun intended) dancing around this review for weeks now because I just don't know what to say about this movie. It's just out-and-out wonderful. Even if you think you don't like musicals, give it a shot; the music is much better-integrated here than it is in most musicals I've had the misfortune to come across, and of course the dancing is first-rate. This ain't world-famous for nothing. **** ½
Rating: -
Masterpiece and Lots of Fun!
This movie isn't just a masterpiece, it is lots of fun to watch. It is really enjoyable. The songs are wonderful. The story is amusing, and the dancing is infectious. The actors seem to be having so much fun, the audience just can't resist. If you love movies, you can't miss Singin' In The Rain. It's just wonderful. The extras are great on this DVD. The commentary is one of the best I've ever listened to. Just plain buy this DVD.
Rating: -
One of the Ten Greatest Films ever!
I am not going to try to reiterate all of the laudatory reviews from other customers. But I will restate the claims of many who regard SITR as one of the ten best films ever made. Without a doubt it is, and that includes all types of films. Yes, the very theme of the film is a little "corny." but so was the era it portrays - when movies were "king" and the industry was in a tremendous state of transition. "Tongue-in-cheek" about covers the story line, which is beautifully woven into "the" classic Hollywood musical.
From beginning to end, the film is a masterful blend of romance, great humor, cinematic history with a clever touch of sarcasm, and some of the best dance performances ever seen anywhere. The title performance of Gene Kelly actually "singing in the rain" is the most memorable solo dance routine in the history of film. But there are some points in the film where Donald O'Connor almost steals the show, and his solo dance number of "Make 'Em Laugh" must be seen to be believed, and he put on some of the funniest sequences ever.
The lavish number performed by Gene Kelly with the incredibly beautiful Cy Charisse is simply breathtaking, and Jean Hagen's role as Lena Lamont is truly excellent. And Gene Kelly? At least the equal of Fred Astaire in dancing sensitivity, and much more athletic. You will also be a bit (pleasantly) surprised by the dance competence of Debbie Reynolds, who is at her charming and lovely best in the film.
It is an excellent, fast-moving, and wholly entertaining story throughout, and is a masterful piece of cinematography. I cannot imagine a classic film collection that does not include this wonderfully enjoyable DVD.
Rating: -
A Memorable Classic
Singin' In the Rain is without a doubt the best musical ever made, with one of the best musical actors of the time ever, Gene Kelly. It's a great love story, and has an overall great story in general. It's a great movie about Hollywood during the transition from silent to talking pictures and a popular actor who is having trouble with the transition, he meets a girl and they fall in love. It is a fun movie for everyone and has wonderful music, I would recommend it to anyone.