ReView: ‘What a glorious feelin’’ Watching ‘Singin’ in the Rain’

“Singin’ in the Rain” is a brilliant, vibrant medley of exceptional singing, dancing and acting.

The 1952 film features a star-studded cast brimming with triple threat actors, dazzling costumes and a soundtrack of expertly crafted songs. Achieving a well-deserved 100% on Rotten Tomatoes, “Singin’ in the Rain” is rightfully considered one of the greatest movie musicals of all time — even securing the title “#1 movie musical in cinematic history” by The American Film Institute.

The film follows movie star Don Lockwood (Gene Kelly), his on-screen love interest Lina Lamont (Jean Hagen), and his musician best friend Cosmo Brown (Donald O’Connor), as they navigate Hollywood during its transition from silent movies to “talking pictures.” Lina’s obnoxiously shrill voice, however, is unfit for the talking picture scene. 

Don soon meets Kathy Seldon, a chorus girl with big dreams played by Debbie Reynolds (“Halloweentown”). He falls in love with her, eventually recognizing her talent for singing. Cosmo then comes up with the idea that Kathy should dub Lina’s voice in their upcoming talking picture, “The Dancing Cavalier.”

When Lina finds out about Don and Kathy’s relationship, she becomes jealous and immediately makes attempts to end the relationship — along with Kathy’s career. Lina discovers there are plans to recognize Kathy for her vocal contribution to “The Dancing Cavalier” and uses her celebrity status to blackmail Monumental Pictures and ensure that Kathy is uncredited.

Ironically, in a final scene where Kathy is dubbing Lina’s voice without receiving proper credit from Monumental Pictures, Reynolds herself is being dubbed by Betty Noyes, a singer who did not receive any screen credit for “Singin’ in the Rain!”

“Singin’ in the Rain” is an outstanding combination of comedy, drama and romance.

Donald O’Connor (“There’s No Business Like Show Business”) as Cosmo Brown carries a lighthearted comedic presence throughout the film, stealing the show with his thrilling performance of “Make ‘Em Laugh.”

Simultaneously belting out the vocals for “Make ‘Em Laugh,” O’Connor frantically and comically danced around the set while doing multiple backflips, kip ups and hat tricks. Even more impressive, the scene was taken as a continuous sequence shot with no cuts in which a large portion was improvised by O’Connor. 

The song “You Were Meant for Me” amplifies the romance between Don and Kathy. The stage set with a sunset backdrop, moon-like lighting and a light breeze from prop fans provides a gorgeous visual that compliments the character’s feelings for each other. The talented leads have a captivating chemistry in the movie — despite not being too fond of each other in real life.

Throughout the entire movie, there are exceptional dance numbers like “Fit as a Fiddle” and “Moses” that are super complex and just as impressive, if not more so, than Gene Kelly’s (“An American in Paris”) iconic performance of the title track “Singin’ in the Rain.” His character splashes through puddles and swings around a light pole in what is now a classic cinematic moment.

The film features technical dancing in the forms of tap, street style tap, jazz, acrobatics and more, elevating the musical to another level. Surprisingly, Reynolds had no dance training prior to being cast, and was taught most of the choreography during filming.

“Singin’ in the Rain” stands out in the musical genre because of the advanced dancing and skillful acting performances that carry the movie throughout. With its colorful and exciting scenes, “Singin’ in the Rain” continues to entertain fans even decades after its release. The inspiring story has a nostalgic feeling and a hopeful tone which tell viewers to follow their dreams and their hearts. 

Consistently timeless and influential, “Singin’ in the Rain” is a must-see movie for all ages. “Singin’ in the Rain” is available to rent or purchase on Amazon Prime Video, Max, Hulu and Apple TV.

ReView is a recurring movie review column.