Movies have been around for about 125 years. Singin’ in the Rain basically comes in the middle. If you haven’t seen it then do yourself a favor; it has qualities representing the best of what movies can be. No matter how many times I watch, it still gets my undivided attention. It’s a straight-up entertaining romp offering hilarity, breathtakingly physical dance numbers and people who are pleasing to look at (Gene Kelly, ‘dat ass). It’s also the first film of which I am aware that goes meta, exploring the making of movies and the politics and personalities of Hollywood. My favorite example of this theme is Robert Altman’s The Player (1992) which, while it did not make my top 10, is absolutely fantastic and probably should have (picking 10 is hard).
Made in a period when American film was transitioning to projects of more substantial content such as On The Waterfront (1954), Singin’ in the Rain represents perhaps the pinnacle of the film age that came before. That was the age of the triple threat; actors who could sing, dance and, um, act. One of the numerous tales to come out of making Singin’ in the Rain is Gene Kelly reducing Debbie Reynolds to tears when he told her that she couldn’t dance. Making movies can be a harsh, cynical business (and Gene Kelly had a reputation for being a perfectionist who ruled through fear) but I can’t argue that the finished product is anything short of delightful.
Bonus fun film fact about Singin’ in the Rain: The bit about them putting milk in the rain so it would show up on camera for Gene Kelly’s signature number is bunk. The rain was backlit.
Bonus fun personal fact about Singin’ in the Rain: I refuse to screen A Clockwork Orange (1971) for my wife because I fret it would forever ruin subsequent viewings of Singin’ in the Rain for her. Does that make me a controlling, paternalistic dick?