TCM - Singing In The Rain
Re: TCM - Singing In The Rain
thanks, Chris! Some of these things I had heard before (Debbie Reynolds told the story on a talk show about Fred Astaire finding her under the piano,) but the stories about Rita Moreno and Jean Hagen....wow. Can you imagine the "Jungle Princess" trailer? I wonder if any of the deleted Rita Moreno number still exists?
Re: TCM - Singing In The Rain
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The sad thing about Singing in the Rain is so many people don't understand what is really going on in the movie. Many people just see a musical not realizing it is an introduction to the changeover from silent to sound movies. To begin with, Jean Hagen would never have been kept with that voice, and no matter how much training she was given, none of it ever took. Of course I would have much preferred someone else than Gene Kelly as Don Lockwood, but as he was a partner in the choreographic duties, I suppose nobody else could have been there. He certainly took care of himself in the solo department especially in holding Donald O'Connor down to only the one 'Make 'em Laugh' solo but that's Kelly for you anyway. Jean Hagen again, was marvelous especially in disguising her voice as she did. I wonder if she took any kind of rest period at the end to just relax her throat and larynx. I love O'Connor's acrobatic way of dancing, he's very similar to Gene Nelson, and Dan Dailey who were terribly dismissed by the casting offices. Although Debbie was wonderful in . . . Rain, it was early in her adult career and too bad it wasn't followed up by something similar to Unsinkable Molly Brown. Besides Kelly, the only other thing I don't care for is that final 'Gotta Dance' number. For one, it's too long, and for another, it just doesn't seem to fit in this movie, but then we wouldn't have had the pleasure of seeing that fella Cyd (as her husband called her), dancing.
.
The sad thing about Singing in the Rain is so many people don't understand what is really going on in the movie. Many people just see a musical not realizing it is an introduction to the changeover from silent to sound movies. To begin with, Jean Hagen would never have been kept with that voice, and no matter how much training she was given, none of it ever took. Of course I would have much preferred someone else than Gene Kelly as Don Lockwood, but as he was a partner in the choreographic duties, I suppose nobody else could have been there. He certainly took care of himself in the solo department especially in holding Donald O'Connor down to only the one 'Make 'em Laugh' solo but that's Kelly for you anyway. Jean Hagen again, was marvelous especially in disguising her voice as she did. I wonder if she took any kind of rest period at the end to just relax her throat and larynx. I love O'Connor's acrobatic way of dancing, he's very similar to Gene Nelson, and Dan Dailey who were terribly dismissed by the casting offices. Although Debbie was wonderful in . . . Rain, it was early in her adult career and too bad it wasn't followed up by something similar to Unsinkable Molly Brown. Besides Kelly, the only other thing I don't care for is that final 'Gotta Dance' number. For one, it's too long, and for another, it just doesn't seem to fit in this movie, but then we wouldn't have had the pleasure of seeing that fella Cyd (as her husband called her), dancing.
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Anne
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