TCM - Singing In The Rain

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Uncle Stevie
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TCM - Singing In The Rain

Post by Uncle Stevie »

TCM had Singing In The Rain on tonight. What a glorious wonderful musical. Debbie Reynolds really found herself in this movie. Gene Kelly and Donald O'Connor were superb. A well spent evening.
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JackFavell
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Re: TCM - Singing In The Rain

Post by JackFavell »

After watching the film about 250 times at least in my life, I actually watched Debbie for a change in the "Good Morning" number this time. She was fabulous. Her dancing was great, of course, but her facial expressions as she was dancing in this number were priceless...
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movieman1957
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Re: TCM - Singing In The Rain

Post by movieman1957 »

I always marveled at how Reynolds kept up. I am sure they were quite demanding and she worked herself silly but I can't imagine they compromised any of the numbers just to suit her.
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JackFavell
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Re: TCM - Singing In The Rain

Post by JackFavell »

I always felt that way until tonight when I really watched her - she more than keeps up, and she looks like she is having a grand time doing it.
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Re: TCM - Singing In The Rain

Post by mrsl »

.
That's the number that when it was over and she took off her shoes, they were lined with blood. The practice earlier caused sores to develop and I guess they burst while filming, but as you say, she proved herself a trooper by not letting on that there was anything wrong. Debbie was not a dancer, she had to learn how to dance for Singin' in the Rain, so her feet were not hardened by years of use as most dancers feet are.
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Re: TCM - Singing In The Rain

Post by jdb1 »

I am remembering reading in various places that Kelly wasn't thrilled with the casting of Reynolds, and gave her a hard time with the dance routines. I'm also pretty sure that Debbie Reynolds was already dance-trained, at least in tap, but that Kelly didn't think she could do the more balletic routines with him, and made her rehearse endlessly.

Debbie Reynolds is one of the few little, perky musical performers of the movies who I can stand. More than with any of the others of that era, there was a playfulness and hint of sexuality about her that made her the cutsie-poo-ness of most of her roles bearable. One of the things I've never liked about the musical women of the early 50s extravaganzas (e.g., Grayson; Powell) is that they took themselves so very seriously. Feh.

Reynolds had a figure to die for, too, which was generally played down because of the wholesome parts she had to play. I'll never forget the gist of that scene in -- now what was it -- maybe Divorce, American Style -- where she opened her robe to reveal scanty underwear or a maybe it was a bikini, shouting "Is this the body of a middle aged mother????" I knew right then that that's what I wanted to be (no chance for me as to the figure, I'm afraid).
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Re: TCM - Singing In The Rain

Post by knitwit45 »

I remember seeing an interview with DR about the movie, and how frustrated she was, and how hard Kelly was with her. She fled into an empty room, got UNDER a piano, and had a good cry. She was mumbling to herself how she just couldn't do it anymore, when some one came in and started playing the piano. He calmly told her if she wanted to make it in movies, she would get back up, dust her wounded feelings off, and do the job. It was Fred Astaire.
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Re: TCM - Singing In The Rain

Post by Lzcutter »

MrCutter came over the hill on Saturday evening to attend the screening of Rain at the Egyptian with me. He's seen the movies plenty of times on tv but never on the big screen.

It's been years since I've seen it on the big screen and as I sat there Saturday night watching it with MrC and a full house of movie buffs, I found myself watching the iconic "Rain" dance and getting caught up in Kelly's enthusiasm. As he was dancing I was reminded for the first time in years why this number is always featured in clips and montages about American film history.

Kelly captures a bit of the old Doug Fairbanks, Sr love of making movies in this one and it shows across his face and his dancing perhaps more than other musical he made.
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Re: TCM - Singing In The Rain

Post by charliechaplinfan »

Singin' In The Rain is probably my most watched film ever, I'd love to see it on the big screen. I've read the same about Debbie Reynolds, I'm sure he was hard on her and I can't imagine anyone else playing Cathy. I agree with you Judith, I've never cared for Kathryn Grayson but I've always liked Debbie Reynolds, there's just something about her that makes her very watchable.
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Re: TCM - Singing In The Rain

Post by rudyfan »

I love Singin in the Rain, but with Jean Hagen on screen, who watches anyone else? She's so totally brilliant in this film. :D

When Hagen is not on screen, I'm just in love with the uber talented Donald O'Connor as Cosmo Brown (great screen name if ever there was one).

Of course, Gene and Debbie are wonderful. It's practically a perfect film. :D
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JackFavell
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Re: TCM - Singing In The Rain

Post by JackFavell »

I'm with you Rudyfan - my two favorites are Jean and Donald.
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charliechaplinfan
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Re: TCM - Singing In The Rain

Post by charliechaplinfan »

Then I'll take Gene, he's my favorite :wink:
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Re: TCM - Singing In The Rain

Post by moira finnie »

Gene Kelly is great fun in this movie, though I kept hoping he'd find something to love in Jean Hagen's irrepressible dolt. I always think it might have been a more intriguing plot if they'd had a Petruchio and Kate relationship.

Btw, Cyd Charisse ain't exactly chopped liver in this movie.
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Sue Sue Applegate
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Re: TCM - Singing In The Rain

Post by Sue Sue Applegate »

I love this film. And I loved it even more after seeing the way it was originally intended to be viewed. Everyone has so much fun watching the film together in a theater. Hearing the laughter, and having people singing along, or swaying in unison just makes it such a lively experience.
It is a very uplifting movie, and it was wonderful to see so many filmgoers so positively affected by such evocative music and dance numbers.
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Re: TCM - Singing In The Rain

Post by movieman1957 »

Chris

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