The Silver Screen Oasis

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.

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...

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.

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.

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).

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.

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.

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.

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

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.

I'm with you Rudyfan - my two favorites are Jean and Donald.

Then I'll take Gene, he's my favorite

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.


Whenever I've been in a public situation feeling shy, intimidated or out of place, I think to myself: How would Cyd Charisse carry herself at such a moment? I'm not sure if it works all the time, but my posture may be better at such moments.

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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