Singin' in the Rain (1952)

User Rating:

8.4/10   

Directors:

Stanley Donen
Gene Kelly

Writers:

Adolph Green (story) and
Betty Comden (story) ...
(more)

Release Date:

11 April 1952 (USA)

Genre:

Comedy | Musical | Romance

Tagline:

Singin' Swingin' Glorious Feelin' Technicolor Musical

Plot:

A silent film production company and cast make a difficult transition to sound.

Plot Keywords:

Love | Actress | Friend | Diction Coach | Piano

Awards:

Nominated for 2 Oscars. Another 3 wins & 7 nominations

Cast

Gene Kelly	...	Don Lockwood
Donald O'Connor	...	Cosmo Brown
Debbie Reynolds	...	Kathy Selden
Jean Hagen	...	Lina Lamont
Millard Mitchell	...	R.F. Simpson
Cyd Charisse	...	Dancer
Douglas Fowley	...	Roscoe Dexter
Rita Moreno	...	Zelda Zanders
rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Dawn Addams	...	Teresa - a lady-in-waiting (uncredited)
John Albright	...	Call Boy (uncredited)
Betty Allen	...	Chorus Girl (uncredited)
Sue Allen	...	Chorus Girl (uncredited)
Marie Ardell	...	Chorus Girl (uncredited)
Bette Arlen	...	Chorus Girl (uncredited)
Jimmy Bates	...	Boy (uncredited)
Marcella Becker	...	Chorus Girl (uncredited)
Margaret Bert	...	Wardrobe Woman (uncredited)
David Blair	...	Chorus Boy (uncredited)
Madge Blake	...	Dora Bailey (uncredited)
Gail Bonney	...	Audience Member (uncredited)
Gwen Carter	...	Girl Talking with Cosmo at Party (uncredited)
Bill Chatham	...	Chorus Boy (uncredited)
Mae Clarke	...	Hairdresser (uncredited)
Lyle Clark	...	Audience Member (uncredited)
Harry Cody	...	Audience Member (uncredited)
Chick Collins	...	Fencer (uncredited)
Pat Conway	...	Projectionist (uncredited)
Jeanne Coyne	...	Chorus Girl (uncredited)
Fred Datig Jr.	...	Movie Usher (uncredited)
Bert Davidson	...	Sound Engineer (uncredited)
Robert Dayo	...	Chorus Boy (uncredited)
Patricia Denise	...	Chorus Girl (uncredited)
Kay Deslys	...	Audience Member (uncredited)
Gloria DeWerd	...	Chorus Girl (uncredited)
John Dodsworth	...	Baron de la Ma de la Toulon (uncredited)
King Donovan	...	Rod (uncredited)
Michael Dugan	...	Audience Member (uncredited)
Phil Dunham	...	Audience Member (uncredited)
Helen Eby-Rock	...	Audience Member (uncredited)
Marietta Elliott	...	Chorus Girl (uncredited)
Richard Emory	...	Phil - Villain in Barroom Brawl (uncredited)
Betty Erbes	...	Chorus Girl (uncredited)
Charles Evans	...	Audience Member (uncredited)
Tommy Farrell	...	Sid Phillips (uncredited)
Don Fields	...	Audience Member (uncredited)
Ernie Flatt	...	Chorus Boy (uncredited)
Bess Flowers	...	Audience Member (uncredited)
Robert Fortier	...	Gangster in Broadway Melody Ballet (uncredited)
Dan Foster	...	Assistant Director (uncredited)
Robert Foulk	...	Matt - Policeman (uncredited)
Kathleen Freeman	...	Phoebe Dinsmore (uncredited)
Lance Fuller	...	Chorus Boy (uncredited)
Jeanne Gail	...	Chorus Girl (uncredited)
Glen Gallagher	...	Audience Member (uncredited)
Jon Gardner	...	Kid (uncredited)
Diane Garrett	...	Usherette (uncredited)
Jack George	...	Orchestra Leader (uncredited)
Shirley Glickman	...	Chorus Girl (uncredited)
Inez Gorman	...	Mrs. Simpson (uncredited)
A. Cameron Grant	...	Audience Member (uncredited)
Beatrice Gray	...	Audience Member (uncredited)
Marion Gray	...	Audience Member (uncredited)
William Hamel	...	Audience Member (uncredited)
Betty Hannon	...	Chorus Girl (uncredited)
Timmy Hawkins	...	Boy (uncredited)
Dean Henson	...	Audience Member (uncredited)
Jean Heremans	...	Fencer (uncredited)
Stuart Holmes	...	J. Cumberland Spendrill III (uncredited)
Joyce Horne	...	Chorus Girl (uncredited)
Don Hulbert	...	Chorus Boy (uncredited)
Frank Hyers	...	Audience Member (uncredited)
Patricia Jackson	...	Chorus Girl (uncredited)
Ivor James	...	Chorus Boy (uncredited)
Morgan Jones	...	Audience Member (uncredited)
David Kasday	...	Kid (uncredited)
Jan Kayne	...	Usherette (uncredited)
Jimmy Kelly	...	Chorus Boy (uncredited)
Kenner G. Kemp	...	Police Escort at Premiere (uncredited)
Mike Lally	...	Audience Member (uncredited)
Judy Landon	...	Olga Mara (uncredited)
Joi Lansing	...	Chorus Girl (uncredited)
Janet Lavis	...	Chorus Girl (uncredited)
Virginia Lee	...	Chorus Girl (uncredited)
William F. Leicester	...	Audience Member (uncredited)
Peggy Leon	...	Audience Member (uncredited)
Diki Lerner	...	Male Tango Dancer (uncredited)
Bill Lewin	...	Bert - Cowboy Knocked Out in Barroom Brawl (uncredited)
Sylvia Lewis	...	Female Tango Dancer (uncredited)
John Logan	...	Chorus Boy (uncredited)
Leon Lontoc	...	Filipino Butler (uncredited)
Shirley Lopez	...	Chorus Girl (uncredited)
Joan Maloney	...	Chorus Girl (uncredited)
Paul Maxey	...	Dancing Fat Man at Party (uncredited)
Dorothy McCarty	...	Chorus Girl (uncredited)
Ann McCrea	...	Chorus Girl (uncredited)
Johnny McGovern	...	Boy (uncredited)
Joseph Mell	...	Projectionist (uncredited)
Sheila Meyers	...	Chorus Girl (uncredited)
Carl Milletaire	...	Villain (uncredited)
Gloria Moore	...	Chorus Girl (uncredited)
Marilyn Moore	...	Usherette (uncredited)
Forbes Murray	...	Undetermined Role (uncredited)
Peggy Murray	...	Chorus Girl (uncredited)
Anne Neyland	...	Chorus Girl (uncredited)
Ruth Packard	...	Audience Member (uncredited)
Dorothy Patrick	...	Usherette (uncredited)
Allen Pinson	...	Fencer (uncredited)
'Snub' Pollard	...	Old Man Getting Umbrella in "Singin' in the Rain" Number (uncredited)
Angi O. Poulis	...	Fruit Peddler (uncredited)
Charles Regan	...	Saloon Keeper (uncredited)
Shirley Jean Rickert	...	Chorus Girl (uncredited)
Joanne Rio	...	Chorus Girl (uncredited)
Joel Robinson	...	Chorus Girl (uncredited)
Joette Robinson	...	Chorus Girl (uncredited)
Tony Rocke	...	Man in Forecourt (uncredited)
Dennis Ross	...	Cosmo as a Boy (uncredited)
Paul Salata	...	Chorus Boy (uncredited)
Audrey Saunders	...	Chorus Girl (uncredited)
Russell Saunders	...	Fencer (uncredited)
William Schallert	...	Messenger on Screen (uncredited)
Betty Scott	...	Chorus Girl (uncredited)
David Sharpe	...	Fencer (uncredited)
Elaine Stewart	...	Lady-in-Waiting (uncredited)
Ben Strobach	...	Leading Man (uncredited)
Brick Sullivan	...	Policeman in "Singin' in the Rain" Number (uncredited)
Allen Sutherland	...	Don as a Boy (uncredited)
Julius Tannen	...	Man in Talking Pictures Demonstration (uncredited)
Harry Tenbrook	...	Sound Technician (uncredited)
Jimmy Thompson	...	Singer (segment "Beautiful Girl) (uncredited)
Dee Turnell	...	Chorus Girl (uncredited)
Tommy Walker	...	Chorus Boy (uncredited)
Audrey Washburn	...	Chorus Girl (uncredited)
Bobby Watson	...	Diction Coach (uncredited)
Robert Williams	...	Policeman (uncredited)
Wilson Wood	...	Rudy Vallee Impersonator (uncredited)
Adam York	...	Publicity Man (uncredited)
Norma Zimmer	...	Chorus Girl (uncredited)

Directed by
Stanley Donen
Gene Kelly

Writing credits
Adolph Green		(story) and
Betty Comden		(story)
Adolph Green		(screenplay) and
Betty Comden		(screenplay)

Produced by
Arthur Freed	....	producer
Roger Edens	....	associate producer (uncredited)

Cinematography by
Harold Rosson		(director of photography)

Film Editing by
Adrienne Fazan

Art Direction by
Randall Duell
Cedric Gibbons

Set Decoration by
Jacques Mapes		(as Jacque Mapes)
Edwin B. Willis
Harry McAfee		(uncredited)

Costume Design by
Walter Plunkett

Makeup Department
Sydney Guilaroff	....	hair styles designer
William Tuttle	....	makeup designer
Martha Acker	....	hair stylist (uncredited)
Mary Bashe	....	body makeup artist (uncredited)
Ben Lane	....	makeup artist (uncredited)
Helene Parsons	....	hair stylist (uncredited)
Dorothy Ponedel	....	key makeup artist (uncredited)
John True	....	makeup artist (uncredited)

Production Management
Charles J. Hunt	....	production manager (uncredited)
William C. Strohm	....	production manager (uncredited)

Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
John Greenwald	....	second assistant director (uncredited)
Marvin Stuart	....	assistant director (uncredited)

Art Department
Tommy Crawford	....	props (uncredited)
Tom Ordoqui	....	props (uncredited)

Sound Department
Douglas Shearer	....	recording supervisor
William Edmondson	....	sound mixer (uncredited)
Norwood A. Fenton	....	sound (uncredited)
James F. Gaither Jr.	....	sound recordist (uncredited)
Van Allen James	....	sound editor (uncredited)
Ralph A. Pender	....	sound mixer (uncredited)
Robert Shirley	....	sound mixer (uncredited)
William Steinkamp	....	sound mixer (uncredited)
Michael Steinore	....	sound mixer (uncredited)

Special Effects by
Warren Newcombe	....	special effects
Irving G. Ries	....	special effects

Visual Effects by
Mark Davis	....	cinematographer: matte painting (uncredited)

Stunts
Chick Collins	....	stunts (uncredited)
Jean Heremans	....	stunts (uncredited)
Allen Pinson	....	stunts (uncredited)
Russell Saunders	....	stunt double: Gene Kelly (uncredited)
David Sharpe	....	stunt double (uncredited)

Camera and Electrical Department
John Alton	....	additional photographer (uncredited)
Richard Borland	....	rigging grip (uncredited)
Eric Carpenter	....	still photographer (uncredited)
M.D. Cline	....	gaffer (uncredited)
Hank Forester	....	grip (uncredited)
Ed Hubbell	....	still photographer (uncredited)
J. James	....	assistant chief lighting technician (uncredited)
Tom Long	....	grip (uncredited)
Leo Monlon	....	key grip (uncredited)
John M. Nickolaus Jr.	....	camera operator (uncredited)
Frank V. Phillips	....	camera operator (uncredited)
Wes Shanks	....	gaffer (uncredited)
Cliff Shirpser	....	assistant camera: Technicolor (uncredited)

Costume and Wardrobe Department
Vicki Nichols	....	wardrobe (uncredited)
Dave Saltuper	....	wardrobe (uncredited)

Editorial Department
Peter Ballbusch	....	montage (uncredited)
Ed Hartzke	....	assistant editor (uncredited)
William LeVanway	....	supervising editor (uncredited)

Music Department
Jeff Alexander	....	vocal arranger
Nacio Herb Brown	....	composer: songs
Stanley Donen	....	director: musical numbers
Stanley Donen	....	stager: musical numbers
Arthur Freed	....	lyricist
Lennie Hayton	....	musical director
Wally Heglin	....	orchestrator
Gene Kelly	....	director: musical numbers
Gene Kelly	....	stager: musical numbers
Skip Martin	....	orchestrator
Conrad Salinger	....	orchestrator
Alexander Courage	....	orchestrator (uncredited)
Peter P. Decek	....	music mixer (uncredited)
Maurice De Packh	....	orchestrator (uncredited)
Robert Franklyn	....	orchestrator (uncredited)
Johnny Green	....	musical director (uncredited)
M.J. McLaughlin	....	music mixer (uncredited)
William Saracino	....	music mixer (uncredited)
Lela Simone	....	music coordinator (uncredited)

Other crew
James Gooch	....	technicolor color consultant
Henri Jaffa	....	technicolor color consultant
Dorothy Aldrin	....	script supervisor (uncredited)
Jack Aldworth	....	script supervisor (uncredited)
Helen Auer	....	secretary: Mr. Freed (uncredited)
Rene Barsam	....	stand-in (uncredited)
Jeanne Coyne	....	assistant dance director (uncredited)
Ernie Flatt	....	tap dance instructor (uncredited)
Phil Garris	....	stand-in (uncredited)
Carol Haney	....	assistant dance director (uncredited)
Belva Lannan	....	secretary: Mr. Edens (uncredited)
Alma Maison	....	stand-in (uncredited)
Bill Ryan	....	assistant: Mr. Freed (uncredited)
Lela Simone	....	assistant: Mr. Freed (uncredited)
Gwen Verdon	....	assistant choreographer (uncredited)

Production Companies

• Loew's

Distributors

• Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer (MGM) (1952) (USA) (theatrical) (controlled by Loew's Incorporated)
• Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer (MGM) (1952) (UK) (theatrical)
• Chapel Distribution (1997) (Australia) (theatrical)
• Lii-Filmi (1964) (Finland) (theatrical) (re-release)
• Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer (MGM) (1952) (Finland) (theatrical)
• Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer (MGM) (1952) (Sweden) (theatrical)
• Criterion Collection, The (USA) (laserdisc)
• Herald Film Company (Japan)
• MGM Home Entertainment (1998) (USA) (DVD)
• MGM/UA Home Entertainment (1998) (USA) (laserdisc)
• MGM/UA Home Entertainment (USA) (VHS)
• National Broadcasting Company (NBC) (1963) (USA) (TV) (broadcast premiere)
• Sandrews (2000) (Sweden) (DVD)
• Sandrews (2002) (Sweden) (DVD)
• Vídeo Arte (????) (Brazil) (VHS)
• Warner Home Video (2000) (USA) (DVD)
• Warner Home Video (2000) (USA) (VHS)
• Warner Home Video (2002) (USA) (DVD)
• Warner Home Vídeo (????) (Brazil) (DVD)

Runtime:

103 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color (Technicolor) | Black and White

Aspect Ratio:

1.37 : 1

Sound Mix:

Mono (Western Electric Sound System)

Certification:

Canada:G (Manitoba/Nova Scotia/Quebec) | Canada:PG (Ontario) | USA:Approved (certificate #15511) (original rating) | USA:TV-G (TV rating) | USA:Passed (National Board of Review) | Iceland:L | Germany:12 | South Korea:All | Argentina:Atp | Australia:G | Finland:S | Netherlands:AL | Portugal:M/6 | Spain:T | Sweden:Btl | UK:U | USA:G (new rating) (1975) | West Germany:12

Filming Locations:

Grauman's Chinese Theater - 6925 Hollywood Blvd., Hollywood, Los Angeles, California, USA

Company:

Loew's

Trivia:

Debbie Reynolds had to rub her eyes with onions to make herself cry for the penultimate scene in the movie, when Kelly tells the audience that she, and not Lina, is the real star of "The Dancing Cavalier."

Goofs:

Anachronisms: Several headlines from the popular entertainment newspaper "Variety" are shown, and Cosmo even makes a reference to "Variety". However, "Variety" did not publish its first issue until 1933 (the film is set in 1927).

Quotes:

[first lines]
Dora Bailey: [broadcasting on radio] This is Dora Bailey, ladies and gentlemen, talking to you from the front of the Chinese Theater in Hollywood. What a night, ladies and gentlemen, what a night! Every star in Hollywood's heaven is here to make Monumental Pictures' premiere of "The Royal Rascal" the outstanding event of 1927! Everyone is breathlessly awaiting the arrival of Lina Lamont and Don Lockwood!

Movie Connections:

Featured in I Love Your Work (2003)

Soundtrack:

Make 'Em Laugh

A fabulous musical romance about film technology

Don Lockwood (Gene Kelly) and Lina Lamont (Jean Hagen) are a famed Hollywood duo, making films at the tail end of the silent era. The studio has been issuing PR suggesting that they're a romantic item. In reality, they can barely stand one another. One night, while on the town with his best friend Cosmo Brown (Donald O' Connor), Lockwood has to run to escape fans who want a piece of him badly enough that they'll literally rip his clothes to shreds. He hops over a number of moving vehicles and ends up in the passenger seat of Kathy Selden's (Debbie Reynolds) car. Lockwood seems immediately taken with her, but she gives him the cold shoulder. She says she's an actress with a love of theater, and she looks down on film acting. Later, Lockwood discovers that she was inflating the truth a bit, as he sees Selden performing as a cute song & dance girl at an industry party he's attending. She runs out of the party and Lockwood chases after her, but he's too late. While he tries to track her down, he, Lamont and their studio have to deal with the changing nature of film in 1927--made much more difficult by the fact that Lamont may look glamorous, but she talks more like Fran Drescher in "The Nanny" (1993).

Aside from the more serious aspects of the plot, Singing in the Rain is a great success as a romance and a musical. It also has an astoundingly rich Technicolor look, and it is charmingly humorous. Kelly and Reynolds click on screen, even if offscreen Kelly, who also co-directed and co-choreographed, was famously difficult to work with--he drove Reynolds so hard (she was a much more inexperienced dancer) that her feet literally started bleeding at one point. The songs are great, they're worked into the story well--which is perhaps surprising given that most of them weren't written specifically for this film--and the choreography is impeccable, frequently jaw dropping and always aesthetically wondrous and sublime. If for nothing else, the film is worth a look for its often-athletic dance numbers, which can resemble Jackie Chan's showy martial arts stunts as much as dancing. It's also imperative viewing for cultural literacy in the realm of film.

But the more serious aspects of the plot are fascinating as well. In a significant way, Singing in the Rain is about film technology. Film technology is the hinge of the plot, after all. The climax and dénouement are decided by the advent of synchronized sound in the film industry. We see studio head R.F. Simpson (Millard Mitchell) demonstrating sound films at the party where Lockwood sees Selden for the second time, providing two big turning points at once. There are sequences of actors heading off to diction coaches, as happened in reality once sound entered the scene, and also in reality as in the film some actor's careers were jeopardized by having to suddenly master a new skill.

But Singing in the Rain is about technology on another level, too. Kelly and co-director Stanley Donen go to great lengths to ensure that the film is an exemplar of state-of-the-art film technology in 1952. For example, the beautiful Technicolor cinematography is emphasized by the fabulously colorful costumes and production design--they're showing off cutting edge color. The sound is as good as it could be in 1952, and the fact that this is a musical helps show that off. The sets and effects are complex and an attempt is made to show them off as well.

Donen and Kelly often play up the artificiality of the sets and effects to emphasize artistry and technology. This is clearly shown in the "Make 'Em Laugh" sequence (and surrounding events) and the extended "Broadway Rhythm Ballet" sequence with Cyd Charisse. Showing off this artistry and technology also occurs very subtly, as with the rain in the "Singing in the Rain" sequence. Even today, rain machines are frequently employed in a way that it appears to be raining on film, but in reality, it's just enough coverage to produce the illusion. In the "Singing in the Rain" sequence, they make sure that you can see the whole area is getting flooded, and they use Gene Kelly's umbrella, as torrents of water bounce off of it, to emphasize that no matter where he goes, "rain" is pouring down on him.

While there are many musicals I like as much as Singing in The Rain, this is one of the better-loved examples of that genre, and for good reason. Any musical lover has surely seen this already, and if not, they should run out now and pick it up on DVD. If you're relatively unfamiliar with classic Hollywood musicals, this is one of the best places to start.