Singin' in the Rain (1952)

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

Directors:

Stanley Donen, Gene Kelly

Writers:

Betty Comden (story by), Adolph Green (story by)

Stars:

Gene Kelly, Donald O'Connor, Debbie Reynolds

Top Rated Movies #92 | Nominated for 2 Oscars. Another 5 wins & 7 nominations.

Cast

Complete credited 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

Storyline

1927 Hollywood. Monumental Pictures' biggest stars, glamorous on-screen couple Lina Lamont and Don Lockwood, are also an off-screen couple if the trade papers and gossip columns are to be believed. Both perpetuate the public perception if only to please their adoring fans and bring people into the movie theaters. In reality, Don barely tolerates her, while Lina, despite thinking Don beneath her, simplemindedly believes what she sees on screen in order to bolster her own stardom and sense of self-importance. R.F. Simpson, Monumental's head, dismisses what he thinks is a flash in the pan: talking pictures. It isn't until The Jazz Singer (1927) becomes a bona fide hit which results in all the movie theaters installing sound equipment that R.F. knows Monumental, most specifically in the form of Don and Lina, have to jump on the talking picture bandwagon, despite no one at the studio knowing anything about the technology. Musician Cosmo Brown, Don's best friend, gets hired as Monumental's ...

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Plot Keywords:

national film registry | afi | black and white segues into color | title based on song | cake | 

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Taglines:

MGM's Musical Treasure !

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Genres:

Comedy | Musical | Romance

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Motion Picture Rating (MPAA)

Re-Issue from 1952

Details

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Release Date:

11 April 1952 (USA)

Also Known As:

Singin' in the Rain

Filming Locations:

Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer Studios - 10202 W. Washington Blvd., Culver City, California, USA

Box Office

Budget:

$2,540,800 (estimated)

Gross USA:

$8,819,028

Cumulative Worldwide Gross:

$13,979,088

Company Credits

Production Co:

Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer (MGM)

Technical Specs

Runtime:

103 min

Sound Mix:

Mono (Western Electric Sound System)

Color:

Color (Technicolor) Black and White

Aspect Ratio:

1.37 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

In the Italian version "Make 'Em Laugh" is sung in Italian and has similar, but a little different, lyrics. It's the only song they did this to.

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Goofs

When Don Lockwood is trying to create the romantic scene in the empty stage set, he says "We add five hundred thousand kilowatts of starlight" and flicks the switch to turn on the lights. "Five hundred thousand kilowatts" is a gross exaggeration as, even if there had been five hundred lights (highly unlikely), each would have had to produce one megawatt of energy, which would have immediately melted all the bulb filaments (and would have been impossible using 1920s technology anyway).

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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!

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Connections

Referenced in Lucy Moves to NBC (1980)

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Soundtracks

Gene Dreams of Kathy
(uncredited)
Conducted by Lennie Hayton
Performed by MGM Studio Orchestra

User Reviews

A Classic

Last year I was very lucky to catch this on the big screen. This film is meant to be seen on the big screen! It was also the first time I saw it at the theaters and I was very impressed with the visuals.

In this film movies are switching over from being silent to being "talkies". However the film is a spoof of the turmoil that afflicted the movie industry in the late 1920s when movies when the change over went from silent to sound. When two silent movie stars', Don Lockwood and Lina Lamont, latest movie is made into a musical a chorus girl is brought in to dub Lina's speaking and singing. Don is on top of the world until Lina finds out.

This is such a great film that if you ever get the chance to see this at the movies then DO IT.

Gene Kelly and Debbie Reynolds made an awesome team.