Talking about Singin’ in the Rain (1952) brought me back when I was a Gleek (or rather just an avid watcher for a moment of the musical series, Glee), back when the series really sang from their experiences to related situation, and not just to sing the current top chart song. The kids in the club look up to their coach and also motivator, Will Schuester (Matthew Morrison). But then like any human, the teacher somehow is feeling down and sick. Whenever he’s feeling it, he watches the classic Singin’ in the Rain. The teacher, with guest star Gwyneth Paltrow, made a very impressive mash up of the song with Rihanna’s Umbrella. With a very cool performance, though impossible to do in a real school auditorium. Well, the movie must be an inspiration for many people. It somehow made a little impression of how the movie could be categorized as a feel-good movie. But was it for me?
It must be a fate when Kathy Selden (Debbie Reynolds) have a very famous and hottest actor in town, Don Lockwood (Gene Kelly) randomly in her car. But the girl doesn’t recognize him, nor fall for his charismatic lines. Even blatantly tells him how shallow his work is. The funny thing is when the universe makes them both meet again, not long after their first meeting. Kathy herself actually crave for a recognition as an entertainer. It doesn’t take long for Don to fall for Kathy, always talk about it to his best friend, Cosmo (Donald O’Connor). Don doesn’t care about his well known image as the boyfriend of the hottest actress, Lina Lamont (Jean Hagen), who foolishly seem to think Don loves him.
The threat comes to Don and Lina when their current movie production must try the new talking movies technology, especially when Lina have troubles adapting the new technique. When the release of their new movie became a disaster, Don, Kathy and Cosmo found a recipe to save the movie and to pour their creative ideas. Only, in the end the recipe becomes an unfortunate future for Kathy.
Someone’s feel-good movie or a movie for his/her rainy day is relative, but it must be a movie that makes the person feel better every time after seeing it. As for me, I sincerely feel delighted seeing Gene Kelly, Donald O’Connor and Debbie Reynolds sing and dance. You couldn’t certainly entertain anyone, if you yourself don’t feel happy doing it. If you can’t bring it within you, you can’t spread the joy. So that’s very much what I feel watching the trio, or two of the three, or alone, singing and dancing. I feel joy. It must be what the three excellent actors (or entertainers) feel while they are performing, they do it with joy. So I basically just watched them playing and having fun with their musicals. Gene Kelly’s Singin’ in the Rain surely very dreamy, gives the joyful creeps.
“Well, we movie stars get the glory. I guess we have to take the little heartaches that go with it. People think we lead lives of glamour and romance, but we’re really lonely – terribly lonely.”Maybe The Artist was much or less inspired by this movie, because there’s so many resemblance. Even Jean Dujardin looks like Gene Kelly. But more importantly, it has the same background of the transitional times from silent movies to talking motion pictures. It certainly made me appreciate today’s technology, how easy for us to record a scene and how easy to edit it and produce it. The actors were easier to act since they don’t have to show it through their voices, and vocal actually a strong points for today’s performance. But just like now, an actor’s success sometimes based on luck. And what appears in the public can be just a show for fans.
No need to try hard to like the three characters; Don, Kathy and Cosmo. Their chemistry, through acting, dancing and singing, fits perfectly like it’s the most natural thing. I like how Kathy seem to be a down-to-earth girl next door who carries a big talent that no one knows. There’s no cliche games or twist when Don and Kathy confesses their mutual feelings. Like a river, the plot run smoothly, with an excellent musical brought with eye-candy visuals. The songs were easy-to-listen, naturally brought smile.
Something real in the movie was when Don feels his talent is a waste, starring the same old romance movies with the same plot lines, with the same leading partner. A boredom points for a real artist, that some famous actors today faced as challenge. Some might get caught with the comfort zone. It’s such a smart and relevant topic to talk, but it talks about it without being too dramatic or heavy. Wrapped practically and ended with a crucial moment, short but a sharp turn from what I thought.
To summarize, prepare Singin’ in the Rain for your rainy day. Maybe it doesn’t necessarily inspire, but it warms the heart and drive away the cloud above the head.
Movie Score :
