Singin' in the Rain

Jamie, Ashley, Camille, Sophie 

Singin' in the Rain represents a spectrum of film history, genre, and theme. It contains all the aspects of filmmaking Dr. Casper discussed in lecture: technology, business, art, and entertainment. We see the advancement of technology through the splendor of color but also in plot as we watch the development of the talkie film. The viewer gets a “behind the scenes” look at filmmaking, criticizing the artifice of the production yet glamourizing and celebrating Hollywood.  In terms of business, the film highlights the pressures of the producers to be lucrative yet fair and artistic. The film also encompasses multiple genres including romance, comedy, and musical. Singin’ in the Rain effectively introduces the viewer into the mindset and realm of cinema.

The dream sequence, “Broadway Ballet,” comes off incredibly corny and unnecessary. It seems as if the filmmakers wanted to show off the dancers, use of color, and Gene Kelley’s talent. It really does not fit into the story line at all and seems a bit like a gimmick. Otherwise, the movie works to show all sides of the film industry and is incredibly entertaining.

We watched “Good Morning” by Mickey Rooney and Judy Garland from Babes in Arms (1939). In Singin’ in the Rain, it was repurposed to work after the preview of the movie and after the three leads came up with the idea of the voice over. In the original, the song is less of a dance number than a simple performance of the song next to a piano. The filmmakers in Singin’ in the Rainwere able to make the song much more cinematic by using the room, multiple points of view, and making an eye-pleasing spectacle with movement.

The filmmakers probably chose to recycle music because it gives the movie familiarity that the audience can sing along to. It’s nostalgia enhanced with memorable actors. It brings about different works into one film. It brings together historical moments and synthesizes it into a single work.

As a result, it makes even more sense to show Singin’ in the Rain first because it represents and reinterprets a variety of film history in a single movie. However, the recycling also makes the viewer more aware of how contrived each number was. They had to create a situation where singing “Good morning” to each other would make sense so the characters stayed up all night thinking of an alternative to the terrible movie.