Singin' in the Rain

Directed by 

Stanley Donen and Gene Kelly 

Musicals generally aren't my kind of thing and I tend to avoid them. There are only a handful that I really like and fewer still that I love and would consider among my favorite films.  

Now I can add one more title to that list: Singin' in the Rain was a marvelous viewing experience, practically from beginning to end. 

Widely considered one of the best - if not the best - movie musicals, it's something I've had a vague interest in for years, but never went out of my way to watch it. Thanks to a recent airing on TCM, I was able to catch it and, like a lot of the classics I've been watching recently, it's one that I wish I would have seen much sooner.

Singin' in the Rain is set in Hollywood in 1927 and centers on a film studio, Monument Pictures, and their stars reacting to the advent of "talkies". The new technology and way of working is, at first, laughed off as a trifle, but soon it is obvious talkies are the wave of the future and they have to race to keep up with the competition.

* A 1927 film premiere at Grauman's Chinese Theater *

Monument Picture's biggest stars are Don Lockwood (Gene Kelly) and Lina Lamont (Jean Hagen) a duo who have appeared in numerous silent film romances together. The studio consistently spreads rumors that the two are a romantic item off-screen, as well, and, even though Don vehemently denies it, Lina believes it to be true. Don's childhood best friend, Cosmo (Donald O'Connor) is a studio musician and piano player on all the Lockwood-Lamont features and is often brought along to premieres and other events.

After their most recent premiere, when mobbed by his adoring fans, Don jumps into a passing car and meets the beautiful Kathy (Debbie Reynolds). He's instantly smitten, but she rejects his advances. Of course, the two become an item and work together with Cosmo to save the day, in more ways than one. 

What transpires is a fun, energetic, and beautiful motion picture. There are numerous great, catchy musical numbers in addition to wonderful performances and a witty script. From a technical perspective, I can't imagine any other musical from the era (or from today, for that matter) surpassing Singin' in the Rain.

One of my only complaints is about the opening credits where the filmmakers decided to use a truncated version of the title song - Singin' in the Rain - along with the three main protagonists. It's entertaining, for sure, but has the adverse effect of spoiling the reveal of the song later and of establishing that Don and Kathy will become friendly. These are small qualms, but I can't think of any reason why the filmmakers would want to start the movie in this way. A different song could have been used and it could have just featured Kelly and O'Connor, thus keeping Reynolds' involvement a little secret.   

* From the opening credits - Kelly, Reynolds, and O'Connor dance around in the rain *

Singin' in the Rain is the first film I've ever seen with Gene Kelly and I'm anxious to see more. His performance as Don Lockwood is just so charming and funny and impressive, from a singing and dancing perspective. Kelly just exudes charm no matter what he's doing on screen, whether it be dancing along with his best friend, trying to woo Kathy, arguing with Lina or anything else. Kelly uses every ounce of that charm (not to mention his good looks and an impressive wardrobe) to make the audience fall for Don from the first frames of the film. Don seems like a guy you'd want to hang out with even if Kelly himself was - allegedly - a bit of a hard ass and perfectionist. There have been stories circulating for more than 60 years about his demanding nature on set and his reputation for making everyone do dozens and dozens of takes and work all day, just to get one particular move just right. For one sequence, Kelly had Reynolds perform so many times that her feet were bleeding by the end of the day. Of course, when the end result is so fantastic and the dance numbers appear perfect - at least to this untrained eye - you can hardly fault Kelly for acting that way. He knew what he wanted, knew how to get it, and did whatever it took.

* Kelly and Reynolds when they "meet cute" - a great moment in the film *

When a romantic comedy has a star of Kelly's magnitude, it needs someone equally talented and charismatic to play opposite them. Debbie Reynolds was more than up to the task. Her performance as Kathy is sly, witty, charming, and surprisingly sexy. I've only seen Reynolds in films from the last 20-30 years and was caught off guard by how beautiful she was as a young woman. And, considering she wasn't a trained dancer before being cast in the role, I thought she handled all the musical numbers exceptionally well. In fact, while watching her perform, I assumed she did have a background in dance - it wasn't until researching for this review that I found out otherwise. Reynolds faltered, just a little bit, with some of dramatic moments, but never to the point of taking me out of the film. All in all, she turned in a wonderful performance. 

* Reynolds surprised me with her dancing and stunning looks. Here, she pulls off a crazy outfit rather well *

The majority of the conflict in Singin' in the Rain comes directly from Lina Lamont, played wonderfully by Jean Hagen. Lina hates Kathy, especially when she finds out Kathy can sing, dance, AND Don is romantically interested in her, so Lina gets her fired. In addition to that, Lina's terribly grating voice - which obviously isn't an issue when they're making silent pictures - is hard to overcome when the studio decides to start making talkies. Don, Cosmo, and Kathy come up with an ingenious plan to overcome that obstacle, but it isn't long before Lina begins to exploit the situation. Hagen is the perfect foil in a film like this. She's devious and scheming, but not an awful person or anything. She does underhanded things but doesn't stoop to anything too evil. Hagen is very attractive and you can imagine her being a star in the 20's with very little difficulty. Lina's speaking voice is a greatly exaggerated New York accent and is very funny when it's first revealed. Hagen is the only main character without a musical number, but she still shows off considerable talents as a comic actress. Her reactions and timing are first-rate and she has more than enough personality to hold her own.

* Hagen - looking exquisite in full costume - as a character in the movie within the movie *

The last main cast member, Donald O'Connor, may have been my favorite of the film. Cosmo, as the best friend/comic relief character, could have just been a stock caricature, but instead is a blast to watch and shines in his solo number and alongside Kelly and Reynolds in several songs. O'Connor hit all sorts of comedy bases - like facial contortions, slapstick, and witty repartee - and hit them all very well, all while singing, dancing, and playing the piano! Whenever he was on screen, I felt my gaze pulled in his direction. His showcase moment came when Cosmo performed "Make 'Em Laugh". It's an impressive routine of physical comedy mixed with singing and dancing. While slapstick comedy isn't normally my cup of tea, I thought it worked very well here. I wasn't laughing out loud, but it was amusing and, more importantly, I was taken aback by how gifted O'Connor was from a dancing perspective. It's all the more impressive when you consider that O'Connor had a heavy smoking habit - he went through up to four packs per day! - and could barely breathe after each take. The performance impressed a lot of the Hollywood Foreign Press Association, too, as they awarded O'Connor the Best Supporting Actor prize at that year's Golden Globes. Surprisingly, this would be one of Singin' in the Rain's very, very few major wins in the 1952/1953 award season. 

* O' Connor showing off his ability for facial contortions - just one of his many gifts *

The musical numbers are, by far, the main draw of Singin' in the Rain and they do not disappoint. By my count, there are a dozen of them in the film and they range from amusing and lighthearted - "Fit as a Fiddle", "Good Morning", and the aforementioned "Make 'Em Laugh" - to love ballads - "All I Do Is Dream of You", "You Were Meant for Me", and "You Are My Lucky Star" - but the main attraction, the showstopper in my eyes, is definitely the title song. The song, Singin' in the Rain, and accompanying dance number is probably even more famous than the film itself and it's a wonderful achievement in choreography and performance. Don is in love and doesn't care who knows it as he dances down a wet city sidewalk and into the deep puddles of the gutter, singing and twirling his umbrella. Kelly choreographed all the dance numbers in the film, but he deserves special attention for the fantastic work he put in during this nearly five-minute sequence. It's an even greater achievement when you know Kelly was very ill - 103-degree fever and potential pneumonia - during the two days it took to film the number. It's just another instance of Kelly being a perfectionist. Hey, at least he wasn't just pushing other people hard - he did the same to himself! 

* The most famous moment of the film - and one of the most iconic shots in film history *

* They're all smiles at the ending of the "Good Morning" routine, but Reynolds' feet were bloody from overwork *

One of my favorite aspects of the film - other than the marvelous song and dance numbers - is the plot itself, most notably the Hollywood angle. I tend to really enjoy movies about movies and Singin' in the Rain is no different. I love the behind the scenes look at film-making, even if it's exaggerated for comedic effect like it is here. When the frustrated director, Roscoe Dexter (Douglas Fowley), is trying to adapt to recording sound AND picture at once, it's a joy to watch. His interactions with the woefully unsuited for sound Lina are hilarious. He's got this big star but doesn't know what to do with her. The studio head, RF Simpson (Millard Mitchell), is also quite entertaining. He's probably a lot more affable than most real life studio heads and lends a bit of good-natured charm to the proceedings. In addition to the characters, I liked seeing the sets and how things worked during the time period. In this year's Hail, Caesar! from the Coen brothers, I was able to see similar aspects and I loved them there, too. That film is almost a love letter to the time period when Singin' in the Rain was made and the two films would make for a terrific double feature some night.  

*Behind the scenes - filming the movie within the movie *

Another great facet of the film is how visually stunning everything is. From a cinematography, production design, and costuming standpoint, Singin' in the Rain is one of the best I've seen. Depending on the scene in question, you might be wowed by the bright colors, impressive shadows, or even how fantastic the rain looks as it falls to the ground. During one scene, Don sets up an impressive display to express his love to Kathy. He brings her onto a sound stage, adjusts the lights, the backdrop, and even adds in wind effects. The end result is beautiful. In another, for a Broadway sequence in the film they're making, bright neon and costume changes are used effectively, as is the gorgeous Cyd Charisse. Throughout the entirety of Singin' in the Rain, I was in awe of the visuals. 

A collection of stills to highlight the film's beauty:

* I love the shadows and grand scale here *

* Kelly creates the perfect setting to profess his love to Kathy...*

* ... and then tells her how he feels *

* The rain glows magnificently, thanks to back lighting techniques *

* The Broadway sequence - bright lights and big dreams *

* Charisse shows A LOT of leg and captures Kelly's - and the audience's - attention *

Even though I really enjoyed a lot about the "Broadway" sequence - including the visuals, music, and Kelly and Charisse's dance routine - it didn't seem to fit into the film all that well. It takes up a good chunk of time and kind of slowed the pace down a bit too much for my liking. Since it's a part of the movie within the movie, this sequence doesn't add anything to the plot or help to develop any of the characters. It's very well done, but I wonder how the film would feel if it were excised completely? Or if it had been shortened to a few minutes rather than ten? Maybe the next time I watch the film, I'll try to fast forward through it, but then I'd miss some great stuff, too. 

Singin' in the Rain is nearly flawless from a technical level. In addition to the cinematography and direction, the editing is a strong suit. The "Broadway" sequence contains the only bad edit of the film, but it's not really due to any fault of the filmmakers. During a moment when Kelly and Charisse are dancing very closely together, there's an abrupt jump cut. It's a jarring moment made even more noticeable by the fact everything else is so smoothly handled. The cut was demanded by the censor board - reportedly because Charisse wrapped her leg around Kelly's waist - because the move was too suggestive. Apparently, the censorship committee thought movie audiences were too innocent to see a fairly standard dance move used by many ballet dancers at the time. It's strange to think about stuff like that now when pretty much anything can be shown. 

Some films are well received initially and then mostly forgotten as time goes on. Some are mostly ignored or unfairly slighted during their release, but then get reevaluated later. Singin' in the Rain fits somewhere in between. It was a big success commercially - the 5th highest grossing film in North America in 1952 - but not critically - like I mentioned earlier, it didn't win many awards - but it's held in much higher esteem now. The American Film Institute ranked it the #1 Greatest Movie Musical, #5 Greatest Film (regardless of genre), and has placed it on several other lists such as 100 Laughs, 100 Passions, and 100 Songs. In 1989, Singin' in the Rain was among the first 25 films selected by the Library of Congress to join the National Film Registry. 

Singin' in the Rain is definitely worthy of its "classic" status and I'm excited to see it again. Just before publishing this review, I ordered the 60th Anniversary Blu-ray set - it even comes with an umbrella! - so I can watch it again and devour all the special features. It seems like the kind of movie that would never get old or lose its charm. 

I can imagine people watching and loving it in another 60 years, it's just that good.

Monty Python's Life of Brian

Directed by Terry Jones

My education into the Monty Python universe continues. Now I've seen all their films - I found The Holy Grail to be very enjoyable, but not fantastic or anything, and hated The Meaning of Life - and a few of their specials, but Life of Brian is, by far, my favorite.

Most of my reviews don't contain spoilers, but this one does. Since it's been 37 years and it's a comedy where particular plot points aren't that important, I'm hoping that's okay. In any case, you've been warned.

Unlike their other films, Life of Brian has a rather traditional structure - the narrative runs through the entire film - and I think that immensely helps the film. It's just so much more cohesive and consistent in quality. 

The plot follows Brian Cohen (Graham Chapman), a baby born on the same day as Jesus Christ - and even briefly confused for Jesus by the Three Wise Men, who are one manger away from their goal - and who grows up to be an idealistic young man in opposition to the Roman occupation of Judea. Brian eventually joins the "People's Front of Judea" in an effort to drive out the Romans but only succeeds in accidentally convincing people he's the Messiah, despite his best efforts to dissuade them. 

* The film isn't exactly beautiful, but this shot sure is. The Three Wise Men following the Star of Bethlehem *

Life of Brian contains so many hilarious moments, lines of dialogue, and sight gags that I think it'd be impossible to catch everything on just one viewing. Before writing this review I rewatched the film - for the second time in as many months - and loved it even more this time. 

I'd be hard pressed to pick any one moment as my favorite, as there are just too many to choose from, but some of my favorites include almost any scene with Brian's overbearing and mouthy mother (Terry Jones, in very unconvincing drag), all of the scenes with the People's Front of Judea (led by John Cleese and Michael Palin), the ex-leper (Palin again), the stoning (featuring Cleese and John Young), the Sermon on the Mount's audience scuffle, and the evolution of a Messiah, where Brian accidentally starts his own religion. I could easily name another five or ten scenes that I adored, but I'll stop there. In fact, there's only one scene - where Brian nearly falls to his death, but lands in a passing by alien spacecraft - that I didn't enjoy. That part lasts maybe a minute or two, so for the rest of the 90 minutes, the film is practically flawless. 

* Some of the audience at the Sermon on the Mount - it gets difficult to hear way in the back *

* Brian meets the People's Front of Judea *

* Brian's followers are ecstatic to find his shoe, what they consider a sign from the new Messiah *

The main strengths of Life of Brian - like any Monty Python production - are the writing and performances. The screenplay here, written the troupe as a whole, is filled with hilarious lines of dialogue, interesting and memorable characters, and a terrific plot that satirizes not only religious ideology but also political issues. While The Holy Grail felt like a loosely connected series of sketches, Life of Brian feels like a proper film - with a clear beginning, middle, and end - and while all of the Pythons play multiple roles, a lot of the characters reoccur throughout the whole film. 

Graham Chapman is perfect in the title role of Brian. His ability to shine as the "straight" man is proven time and time again, but he also gets to let loose in several different parts. One of my favorite parts of the film is a series of scenes where Brian accidentally starts a new religious movement and his followers soon crown him the new Messiah. Chapman sells every reaction - Brian is both incredulous and exasperated by his newfound popularity - and when the crowd of followers chases after him, I was laughing out loud. At the end of the chase, Brian literally stumbles upon a man (Terry Jones) who has taken a vow of silence. The ensuing confrontation is pure comedy gold. In my research after watching Life of Brian, I learned Chapman - a long suffering but mostly functional alcoholic - so wanted to play the lead role that he sobered up for the first time in years and then, after production was finished, he stayed sober - for the rest of his life. Not only am I grateful he was able to overcome his demons and deliver a stellar comedic performance but I think it's amazing Chapman was able to stay sober after struggling with the addiction for so long. It wouldn't be untrue to say that Life of Brian changed Chapman's life. Ah, the power of film! 

* Brian (Chapman) tries to keep this devout man (Jones) quiet, after making him break his vow of silence *

John Cleese desperately wanted to play the role of Brian, but the rest of the troupe thought Chapman was the better choice and wanted Cleese's formidable talents used in several other important roles throughout the film. Cleese might have been disappointed at the time, but this was the right decision and I can't imagine the film turning out as good any other way. Cleese is just so damn funny in so many different roles - from the High Priest presiding over a stoning to the Centurion of the Yard to Reg, the bickering and bureaucratic leader of the People's Front of Judea. Cleese plays a few other very minor roles, but these three are the largest of the film and each is wonderfully funny and memorable. Reg, especially, delighted me in each scene he appeared. Cleese's ability to speak so swiftly served him well as the leader of this group of self-righteous idiots. The "What have the Romans ever done for us" bit is hilarious and Cleese is a big part of the appeal. 

* Cleese, as the High Priest, points a finger at John Young, who's about to get stoned - and not in a fun way *

Michael Palin may be my favorite member of Monty Python and he gets some great moments to shine in Life of Brian, including as the prominent and oft-quoted character Pontius Pilate. Palin's Pilate has a bit of a speech impediment and has a difficult time pronouncing words with "r's" in them, which leads to a lot of confusion and laughs at his expense. In reference to one such scene, you can go online and easily order a t-shirt, cap, or mug with Palin's visage and the message "Welease Bwian" on it. Pilate is the definition of a memorable character. Palin's charm is used to terrific effect as the ex-leper, a man who was cured (off screen) by Jesus, but now finds himself without any marketable skills for employment. The way Palin prances around, begging for change and then getting upset about the small amount he's given is just perfect. Palin also plays Francis, a member of the People's Front of Judea, and has a few great moments sparring with Cleese there, as well.

* Palin, as Pontius Pilate, and two centurions who will soon have a hard time controlling their laughter *

Eric Idle, as usual, is funny, quick-witted, and charming in Life of Brian. Like everyone else, Idle gets to play several memorable characters, including Mr. Cheeky - a man who just can't keep his mouth shut, no matter the trouble it causes him - and Stan - a member of the People's Front of Judea who just wants to be a woman - but Idle's most memorable moment in the film comes at the very end, when a large group of people is being crucified. As Brian complains about his fate, Idle's character turns to him and launches into a joyous, upbeat, and insanely catchy song - "Always Look on the Bright Side of Life". I've read that the troupe didn't have any idea of how to end the film - in their own words, they were "always bad at endings" - but Idle was stuck with the idea of ending with a song. It's the perfect way to end a film like this and Idle's musical talents, as a writer and a singer, have never been better. 

This song has been stuck in my head all week and it'll be stuck in yours, too, if you watch the following link. Don't worry - that's a good thing! 

In Life of Brian, as in most Monty Python productions, Terry Gilliam is the least utilized member of the troupe. He plays mostly small, unimportant roles, but does have one memorable part - as a seemingly mentally handicapped Roman jailor. In addition to his small acting contribution, Gilliam was also responsible for the film's set design and two animated sequences. The first, the opening credits, is well done and entertaining. The second, the aforementioned alien spaceship sequence, is by far the worst part of the film and, like I said, the only part that doesn't fit the style or feel of the rest of the film. I have no idea how the Python's write - I assume it's a group effort, with everyone throwing out ideas and working together to sculpt the plot and dialogue - so Gilliam might have had a large influence on the script, but judging just based on what we see onscreen, I think Life of Brian might have turned out better with Gilliam not being involved at all, which pains me to say since I like the man and love several of his directorial efforts.

* Gilliam and Idle as a pair of remarkable Roman jailers *

The last member of Monty Python, Terry Jones, not only played the previously mentioned parts of Brian's mother, Mandy, and the naked, silent devout man, but also a couple other minor characters. Amanda is a wonderful character and Jones' fake falsetto voice is a big part of her charm. One of the film's most iconic scenes is when Amanda confronts the crowd of people following Brian and informs them "He's not the Messiah. He's a very naughty boy!"

* Chapman's Brian and his mother, Mandy - played by the very lady like Jones *

In addition to acting in the film, Jones also directed Life of Brian. There's nothing especially flashy about his direction, but everything is handled in a competent and sure-handed way. In a movie like this, the director's most important job is managing the actors and ensuring they have the best possible atmosphere to work in. Jones definitely did that here and you can tell because the cast has never performed better.

Life of Brian was filmed in several Middle East countries, but the majority was done in Tunisia and used some of the sets from the big-budget miniseries, Jesus of Nazareth. The look of the film greatly benefited from the locations and sets and I doubt it would have turned out nearly as well if they had to entirely create their own sets. The production was done on a very small budget - only $2 million - and had already been rescued after the original backers pulled out by, of all people, George Harrison. The former Beatle was a huge Monty Python fan and said he'd put up the money "just to see the film". That's a dedicated fan! Of course, Life of Brian was a big hit and I'm sure Harrison ended up making quite a bit of money in the long run.

Before the film even debuted, Life of Brian was stirring up controversy and outrage among the religious. It was banned in many British cities and several countries across the world for being sacrilegious, blasphemous, promoting heresy, and other such claims from people who aren't confident enough in their own beliefs to take a joke. The Pythons used the outrage in their marketing campaign, such as in Sweden, where they put up posters with the tagline "So funny, it was banned in Norway!"

Life of Brian has attained "classic" status in the years since it's released and has often placed very highly on lists and surveys but doesn't seem to have the reputation that The Holy Grail does. I think that's a shame. For me, Life of Brian is not only the best and funniest Monty Python film but one of the best comedies ever.

I look forward to many more viewings over the years, where Life of Brian will no doubt join the ranks of O Brother, Where Art Thou? and Dr. Strangelove as films I can quote most of the lines from, well before they're spoken in the film.