Reviews (223)

The Citizen Kane of musicals
So many films in my collection are "important", "serious", "disturbing", or "great", and as much as I treasure them (films like Citizen Kane, Vertigo, and Ran), there is only so much self-importance a person can take before the pores fairly scream out for something just plain fun; something slight, buoyant, silly, and full of energy. Singin' in the Rain is just that kind of movie. The funny part is, I generally HATE musicals!

In 1951, Gene Kelly and Stanley Donen took a collection of songs by Arthur Freed and Nacio Herb Brown and - assisted by a pitch-perfect screenplay from the writing team of Adolph Green and Betty Comden - sculpted one of the great classic fusions of popular cinematic art and precision dance craft. It is the Citizen Kane of musicals: a virtual catalog of musical film technique, executed flawlessly.

But that alone would not be enough to separate Singin' in the Rain from the kind of musical I can't stand (which is to say, just about every other musical ever made). No, what makes this one special is that it knows what it is and celebrates it. It never for a moment asks you to forget you're watching a movie and then grinds to a screeching halt for the musical number. Instead, it deconstructs itself before your very eyes (and ears) as a razor-sharp, self-aware satire of the movie industry - as well as a joyous expression of the pure ecstasy of great song and dance. In that sense, it is one of the few so-called musicals that actually achieves a genuine symbiosis of drama, music, and kinetic performance art.

If all this sounds rather gushing and pretentious, so be it. This is great film-making. It is Rolex Oyster Perpetual film-making. This DVD edition sparkles with ultra-saturated colors, digitally remixed Dolby 5.1 sound, and some terrific extras (even if you're not particularly into musicals).

My favorite sequence is the eerily fluid dance work between Gene Kelly and Cyd Charisse against a Dali-esque background near the end of the film. Charisse is spellbinding as she trails a gravity-defying veil that must be 30 feet long. It hangs in the air, suspended by wind machines as she uses her extraordinary dance skill (and fantastic legs) to affect a wordless seduction of Kelly's naive, love-struck hero. Great stuff.

Even if you don't think of yourself as the "musical type", give Singin' in the Rain a try. After all that heavy, bitter, existential cinema, it makes one helluva fine dessert.

THE GREAT AMERICAN MUSICAL
Once upon a time there was a place called HOLLYWOOD. It wasn't just a town or even an industry, it was a state of mind. They didn't call the studios Dream Factories for nothing. This film is the epitome of the musical art and craft. This is a real "Movie Movie," made entirely on the MGM lot. The real creme de la creme of MGM contributed to it's creation; produced by Arthur Freed, starring Gene Kelly (with a brilliant turn by the dazzling ,long-legged Cyd Charisse), contract players like Debbie Reynolds and Kathleen Freeman (still going strong, currently appearing on Broadway in "The Full Monty") with costumes by my favorite designer Walter Plunkett (Gone With The Wind, 7 Brides For 7 Brothers, etc). Check out the sumptuous designs for the "Beautiful Girls" number and the outrageous spider dress at the opening night party. The real lowdown is that Jean Hagen and Donald O'Connor practically steal the show from the leads in possibly the best performances of their careers. This film is pure joy. The script by Comden and Green is not only clever but actually goofs on a real period of transition of the American film from silent to talkie.It is also a brilliant job of recycling a trunkload of old songs. This happy film has the courage to do what American musicals and comedies do best: be silly and make you forget you troubles for an hour and a half. Next time you are in bed with the flu or trying to get over a miserable love affair, take a look at Singing In The Rain. It can't help but curl up the corners of your mouth and drive the clouds away.

Wonderful Musical with Terrific Dancing -- a Trifle Dated
"Singin' in the Rain" is the definitive Hollywood musical, and charms and delights our 21st century audiences despite the (very few) characteristics of the genre that don't hold up quite so well.

There are so many high points to this movie -- the amazing cast, the songs, the choreography, and, most surprisingly, the satirical send-up of Hollywood and the "star system."

The plot is well-known. Silent film star couple, Don Lockwood (Gene Kelly, who also co-directed with Stanley Donen) and Lina Lamont (Jean Hagen) are America's sweethearts. At a Hollywood premiere of their latest romance, breathless fans ignore sidekick Cosmo Brown (Donald O'Connor, in perhaps the best sidekick performance in film history) and scream in delight as Lockwood and Lamont pander to their adoration. Nobody, however, seems to notice that the gorgeous Lamont never speaks . . .

Her imposed silence Lamont has a voice that recalls a cat with its tail caught in a wringer, although Lamont is such a "dumb blonde" (bless Hagen -- nobody ever played this stereotype better!) that she is blissfully unaware of her screech. No matter, 'cause it's the silent film era, right? Wrong! Progress brings in "The Jazz Singer" and the era of "talkies." No longer will clever staging of press events suffice.

Soon, Don Lockwood is staring career meltdown in the face as the first Lockwood-Lamont "talkie" sends the audience into hysterics. Not only is Lamont's screech audibly offensive, they can't keep the sound synchronized to the film, and the sound editing even when in synch is as amateurish as a high-school film production.

What to do? Fortunately, Lockwood had fallen for young, beautiful Kathy Selden (a teenage Debbie Reynolds), a starlet in the making. Cosmo comes up with the idea of dubbing Selden's voice for Lamont's, and all is fixed . . . or not. Lamont, an imbecile but smart enough to know her value, insists on ruining Selden's career to preserve her own . . . and so on and so forth.

The plot, ingenious as it is, is really secondary. The main delight in this movie is the amazing dancin' and singin' that the performers offer up. While most of it is pretty silly, campy stuff (particularly the Kelly-O'Connor set pieces), they simply dazzle. Kelly is the most robust, athletic dancer of his generation, and O'Connor, well, the man doesn't have a bone in his body. While the movie's most famous scene comes from Kelly splashing in puddles during the title track, the most amazing dance number has to be O'Connor's comic flailings in "Make 'Em Laugh," where he runs up walls, flirts with a mannequin, and generally pulls out all stops.

Debbie Reynolds does a magnificent job keeping up with these two giants, and is generally a pleasure to watch, even though she's clearly outclassed as a hoofer.

While some great old films seem to get better with age (think "Casablanca," "Gone With the Wind," and "Citizen Kane"), "Singin' in the Rain" is an American classic that does not hold up quite so well in some minor respects. For example, when breaking into choreographed step, Kelly, O'Connor, and Reynolds sometimes appear too rigid, with smiles frozen on their faces, which is incongruous to those raised on more modern musicals like "Moulin Rouge," where the dancers take a more naturalistic, emotional approach to their dancing. The dancing in "Singin'" holds up, but the performers were constrained by the expectations of their audiences, which somehow demanded that the performers "look pleasant" while dancing.

Still, "Singin' in the Rain" remains one of the best tonics to a foul mood ever . . . I defy you to watch this movie and not feel a smile creeping over your face.

The Best Musical Comedy Ever Produced!
I fell in love with this film when I was seven years old; I watched it on a B&W television on "The Early Show" in NY (circa 1957 or 1958). I didn't know who any of the stars were - it didn't matter. It was magic to me. From the Hollywood opening (dignity, always dignity), the romp of the elocution lessons (Moses supposes his toes are roses!), and the trial and mostly error of trying to record the sound ("I can't make love to a BUSH!") when the gorgeous leading lady has a voice that rivals nails on a blackboard, all the way to the grown man dancing in the rain and the final rising curtain - pure magic. In glorious black and white - at the time, I didn't even know it HAD colour! I decided then and there, this was my absolute all-time favourite movie. (One of the highlights of my adult life was seeing this wonder on a full, big screen at a revival in the 1970s.) I have seen many films since then; I have reviewed them for friends & family, written reviews for a monthly entertainment publication. I have an extensive collection of my own (VHS & DVD). I know a lot more about films and production values now.

"Singin'in the Rain" remains my all-time favourite film. (No surprise, this.) It's not just another one of "those MGM musicals." It was released in 1952. Dated stuff? Not a bit. Unlike the marvelous "An American in Paris," which was done as a contemporary film to its time, "Singin' in the Rain" is a period film, and it's based in fact.

This film (which started out to be a western for Howard Keel) takes a fond and loving look at the birthpains of the sound film (the "talkies). Set in 1927, with authentic equipment from MGM's own history (Debbie Reynolds drives Andy Hardy's old jalopy, the microphones are real), it details the frantic efforts to get on the sound bandwagon - no one was completely sure of the new technology. What makes the plot classic is the basis in fact. Many silent stars had totally unacceptable voices or speech (too nasal, unintelligible foreign accents, too high, too low, etc.) for sound production. The songs used were true to the period.

Then we have the performers. Jean Hagen was nominated for an Academy Award for her role of Lina Lamont. The character (whose voice you don't hear for the first 10+ minutes of the film, although she's on-screen) is a one-of-a-kind. [Side note: the voice dubbing Lina's line is actually Hagen's normal voice, not that of Debbie Reynold's Kathy Selden.] Reynolds does an admirable job - it couldn't have been easy keeping up with her two male co-stars. It's still a joy to see Donald O'Connor's "Make 'em Laugh," and wonderful to see Gene Kelly teamed with a good male partner for "Fit as a Fiddle" and "Moses". Gene Kelly is, and always shall be, the best and this was done at his peak.

Of course, for anyone who has been living in the back of a cave under a rock (or too young to appreciate it), the title number is a delight. It looks like one continuous take, it is so smooth. This was not the first appearance of the song, but it's the one we all remember. The sheer exuberance of Kelly's performance carries us right along with him.

The extras with this set are valued items for anyone like me who is interested in the backstory of the era and this film in particular. And don't fuss for a widescreen version. This is the way it was. And now it always will be.

Thoroughly entertaining musical
I have to say first of all that I am *not* at all a fan of musicals (or comedies for that matter) - I am a drama fan. I have seen a few musicals here and there over the years and tried to like them - such as 1964's "My Fair Lady" and 1961's "West Side Story." I liked both of them *somewhat,* but not too much - because I have always strongly preferred films that are realistic --> in real life, people don't burst into song when they are in one particular circumstance or another. Yet, I couldn't help enjoying myself with a smile on my face as I watched this film that landed so high (#10) on AFI's list of the top 100 American films of all time. Donald O'Connor, in particular, as Cosmo, was so perfectly cast in his role. The film was at times hilarious and at times wonderfully romantic. I definitely would recommend everyone to try this film out. B+. ... Read more

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They just don't make musicals like this any more. There are some who would be grateful for that--the plot is but a flimsy excuse to string together song and dance numbers. Some of us, however, love big, splashy, overdone musical scenes, of which there are many. Glittering stage numbers showcase a commanding Barbra Streisand as Dolly Levy, a New York matchmaker who can find a mate for anyone. Anyone but herself, that is. Determined to marry wealthy Walter Matthau, she lures him out of Yonkers and sets about wooing him.

Don't worry about the lack of a solid story or Gene Kelly's pedestrian direction. Watch instead for the musical numbers and the lavish costumes. Listen to Jerry Herman's score, and dance around the living room when a sequined Streisand arrives in a club as Louis Armstrong strikes up the title tune for her benefit. (Just pull the shades first.) Based on Thornton Wilder's playThe Matchmaker, Hello, Dolly! won Academy Awards for best sound, art direction, and musical score.--Rochelle O'Gorman ... Read more

Reviews (79)

"Hello, Dolly!"
Mrs. Dolly Levi is inarguably the most endearing film character I have ever encountered. She is beautiful, fashionable, clever, and humorous. One cannot help but wish that Dolly actually existed. Indoubtedly, I cannot imagine anyone other than Barbra Streisand playing the part of Dolly. Her stunning voice and captivating performance make "Hello, Dolly!" a truly wonderful movie.
Besides Streisand's amazing performance, this movie includes some wonderful songs and exciting dancing scenes. However, the dancing scenes do become a bit tedious and long.
What is "Hello, Dolly!" all about? It is the story of a widow who arranges an unimaginable amount of events and places. She assists a couple's elopement, two friends' trip to New York City, and a bored man's romance.
This film features other loveable characters, too, such as a head waiter in a posh restaurant, an orchestra conductor at the same restaurant, and a hatmaker who desires to be "evil."
I would highly recommend this romantic comedy to anyone. Although the dance and song scenes are too long, watch the complete movie. Streisand's performance is extremely wonderful and endearing.

Hello, Dolly! Barbra's best intentions
Only Streisand's second movie, filmed during the politically and meteorlogically hot summer of 1968, Ms. Streisand turns in a performance that could have won her first best actress Oscar, instead of the much better "Funny Girl," filmed in 1967. Why an Oscar? Streisand knew from the start that she was terribly miscast as the middle-aged widow, Dolly Levi. Opposite Walter Matthau, twice her age at the time, it's not a believable story. The Oscar comes from Barbra's totally tongue-in-cheek performance. She is not Dolly Levi, she's really Mae West, Fanny Brice, Brooklyn Barbra, even a twinge of pre-star Dolly Parton. Listen as Barbra throws in a little southern accent here and there. But mostly watch an incredible actress do what she can with a story so silly that by the end of the film, 26 year-old Streisand changes the supposed-to-be 50+ widow into one of the sexiest screen performances in film history. Even Matthau can't hold back his disbelief when watching Barbra do her numbers. When there's no Barbra on screen, there's no film. You watch in anticipation until Barbra's next scene, wondering who she'll be. The film looks like Gene Kelly directed it in three days with many technical flaws in the continuity of blocking scenes and dialogue. Just watch Barbra. Forget that she's the best female singer of the 20th century (no pun intended). Think of her as a young, sexy actress who has such energy, fearless ambition to get her movie career going. Of course, the sets are incredible and her duet with Louis Armstrong (his last film performance) is classic, albeit about two minutes long. Watch Barbra whisper under her breath while filming the dance numbers in The Harmonia Gardens with seasoned dancers. She looks like she's saying, "What the hell am I doing here?" Actually, she's making pure movie magic happen, almost impromptu. Movie: three stars, Barbra: Five plus stars. Nice to see Michael (Phantom of the Opera) Crawford pretend he can't dance. Barbra doesn't talk about this movie, but being the most costly musical in history up to that time, 20th Century Fox got their money's worth a million times over by convincing the apprehensive Barbra Streisand to star. Sorry Carol Channing, but Barbra was the best choice.

Elephantitis
Thornton Wilder's modest little play "The Matchmaker" has been blown up as big as a zeppelin in this out-of-control Streisand vehicle. A couple of songs had been added in the original musical conversion of the play on Broadway but this Hollywood monstrosity was never on Wilder's drawing board. The play had in fact been filmed ten years earlier with Shirley Booth, Paul Ford, Anthony Perkins and Shirley MacLaine in the leads. They should have left it at that. The original point of the story of the middle-aged Dolly Levi's pursuit of Horace Vander Geller is swallowed up here by the vast sets (the New York street set was one of the largest ever constructed and was forbidden to Paul Newman for "Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid" for fear "Butch" would reach the theaters before "Dolly") and interminable and generally idiotic production numbers. This must be some of the worst dancing ever filmed. Hard to believe a couple of Hollywood veterans like Gene Kelly and Ernest Lehman rode herd on this fiasco.

Tune Vs Crawford: Palpable Onscreen Tension
The tension that erupted between Tommy Tune and Michael Crawford whenever they were onscreen together in this fine film was delightfully electric. Their intramural competition propagated palpable intensity not really visible or audible (they had no exchange of dialogue) -- it was more a matter of pride between two spunky bachelors, a jousting of the male wills: Tune's learned dance talent meets Crawford's raw dance energy. Both portraying young men pursuing women in the movie, their performances conveyed much more deep and lusty a purpose between them, a cocksure attitude of stretched wide smiles and leggy high-hop dancing, a genuine duel of actors in their prime. Don't miss this one because, despite their competition, both Crawford and Tune emerged victorious and grand.

The Last of the Great Movie Musicals
By Streisand's own admission, she was too young in 1967 to have made a movie about an middle-aged woman making a personal "comeback"... and we all know how wonderfully different and marvelous the film would have been with Carol Channing... however, this does not take away from the fact that this is an incredible, lush, entertaining and musically rich film. The transfer to DVD is superb and crystal clear in picture and sound. The widescreen is anamorphic and color corrected. The only drawback is Walter Matteau's typical characterization which often detracts from the scenes he appears in, and his song "It takes a woman" is only saved by the beautiful setting and the male singers and dancers that accompany him. His voice really should have been dubbed by someone who could sing. Not to worry, Marianne McAndrew (who is stunningly beautiful) is a treasure in this film.... and her songs are wonderful (not sure if that is really hear voice, but its terrific). The sets are incredible and who wouldn't give anything to dine and dance at the Harmonia Gardens? The set designs, art direction, cinematography and costumes are exquisite. ... Read more

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This 1970 film teams director Gene Kelly with two veteran Hollywood actors in a light romp about two over-the-hill cowboys who inherit a bordello. Henry Fonda and James Stewart dusted off their spurs to team up in this appealing if formulaic western comedy. The two Hollywood legends play aging cowpokes who seem to do nothing but get on each other's nerves as they travel aimlessly through the West. They finally hang their hats at a new home--Stewart's newly acquired bordello, presided over by Shirley Jones. Theirs is an uneasy alliance, as they set up shop and have to deal with the women and their needs. There are some light comic moments as director Gene Kelly keeps everything breezy, so that even the obligatory gunfight at the film's end isn't what one would expect. This is not a classic on the order of other Westerns featuring Stewart and Fonda, but a chance to see two old pros spoofing their own legendary careers and having some fun in the process. --Robert Lane ... Read more

Reviews (6)

Stewart's Timing and Fonda's Wit
Jimmy Stewart and Henry Fonda provide more than a few laughs in the Gene Kelly-directed film "The Cheyenne Social Club." John O'Hanlan (Stewart) and Harley Sullivan (Fonda) are longtime friends and dungy cowboys who set off across the West to O'Hanlan's newly inherited business: a bordello in Wyoming. There they encounter a brood full of women lead by Shirley Jones (of Partridge Family fame). Thus begins a comic romp through the lighter side of the Old West.

Stewart and Fonda spend a great deal of this movie injecting flawless comic timing and delightful wit into a script that might otherwise be nothing but a disreputable spoof of greater films. Every encounter with the bordello women leaves Stewart's character in slack-jawed befuddlement while Fonda wiles and charms his way into their hearts and bedrooms.

This film will never be picked as the greatest Western of all time and is not the finest showpiece from Stewart's and Fonda's careers. It is, however, a wonderfully crafted story that brings together two of the greatest actors the silver screen has ever known. Stewart is his old reliable, sensible self with just enough grit and keenness to make him the perfect straight man. Fonda's non-stop ramblings and rugged charm make him the consummate counterpart. All in all, this is a movie well worth owning and laughing over again and again.

Stewart Fonda and Jones are winners here
If you want to sit down and enjoy a movie and LAUGH this movie is for you. Stewart and Fonda are great foils for each other, (I think you could have had a series of picture with these two as these characters and it would have worked.) All the performances are played well, the plot is a great one and frankly the Fonda character (who just can't shut up at times.) just kills me. (In fact the two long speeches at the begining and end were added to the script to give Fonda more lines. It made the character.) Stewart frankly plays his honest honerable stock character, but it is a good stock character and with the right foil (Fonda) the character remains earnist but fun. Not a classic in the true sense of the word (It's no BROKEN ARROW or THE MAN WHO SHOT LIBERTY VALANCE) but it doesn't try to be. It is what it is and that's an entertaing movie.

A lesson learned.
This is the story of two cowpoke and their relationship with life. One comes into an inheritance and plans to become a man of property. He starts acting so. Will success spoil John O'Hanlan? And will their friendship last the strain? If James Garner and Jack Elam played the two characters, this movie would just go down in history as another cowboy spoof. However it is James Stewart and Henry Fonda that are sparing with a little Sue Ane Langdon to boot. It is quite funny and fun to watch.

The calming influence of Stewart and Fonda.
No matter how many movies teamed Jimmy Stewart and Henry Fonda, it was not enough. Gene Kelly directs the pair here in a simple story of long-time friendship in the Old West, familiar ground, sure, but a story that always brings a smile to my face.

When John O'Hanlan (Stewart) discovers that his long lost brother has died, he's surprised to find that he has inherited a business. Enthusiastically he crosses the country from Texas to Cheyenne to become 'a man of property', just what he's always wanted.

But the Cheyenne Social Club, his business, is a brothel. The premiere brothel in this boom town, sure, but that's not exactly what O'Hanlan had in mind. Thankfully his riding partner Harley Sullivan (Fonda) has tagged along, Harley may have his own point of view on most things, but he does smooth out many of the rough spots they encounter along the way.

Story is predictable, the climax is anti-climatic, but, who cares when you get to see these on-screen buddies in a buddy movie defined.

Enjoyable western.
Stewart and Fonda take over a cathouse and ham it up. A bunch of cowhand yucks, and lots of great corset shots. There's worse ways to spend a couple hours. ... Read more

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The third collaboration between Stanley Donen and Gene Kelly, It's Always Fair Weather falls short of the classics On the Town and Singin' in the Rain, mostly due to a slow plot and middling songs by Andre Previn, Betty Comden, and Adolph Green.In a story reminiscent of On the Town, Kelly, Dan Dailey, and Michael Kidd play three GIs who return from the war vowing to stay buddies forever.When they reunite 10 years later, however, they find they have little in common, other than having given up on their dreams. Best known as the choreographer of such MGM evergreens as Seven Brides for Seven Brothers, the diminutive Kidd proves adept at kicking up his heels in front of the camera.Cyd Charisse plays a scheming television producer (an unusually down-home character) and Delores Gray is the toothy TV show host.(Gray gets to sing and Charisse dances a little, though not with Kelly.) The best moments, of course, are the dance numbers Kelly choreographed, including the three GIs' trash-can-lid dance, Charisse's solo supported by a crew of boxers, and Kelly's number on roller skates, "I Like Myself," which combines some of the free spirit of "Singin' in the Rain" with the stunt footwear made famous by Fred Astaire and Ginger Rogers in 1937's Shall We Dance. Unfortunately, the pan-and-scan format spoils the film's wide CinemaScope presentation, often fitting only two of the three characters on the screen.Enjoyable, but not quite a classic.--David Horiuchi ... Read more

Reviews (15)

One of the best musicals of the 1950's
Besides Singin' in the Rain and 7 Brides for 7 Brothers (which always get good reviews), this is a forgotten gem. I like the movie because there is some cynicism in the characters that make their transformations that much more memorable. If you don't know the basic story line, it's about 3 guys who were the BEST of friends as war buddies, decide to meet years later, and have realized that through the passage of time...now they HATE each other. Of course, it's an MGM musical, so you should know how the ending turns out.
Gene Kelly proves again that he's not only a great dancer, but a great actor, although I do believe like the other reviews that Dan Dailey does the best acting job. Michael Kidd does a good job being the simplest of the three. And don't forget the ladies, especially Cyd Charisse--I don't think she ever does anything wrong.
2 musical sequences stand out-- one is when the 3 main characters are in 3 different locations and start singing a song and the dance choreography is the same for all of them--you see 3 different screens (so they are obviously in 3 different settings) which I think was unique in the 1950's. Just an amazing sequence that makes you realize why movies are great. And the 2nd is the Gene Kelly roller skating sequence, which I feel has a bigger emotional lift considering the circumstances in the movie than his "singin' in the rain" bit of the movie of the same title. The movie's not as good as "singin' in the rain" , but if you're looking for some great musicals that they don't make anymore, I think you'll enjoy the flick.

"A Neglected Charmer"
This musical, oddly neglected, is in fact a worthy companion to "Singing in the Rain" and "The Bandwagon." Gene Kelly is his usual brilliant self, and the underrated Dan Dailey and Michael Kidd almost rival him in elegant hoofing. Not only their opening dance sequence employing garbage can tops, but also that terrific scene in a fancy restaurant where these three World War II war buddies are later reunited and privately sing of their disappointment in each other rival in wit anything in the aforementioned musicals. Moreover, the photography in both these scenes surely ranks among the most imaginative ever put on screen in the service of that elongated band-aid, Cinemascope. Cyd Charisse, always beautiful, is here at last given something to do. Her singing and dancing scene with the boxers in Stillman's Gym shows her at her cinematic best. Dolores Gray as a TV host is wonderfully over the top, and TV itself as a new medium comes in for a wonderfully insightful drubbing remarkably early in its career as the boob tube. Finally ,then, only one question arises - When will this film be released in widescreen on DVD?

Gene Kelly Is Love On Two Feet!
Standout production about three inseperable Army buddies with big plans who on their last drunken night together after World War II vow to reunite ten years later...and can't stand each other when they do.

This really is an overlooked diamond which deserves among all others the DVD treatment for its wonderful use of 2:35:1. There is one scene which particularly suffers from the pan and scan - the musical number in which the three pals sing and dance on a tri-split screen (each thinking the same thing about the others - `Once Upon A Time I Had Two Friends...' is the song). Compositions are great all around, though. Jazzy, upbeat musical numbers and some of the greatest dance steps Gene Kelly ever pulled off (the stellar one on the roller skates `I Like Myself' which is seen briefly by Jean Reno in THE PROFESSIONAL, and a great set in the beginning where the GI's tap dance with trash can lids on their feet are particularly amazing). Cyd Charrise kicks it up with a gym full of pugs in `Baby, You Knock Me Out' and Dolores Grey for my money gives the best performance in the awesome `Thanks A Lot But No Thanks,' alternately dynamiting and gunning down her suitors...it cracks me up every time.

And the story is smart and sweet too, touching on the endurance of real friendship, the benefit of hindsight, and the healing effects of true love. Granted, like a good horse it tends to sag a little in the middle, but it comes back kicking in the end. This one is a real classic. I love it too much to give it less than four stars, but it loses one for the pan and scan.

Pan and Scan Disaster
Everytime I see this VHS, I think back to an interview with Kelly where he said this film would never be released on VHS during his life because he would have to chop it in half. Kelly hated the pan and scan that came with a standard 1.33:1 TV screen and if you ever see this film letterboxed, you will understand why. (Luckily I have the Gene Kelly Collection on laserdisc which is letterboxed.)
It is a gritty film, that at times moves a little slowly, but the tap dancing rollerskates is truly one of the most talented things I have ever seen Kelly do-it is amazing.
Serious Gene Kelly fans should push for a re-issue of the above mentioned collection on DVD. Then you could see it as it should be seen.

A cynical "On The Town."
It is a Gene Kelly vehichle and there are three wartime buddies, but that's pretty much where the "On The Town" similarities end. It is a surprisingly sharp, cynical story in which the protagonist's dreams do *not* initially come true- due to life circumstances. Betty Comden and the late Adolph Green- responsible for so many great film scores as well as the scripts of "Auntie Mame," "Bells Are Ringing," and "What A Way To Go-" contribute very witty songs here, including the Danubian tri-liloquy sung by the guys and Dolores Gray's "Thanks A Lot, But No Thanks" and "Music Is Better than Words (delivered with a rich, smooth contralto)." I wish Kelly and Charisse had danced together (the omission makes the film appear a bit empty), but my favorite numbers are still his garbage-can dance through the streets and her sexy sweater-and-skirt dance with the boxers, "Baby, You Knock Me Out." And I would've liked the roller-skating finale better if it didn't have a big, looming, piece of the "Singin' In The Rain" set in the background. ... Read more

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New York, New York--it's a helluva town; the Bronx is up and the Battery's down; the people ride in a hole in the ground.... Well, you get the idea. Those lyrics (by Betty Comden and Adolph Green), set to Leonard Bernstein's music, have made On the Town a permanent part of the psychological landscape of New York City. The story (inspired by Jerome Robbins's ballet Fancy Free) is pretty slight: Gene Kelly, Frank Sinatra, and Jules Munshin play sailors with 24 hours' leave to take their bite out of the Big Apple. When they meet, and then lose, this month's Miss Turnstiles (Vera-Ellen), they scour the town in search of her, bumping into a lady anthropologist (Ann Miller) along the way. Shot mostly in the studio, but with location exteriors all over town, from Coney Island to the Statue of Liberty to Central Park, this 1949 gem was the first of three great musicals codirected by Kelly and Stanley Donen, followed by Singin' in the Rain (1952) and the underrated It's Always Fair Weather (1955). --Jim Emerson ... Read more

Reviews (46)

ON THE TOWN is On The Money!!
I saw a clip of ON THE TOWN on THAT'S ENTERTAINMENT (MGM's tribute film of its muscials circa 1970's) and never saw the actual movie until it came out on video back in the 80's. A musical probably overshadowed by SINGIN' IN THE RAIN, HIGH SOCIETY or AN AMERICAN IN PARIS, but this MGM Musical is just as good. The basic premise of 3 sailors on 24 hour shore leave in New York City and finding romance makes for great fun. It's as simple as that!! Boasting actual location shots in New York City, great songs, dance numbers, and of course...Gene Kelly and pre Eva Gardner and Rat-Pack Frank Sinatra, this is a must see musical from MGM's hey-day. Great supporting cast by Betty Garrett(who went on to TV sitcoms ALL IN THE FAMILY and LAVERN & SHIRLEY),Ann Miller, Jules Munshin, and the very forgotten, beautiful and talented Vera Ellen. The song New York, New York - - Its a Wonderful Town! used in the opening sequence in the New York City Location shots should have won an OSCAR. They just don't make 'em like this anymore!!

Not the Broadway version, but still a great movie musical
Three sailor friends take a zany, madcap tour of New York City in the Leonard Bernstein, Betty Comden, and Adolph Green musical ON THE TOWN -- refashioned here as an MGM vehicle for Gene Kelly, Frank Sinatra, and Jules Munshin as the sailors and Vera-Ellen, Betty Garrett, and Ann Miller as their girlfriends-for-a-day. Although I think that the original stage score, composed wholly by Bernstein, is superior, the movie does have several fine "new numbers," including "Prehistoric Man" (in which Miller, in a stunning tap dance routine, proves herself to be no cold scientist but a hot-blooded woman) and "You're Awful" (a golden vocal moment for Sinatra) -- as well as Bernstein's "I Feel Like I'm Not Out of Bed Yet," "New York, New York (A Wonderful Town)," "Come Up to My Place," and the ballet "A Day in New York." Usually thought of as one of Kelly's "big three" MGM films (along with AN AMERICAN IN PARIS and SINGIN' IN THE RAIN), ON THE TOWN in fact has no real "star"; the roles are all about equal in size. Kelly, so often cast in "tough" roles, is here touching in his pursuit of the lovely and talented "Miss Turnstiles" (Vera-Ellen). Sinatra is charmingly boyish and Munshin adorably hilarious, while their "girlfriends" -- Garrett the comedienne and Miller the dancer -- are well contrasted. "A Day in New York" is a highlight and prefigures both "Broadway Melody" in SINGIN' IN THE RAIN and "An American in Paris" -- two other "dream ballets" in which Kelly's character is the sad and dejected lover. This movie may not be Broadway's ON THE TOWN, but it is a colorful MGM musical with a first-rate cast.

Not the best, by a long shot
Although Kelly, Donen, and Comden/Green would go on to movie greatness together ("Singing in the Rain", 1952) this one comes up short. The problem is simple: MGM didn't respect the original material enough (the Bernstein/Comden/Green Broadway musical of the same name)-- most of the fine Bernstein songs were jettisoned in favor of distinctly second-rate stuff ("Main Street", "You're Awful", etc.), as well as dumping all the great dance numbers save two ("A Day in New York", "Miss Turnstiles"). The other problem is that after Gabey, Ivy, and their friends finally get together atop the Empire State Building, the movie really goes downhill; the whole denouement at Coney Island is silly and takes much too long. There are some good performances, esp. from the women (Betty Garrett and Ann Miller really give the movie oomph and a sense of fun, and Alice Pearce's "I got the gargle!" bit is classic). Sinatra and Kelly are fine as always, but you have to be a big Jules Munshin fan to weather his supershticky performances, both here and in "Take me Out to the Ball Game" (also with Sinatra, Kelly, and Garrett).

I know this movie is a big fan favorite; I just hope that people who think On the Town is a fine musical take the time to check out the really superior products of MGM's famous Freed unit: "Singing in the Rain", "Gigi", "Meet me in St. Louis". When the Freed unit clicked on all cylinders, as they did in those three movies, nobody made better movies of ANY kind.

It's the Best
On The Town is the best movie I've seen in my whole lifetime. I find it enjoyable for the family and musical lovers. You can watch it over and over again. It's funny and the best songs ever (I can't get them out of my head!). It was a wonderful production.

Wow! What a movie!
I actually haven't seen the whole thing, but I couldn't stop myself from writing a review! I've looked for it everywhere, but I can't find it! From what I saw of it, I know it is a wonderful movie. The "New York, New York" sequence at the start really gets you into it! I loved it, it's definitely one of a kind. I reccomened to everyone who likes Gene Kelly and Frank Sinatra, who are both great in this movie. Of course it's hard to forget Vera Ellen, who is very talented and beautiful in this movie. I wish someday to see the rest of it, and I am going to keep looking for it everywhere. Watch it now! ... Read more

Reviews (8)

Ok Movie.
This movie is deffinately not one of Doris Day's Best. Doris Day plays a sweet and innocent lady who wants to have a baby but they keep trying and can't have one so they contact the Rock-A-Bye Adoption Agency. Well the Investigator comes to the house at a bad time. Doris's husband Richard Widmark is chasing a mouse. And the playboy next Door. Gig Young is over and starts making advances towards her. Well in a few minnutes she is starting to leave when Doris and Gig Youngs wife come in and they see what is happening. Well Doris talks to Richard but she can't find out anything and the adoption agency says she must be going. Then Gig convinces Richard to lay back a little bit and gives him some tranquilizers. The next thing we know Richard is riding in his car with the Adoption agency. Then he falls asleep and she drives him to a hotel. The next morning he finds himself in a hotel. Well he hides the fact from his wife. Then they get a call from Rock-A-Bye and they say they have a baby for them. Well when Doris sees it she thinks it looks to much like Richard. Well everybody thinks that and one day Doris sends Richards mother a letter and Richards mother sends her a pic of Richard when he was a baby. And she shows it to Richard and he says when did you have that pic of the baby taken. And she says Ha I knew it this is a picture of you when you were little. Well the movie ends well.

Doris wants to be a parent, but her husband...
Married couple, Doris Day and Richard Widmark want to adopt a baby and of course they have been trying the natural way too. They have wonderful neighbors Gig Young and, who have children of their own currently in camp and one expected. The lady from the Rock-A-Bye Foundation comes around the neighborhood to investigate the parents-to-be. She must ask the neighbors their references of Doris and Richard. Now Richard goes to the front door, not knowing that the investigator is at the front door. he is in his underwear and chasing a mouse with a liquor bottle in his hand. Not a very good impression to start with. What else could happen to mortify Doris Day who is being so naturally proper and decent and yet her husband is not...plenty can happen. Cute film! Directed by dancer/actor/singer Gene Kelly. Nice realistic sets.

Could Have Been Better...
I like Richard Widmark, and absolutely love his movies. I have yet to see a "bad" one, or one I did not like. However, the part in this movie was far too lightweight for him. He's much too good of an actor to be in such of a role. He's best in tough-guy parts. He always fits those like a glove. This film, which is about a couple's desire to have children, doesn't do him justice. He was miscast in this part. Doris Day is sweet and lovely, as usual, while Gig Young is totally annoying. His part could have been deleted completely. The story itself is pretty good, but as I said before, it could have been better.

HAS ONE OF THE BEST COMEDY PLOTS-GREAT!
This is one of the best movie comedies. Has a great plot and good acting by everyone, including Gig Young. Doris seldom makes a bad movie--and this is NOT A BAD ONE.

"TUNNEL" DIGS FOR AND MINES A FEW LAUGHS!
"The Tunnel of Love" was Doris Day's third film for MGM and probably ranks as her least memorable.

Shot in a matter of weeks, it clearly betrays its theatrical roots, being based on a popular Broadway hit which later became a staple for summer stock productions for many years.

Despite it's tight budget and shooting schedule, it surprisingly lost money. Miss Day was nominated for a Golden Globe as Best Actress and received the coveted Laurel Award from Motion Picture Exhibitor Magazine for being the most popular female star in films, the first of eight consecutive awards as most Popular Actress by this publication. None of this, however, saved "Tunnel of Love", which does provide some amusing moments despite a slightly overlong running time which allows interest to sometimes wane.

Gene Kelly directed the talented cast in his final film at MGM after more than 15 years under contract. Had original plans worked out a decade later, he'd have again directed Miss Day in "Hello Dolly" which Richard Zanuck initially wanted as a vehicle for the gifted blonde.

Doris Day and Richard Widmark play a Connecticut couple who want to have a baby. The film's plot evolves around those efforts as well as a lot of misunderstandings which are better seen than described.

As always, Miss Day is a delight. Her comedic talent is second to none and she makes the most of the sometimes tepid situations, giving it the benefit of her personality and skill at making you believe everything she says. Fabled Hollywood Hairstylist Sydney Guilaroff who worked on this film as well as several others with Miss Day told me personally that "...Doris was the most professional actress I have ever encountered. She always knew her lines, never kept people waiting and treated the crew with the same dignity and kindness that she treated her co-stars...." A highlight is Miss Day's exuberant rendition of "Runaway Skiddadle Skidoo", a peppy little song that even allows co-star Richard Widmark to sing a bit of."

Widmark surprises with a very charming and easygoing comic performance. He and Miss Day work well together and it's too bad they didn't have better material to serve them.

Gig Young is in his usual fine form in this the third of four on-screen performances opposite Miss Day. Elisabeth Fraser in the second of four roles opposite Miss Day displays her usual polish. Gia Scala adds window dressing and the viewer will come away not feeling they'd wasted their time but with the talent involved probably wishing for a sweeter aftertaste. Perhaps color would have brightened the proceedings in more ways than one. ... Read more

Amazon.com essential video

Invitation to the Dance was Gene Kelly's great experiment at turning MGM's famous ballet sequences into a feature film.Kelly directed and choreographed three half-hour segments, all without dialogue or songs."Circus," with music by Jacques Ibert, is almost traditional Romantic ballet, as Igor Youskevitch and Claire Sanders play the lovers in an old European stage troupe and Kelly, almost unrecognizable in clown-face makeup, suffers from unrequited love."Ring Around the Rosy" jumps to 20th-century America, as Andre Previn's jazzy score provides the backdrop for an anniversary bracelet that passes through the hands of numerous people and finally back to the owner.Kelly plays the title role in the most famous sequence, the Arabian Nights-type tale "Sinbad the Sailor," set to a loose arrangement of Rimsky-Korsakov's Scheherazade. Incongruously appearing in a U.S. Navy outfit à la On the Town, Kelly explores a live-action Arabian marketplace, discovers a lamp and a genie, then travels to a cartoon palace, where he charms a dragon, dances with a princess, and spars with a couple of swordsmen.Invitation to the Dance is not all dance--much of the action is conveyed through pantomime--and a lot of it does not feature Kelly himself.Even though the film is not quite as entertaining as it could have been, the dancers are consistently good, and Kelly always provides something interesting to watch. --David Horiuchi ... Read more

Reviews (4)

Not what I expected, but good just the same
I'm torn between giving this five stars or four stars. I'm settling on five because it's Gene Kelly and because I just love him. I also think five stars is fair because this film is fifty years old. Some of the stuff that he does as director might seem fairly pedestrian to us but we have to remember that when he was doing it it was pretty much brand new. What an innovator! The film itself consists of three thirty minute minifilms; the stories are all told through dance, music, and mime with no spoken words. The first one was the least enjoyable of the three, IMO. It's mostly ballet and while Gene does do some dancing, you don't get to enjoy him the way you do in other films. For one thing, he's almost unrecognizable under all that white face paint; I typically don't care for costumes and masks and such. I'm also not a big fan of mime and this segment relies on it more than any of the others.

The second segment was both funny and sad as it follows the path of an anniversary bracelet from one owner to the next. The best parts to this segment involve the crooner whose "singing" just slays the ladies. Gene was really having fun when he directed this scene. I also enjoyed the part with the pianist and the hat check girl who turns out to be quite a dancer with quite a pair of gams. You have to be very patient to get to Gene in this one; he doesn't appear until nearly the end but it is worth the wait. He does a very ... dance with a woman who literally lights his fire. His dancing is ..., but he really lets the female shine; she clearly has the lead here. (Throughout this entire film it is clear that Gene was content to let others have lots of screen time.)

The last segment is easily the most enjoyable. Is it any wonder that Gene has the most screen time in this one and does the most dancing? He plays a sailor who finds a magic lamp with a little boy genie inside of it. The two of them literally step into the pages of a fairy tale and encounter animated dancing dragons, harem girls, and swashbuckling villains. Gene dances with all of them at one point or another, and it's really rather neat to see the way he and the cartoons are perfect mirrors of each other - how he carries out their steps and they carry out his and vice versa. It's filled with whimsy and though it's fifty years old it manages to seem rather fresh. I especially enjoy the candy-coated flight of fancy when he and one of the harem girls frolic through flowery meadows. The entire film is lovely to look at and it's got Gene Kelly. Who could ask for anything more?

A great film!
I highly recommend this musical. The costumes are beautiful and the dancing is wonderful! I'd give it ten stars if I could. Gene Kelly is wonderful in it.

Imaginative and unusual
Kelly doesn't dance here as much as you might expect, but it was written, directed and choreographed by him, and is quite imaginative. He was a gifted choreographer as well as dancer. This also gave him a chance to create sexier dance numbers than you will find in the average musical. And there's a funny take off on Sinatra.

The tragic clown sequence touched me more than I expected it to.There's a beautiful dance between the lovers. Ring around the Rosy was more sophisticated and wry, with livelier dancing. Each place the "ring" goes is a little story, and that's fun to watch, though it did take me two viewings for it to really open up. Both sequences owe something to silent film and to mime. The animated sequence at the end is a wonderful flight of fancy and stands up pretty well against modern computer generated stuff. It's not as technically flawless, but still pretty sophisticated, considering it's almost 50 years old. If you have children, the Sinbad sequence is guaranteed to entertain them, and adults, too.

A dance classic from the golden era of movie musicals.
Gene Kelly's Invitation to the Dance is a rare and wonderful movie musical; it was under-appreciated when it was first released, but is wonderful to enjoy today and I'm glad it's available. The three segments, the broken- hearted clown dance, the Sinbad the Sailor (with cartoons and live action combined) ballet and the dance about a ring that gets around, are delightful to watch. An interesting note: Dancer Carol Haney did the live-action dancing later redone by an animated girl in the Sinbad number. I wish someone were making musicals these days! ... Read more

Amazon.com

Three of Frank Sinatra's best musicals are bundled together in one boxed set. Anchors Aweigh teams Sinatra with Gene Kelly in a musical about sailors on leave who get into all kinds of adventures (including Kelly dancing with Jerry the mouse of Tom & Jerry fame). On the Town is a variation on the same theme, but a much better movie; again, Sinatra and Kelly are teamed as sailors on leave (with Jules Munshin) for a day in New York. This time, however, they have music and lyrics by Leonard Bernstein, Betty Comden, and Adolph Green, New York locations, and direction by Kelly and Stanley Donen. High Society is theCole Porter musical based on The Philadelphia Story that teams Sinatra with Grace Kelly and Bing Crosby; one of the greats. --Marshall Fine ... Read more

Amazon.com essential video

No one even bothers to argue about it any more--by any standard and international consensus, this is the best movie musical of them all. Its arcane, unlikely milieu is Hollywood during the transition in the late 1920s from silent to sound motion pictures. Its reason for being was producer Arthur Freed's desire to use the catalog of songs he had written with Nacio Herb Brown in the '20s and '30s for various shows and movies. But, ironically, it's now the soundtrack that seems cobbled together from disparate sources, while the movie itself remains seamless. That's thanks to a literate screenplay by Adolph Green and Betty Comden and ebulliant acting and dancing by the young Gene Kelly, Donald O'Connor, and Debbie Reynolds. Jean Hagen is especially brilliant as the silent-screen star whose speaking voice is so screechy she has to be dubbed for talkies. Kelly codirected with Stanley Donen, and both can take credit for a masterpiece. Musical standouts are "You Were Meant for Me," "Good Morning" and "All I Do Is Dream of You." Visually, the indelible image will always be Kelly sloshing around in puddles while singin' in the rain. That said, this coupling of video with a definitive version of the soundtrack benefits from Rhino's meticulous reconstruction of the material and extensive annotations, which only enhance our grasp of this film and musical legend's gestation. ---Robert Windeler ... Read more

Reviews (223)

The Citizen Kane of musicals
So many films in my collection are "important", "serious", "disturbing", or "great", and as much as I treasure them (films like Citizen Kane, Vertigo, and Ran), there is only so much self-importance a person can take before the pores fairly scream out for something just plain fun; something slight, buoyant, silly, and full of energy. Singin' in the Rain is just that kind of movie. The funny part is, I generally HATE musicals!

In 1951, Gene Kelly and Stanley Donen took a collection of songs by Arthur Freed and Nacio Herb Brown and - assisted by a pitch-perfect screenplay from the writing team of Adolph Green and Betty Comden - sculpted one of the great classic fusions of popular cinematic art and precision dance craft. It is the Citizen Kane of musicals: a virtual catalog of musical film technique, executed flawlessly.

But that alone would not be enough to separate Singin' in the Rain from the kind of musical I can't stand (which is to say, just about every other musical ever made). No, what makes this one special is that it knows what it is and celebrates it. It never for a moment asks you to forget you're watching a movie and then grinds to a screeching halt for the musical number. Instead, it deconstructs itself before your very eyes (and ears) as a razor-sharp, self-aware satire of the movie industry - as well as a joyous expression of the pure ecstasy of great song and dance. In that sense, it is one of the few so-called musicals that actually achieves a genuine symbiosis of drama, music, and kinetic performance art.

If all this sounds rather gushing and pretentious, so be it. This is great film-making. It is Rolex Oyster Perpetual film-making. This DVD edition sparkles with ultra-saturated colors, digitally remixed Dolby 5.1 sound, and some terrific extras (even if you're not particularly into musicals).

My favorite sequence is the eerily fluid dance work between Gene Kelly and Cyd Charisse against a Dali-esque background near the end of the film. Charisse is spellbinding as she trails a gravity-defying veil that must be 30 feet long. It hangs in the air, suspended by wind machines as she uses her extraordinary dance skill (and fantastic legs) to affect a wordless seduction of Kelly's naive, love-struck hero. Great stuff.

Even if you don't think of yourself as the "musical type", give Singin' in the Rain a try. After all that heavy, bitter, existential cinema, it makes one helluva fine dessert.

THE GREAT AMERICAN MUSICAL
Once upon a time there was a place called HOLLYWOOD. It wasn't just a town or even an industry, it was a state of mind. They didn't call the studios Dream Factories for nothing. This film is the epitome of the musical art and craft. This is a real "Movie Movie," made entirely on the MGM lot. The real creme de la creme of MGM contributed to it's creation; produced by Arthur Freed, starring Gene Kelly (with a brilliant turn by the dazzling ,long-legged Cyd Charisse), contract players like Debbie Reynolds and Kathleen Freeman (still going strong, currently appearing on Broadway in "The Full Monty") with costumes by my favorite designer Walter Plunkett (Gone With The Wind, 7 Brides For 7 Brothers, etc). Check out the sumptuous designs for the "Beautiful Girls" number and the outrageous spider dress at the opening night party. The real lowdown is that Jean Hagen and Donald O'Connor practically steal the show from the leads in possibly the best performances of their careers. This film is pure joy. The script by Comden and Green is not only clever but actually goofs on a real period of transition of the American film from silent to talkie.It is also a brilliant job of recycling a trunkload of old songs. This happy film has the courage to do what American musicals and comedies do best: be silly and make you forget you troubles for an hour and a half. Next time you are in bed with the flu or trying to get over a miserable love affair, take a look at Singing In The Rain. It can't help but curl up the corners of your mouth and drive the clouds away.

Wonderful Musical with Terrific Dancing -- a Trifle Dated
"Singin' in the Rain" is the definitive Hollywood musical, and charms and delights our 21st century audiences despite the (very few) characteristics of the genre that don't hold up quite so well.

There are so many high points to this movie -- the amazing cast, the songs, the choreography, and, most surprisingly, the satirical send-up of Hollywood and the "star system."

The plot is well-known. Silent film star couple, Don Lockwood (Gene Kelly, who also co-directed with Stanley Donen) and Lina Lamont (Jean Hagen) are America's sweethearts. At a Hollywood premiere of their latest romance, breathless fans ignore sidekick Cosmo Brown (Donald O'Connor, in perhaps the best sidekick performance in film history) and scream in delight as Lockwood and Lamont pander to their adoration. Nobody, however, seems to notice that the gorgeous Lamont never speaks . . .

Her imposed silence Lamont has a voice that recalls a cat with its tail caught in a wringer, although Lamont is such a "dumb blonde" (bless Hagen -- nobody ever played this stereotype better!) that she is blissfully unaware of her screech. No matter, 'cause it's the silent film era, right? Wrong! Progress brings in "The Jazz Singer" and the era of "talkies." No longer will clever staging of press events suffice.

Soon, Don Lockwood is staring career meltdown in the face as the first Lockwood-Lamont "talkie" sends the audience into hysterics. Not only is Lamont's screech audibly offensive, they can't keep the sound synchronized to the film, and the sound editing even when in synch is as amateurish as a high-school film production.

What to do? Fortunately, Lockwood had fallen for young, beautiful Kathy Selden (a teenage Debbie Reynolds), a starlet in the making. Cosmo comes up with the idea of dubbing Selden's voice for Lamont's, and all is fixed . . . or not. Lamont, an imbecile but smart enough to know her value, insists on ruining Selden's career to preserve her own . . . and so on and so forth.

The plot, ingenious as it is, is really secondary. The main delight in this movie is the amazing dancin' and singin' that the performers offer up. While most of it is pretty silly, campy stuff (particularly the Kelly-O'Connor set pieces), they simply dazzle. Kelly is the most robust, athletic dancer of his generation, and O'Connor, well, the man doesn't have a bone in his body. While the movie's most famous scene comes from Kelly splashing in puddles during the title track, the most amazing dance number has to be O'Connor's comic flailings in "Make 'Em Laugh," where he runs up walls, flirts with a mannequin, and generally pulls out all stops.

Debbie Reynolds does a magnificent job keeping up with these two giants, and is generally a pleasure to watch, even though she's clearly outclassed as a hoofer.

While some great old films seem to get better with age (think "Casablanca," "Gone With the Wind," and "Citizen Kane"), "Singin' in the Rain" is an American classic that does not hold up quite so well in some minor respects. For example, when breaking into choreographed step, Kelly, O'Connor, and Reynolds sometimes appear too rigid, with smiles frozen on their faces, which is incongruous to those raised on more modern musicals like "Moulin Rouge," where the dancers take a more naturalistic, emotional approach to their dancing. The dancing in "Singin'" holds up, but the performers were constrained by the expectations of their audiences, which somehow demanded that the performers "look pleasant" while dancing.

Still, "Singin' in the Rain" remains one of the best tonics to a foul mood ever . . . I defy you to watch this movie and not feel a smile creeping over your face.

The Best Musical Comedy Ever Produced!
I fell in love with this film when I was seven years old; I watched it on a B&W television on "The Early Show" in NY (circa 1957 or 1958). I didn't know who any of the stars were - it didn't matter. It was magic to me. From the Hollywood opening (dignity, always dignity), the romp of the elocution lessons (Moses supposes his toes are roses!), and the trial and mostly error of trying to record the sound ("I can't make love to a BUSH!") when the gorgeous leading lady has a voice that rivals nails on a blackboard, all the way to the grown man dancing in the rain and the final rising curtain - pure magic. In glorious black and white - at the time, I didn't even know it HAD colour! I decided then and there, this was my absolute all-time favourite movie. (One of the highlights of my adult life was seeing this wonder on a full, big screen at a revival in the 1970s.) I have seen many films since then; I have reviewed them for friends & family, written reviews for a monthly entertainment publication. I have an extensive collection of my own (VHS & DVD). I know a lot more about films and production values now.

"Singin'in the Rain" remains my all-time favourite film. (No surprise, this.) It's not just another one of "those MGM musicals." It was released in 1952. Dated stuff? Not a bit. Unlike the marvelous "An American in Paris," which was done as a contemporary film to its time, "Singin' in the Rain" is a period film, and it's based in fact.

This film (which started out to be a western for Howard Keel) takes a fond and loving look at the birthpains of the sound film (the "talkies). Set in 1927, with authentic equipment from MGM's own history (Debbie Reynolds drives Andy Hardy's old jalopy, the microphones are real), it details the frantic efforts to get on the sound bandwagon - no one was completely sure of the new technology. What makes the plot classic is the basis in fact. Many silent stars had totally unacceptable voices or speech (too nasal, unintelligible foreign accents, too high, too low, etc.) for sound production. The songs used were true to the period.

Then we have the performers. Jean Hagen was nominated for an Academy Award for her role of Lina Lamont. The character (whose voice you don't hear for the first 10+ minutes of the film, although she's on-screen) is a one-of-a-kind. [Side note: the voice dubbing Lina's line is actually Hagen's normal voice, not that of Debbie Reynold's Kathy Selden.] Reynolds does an admirable job - it couldn't have been easy keeping up with her two male co-stars. It's still a joy to see Donald O'Connor's "Make 'em Laugh," and wonderful to see Gene Kelly teamed with a good male partner for "Fit as a Fiddle" and "Moses". Gene Kelly is, and always shall be, the best and this was done at his peak.

Of course, for anyone who has been living in the back of a cave under a rock (or too young to appreciate it), the title number is a delight. It looks like one continuous take, it is so smooth. This was not the first appearance of the song, but it's the one we all remember. The sheer exuberance of Kelly's performance carries us right along with him.

The extras with this set are valued items for anyone like me who is interested in the backstory of the era and this film in particular. And don't fuss for a widescreen version. This is the way it was. And now it always will be.

Thoroughly entertaining musical
I have to say first of all that I am *not* at all a fan of musicals (or comedies for that matter) - I am a drama fan. I have seen a few musicals here and there over the years and tried to like them - such as 1964's "My Fair Lady" and 1961's "West Side Story." I liked both of them *somewhat,* but not too much - because I have always strongly preferred films that are realistic --> in real life, people don't burst into song when they are in one particular circumstance or another. Yet, I couldn't help enjoying myself with a smile on my face as I watched this film that landed so high (#10) on AFI's list of the top 100 American films of all time. Donald O'Connor, in particular, as Cosmo, was so perfectly cast in his role. The film was at times hilarious and at times wonderfully romantic. I definitely would recommend everyone to try this film out. B+. ... Read more

Reviews (8)

DVD Box set Please!
when are the powers that be going to get their act together and issue this great series in a deluxe box set-the three TE films as well as That's Dancing. As long as they give it the treatment it deserves, and re-master it properly.

Leave u singing and tapping all night
I love show tunes and broadway. This is a really fun movie. If u have part 1 or 3, u may get some repeated clips. Astaire and Kelly host this and even though it is sometimes chessy, its fun

That's Really Entertainment!
I found this movie to be great! The 'That's Entertainment' series get better by each movie. They have unique clips in them that are just as good as buying the different tapes because they show the best of the best! I would recommend this to anyone!

TOUPEES UNTD!
Are we really supposed to believe that Fred Astaire had MORE hair when he was 80 than when he was 20? Apart from that it shows how talented Fred and Gene were even though they were collecting their pension!

Much of the dialogue given to the pair is VERY corny but their annecdotes are very sweet [the one about Judy Garland singing Have urself a merry little xmas for example]

It does drag on a bit sometimes notably the non-musical bits but the affection in their voices shows what they think or dont think of certain stars.

I really liked the singing the credits and opening sequence is amazing.

Great Clips, Lousy Organization, Rotten Editing
Like its predecessor, THAT'S ENTERTAINMENT II offers two hours of film clips from memorable MGM movies featuring the likes of Judy Garland, Bing Crosby, Lena Horne, Louis Armstrong, and Doris Day. Unlike its predecessor, which organized the film clips into thematic sequences introduced by different MGM stars, THAT'S ENTERTAINMENT just throws the clips out willynilly without much rhyme or reason--and saddles narrators Fred Astaire and Gene Kelly with some of the clunkiest, corniest material imaginable. In consequence, it lacks the cohesion and the excitement of the original.

But it still has its charms. Many of the individual clips are knock-outs: Ethel Waters performing "Taking a Chance on Love" from CABIN IN THE SKY, Bobby Van doing the famous "hop dance" from SMALL TOWN GIRL, Judy Garland belting out "I Got Rythmn" from GIRL CRAZY. In addition to such musical treats, the film also offers a look at the Marx Brothers with the famous "State Room Scene" from A NIGHT AT THE OPERA, a sequence of famous lines from famous films (such as Garbo's "I want to be alone"), and an extended tribute to Spenser Tracy and Katherine Hepburn. Most viewers will probably feel the film drags due to the uneven way in which the scenes are introduced and edited together, but just about every one will find plenty to enjoy. Recommended with reservations. ... Read more

Reviews (6)

Stewart's Timing and Fonda's Wit
Jimmy Stewart and Henry Fonda provide more than a few laughs in the Gene Kelly-directed film "The Cheyenne Social Club." John O'Hanlan (Stewart) and Harley Sullivan (Fonda) are longtime friends and dungy cowboys who set off across the West to O'Hanlan's newly inherited business: a bordello in Wyoming. There they encounter a brood full of women lead by Shirley Jones (of Partridge Family fame). Thus begins a comic romp through the lighter side of the Old West.

Stewart and Fonda spend a great deal of this movie injecting flawless comic timing and delightful wit into a script that might otherwise be nothing but a disreputable spoof of greater films. Every encounter with the bordello women leaves Stewart's character in slack-jawed befuddlement while Fonda wiles and charms his way into their hearts and bedrooms.

This film will never be picked as the greatest Western of all time and is not the finest showpiece from Stewart's and Fonda's careers. It is, however, a wonderfully crafted story that brings together two of the greatest actors the silver screen has ever known. Stewart is his old reliable, sensible self with just enough grit and keenness to make him the perfect straight man. Fonda's non-stop ramblings and rugged charm make him the consummate counterpart. All in all, this is a movie well worth owning and laughing over again and again.

Stewart Fonda and Jones are winners here
If you want to sit down and enjoy a movie and LAUGH this movie is for you. Stewart and Fonda are great foils for each other, (I think you could have had a series of picture with these two as these characters and it would have worked.) All the performances are played well, the plot is a great one and frankly the Fonda character (who just can't shut up at times.) just kills me. (In fact the two long speeches at the begining and end were added to the script to give Fonda more lines. It made the character.) Stewart frankly plays his honest honerable stock character, but it is a good stock character and with the right foil (Fonda) the character remains earnist but fun. Not a classic in the true sense of the word (It's no BROKEN ARROW or THE MAN WHO SHOT LIBERTY VALANCE) but it doesn't try to be. It is what it is and that's an entertaing movie.

A lesson learned.
This is the story of two cowpoke and their relationship with life. One comes into an inheritance and plans to become a man of property. He starts acting so. Will success spoil John O'Hanlan? And will their friendship last the strain? If James Garner and Jack Elam played the two characters, this movie would just go down in history as another cowboy spoof. However it is James Stewart and Henry Fonda that are sparing with a little Sue Ane Langdon to boot. It is quite funny and fun to watch.

The calming influence of Stewart and Fonda.
No matter how many movies teamed Jimmy Stewart and Henry Fonda, it was not enough. Gene Kelly directs the pair here in a simple story of long-time friendship in the Old West, familiar ground, sure, but a story that always brings a smile to my face.

When John O'Hanlan (Stewart) discovers that his long lost brother has died, he's surprised to find that he has inherited a business. Enthusiastically he crosses the country from Texas to Cheyenne to become 'a man of property', just what he's always wanted.

But the Cheyenne Social Club, his business, is a brothel. The premiere brothel in this boom town, sure, but that's not exactly what O'Hanlan had in mind. Thankfully his riding partner Harley Sullivan (Fonda) has tagged along, Harley may have his own point of view on most things, but he does smooth out many of the rough spots they encounter along the way.

Story is predictable, the climax is anti-climatic, but, who cares when you get to see these on-screen buddies in a buddy movie defined.

Enjoyable western.
Stewart and Fonda take over a cathouse and ham it up. A bunch of cowhand yucks, and lots of great corset shots. There's worse ways to spend a couple hours. ... Read more

Amazon.com essential video

Decades before the Hollywood film industry became famous for megabudget disaster and science fiction spectaculars, the studios of Southern California (and particularly Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer) were renowned for a uniquely American (and nearly extinct) kind of picture known as The Musical. Indeed, when the prestigious British film magazine Sight & Sound conducts its international critics poll in the second year of every decade, this 1952 MGM picture is the American musical that consistently ranks among the 10 best movies ever made. It's not only a great song-and-dance piece starring Gene Kelly, Donald O'Connor, and a sprightly Debbie Reynolds; it's also an affectionately funny insider spoof about the film industry's uneasy transition from silent pictures to "talkies." Kelly plays debonair star Don Lockwood, whose leading lady Lina Lamont (Jean Hagen) has a screechy voice hilariously ill-suited to the new technology (and her glamorous screen image). Among the musical highlights: O'Connor's knockout "Make 'Em Laugh"; the big "Broadway Melody" production number; and, best of all, that charming little title ditty in which Kelly makes movie magic on a drenched set with nothing but a few puddles, a lamppost, and an umbrella. --Jim Emerson ... Read more

Reviews (223)

The Citizen Kane of musicals
So many films in my collection are "important", "serious", "disturbing", or "great", and as much as I treasure them (films like Citizen Kane, Vertigo, and Ran), there is only so much self-importance a person can take before the pores fairly scream out for something just plain fun; something slight, buoyant, silly, and full of energy. Singin' in the Rain is just that kind of movie. The funny part is, I generally HATE musicals!

In 1951, Gene Kelly and Stanley Donen took a collection of songs by Arthur Freed and Nacio Herb Brown and - assisted by a pitch-perfect screenplay from the writing team of Adolph Green and Betty Comden - sculpted one of the great classic fusions of popular cinematic art and precision dance craft. It is the Citizen Kane of musicals: a virtual catalog of musical film technique, executed flawlessly.

But that alone would not be enough to separate Singin' in the Rain from the kind of musical I can't stand (which is to say, just about every other musical ever made). No, what makes this one special is that it knows what it is and celebrates it. It never for a moment asks you to forget you're watching a movie and then grinds to a screeching halt for the musical number. Instead, it deconstructs itself before your very eyes (and ears) as a razor-sharp, self-aware satire of the movie industry - as well as a joyous expression of the pure ecstasy of great song and dance. In that sense, it is one of the few so-called musicals that actually achieves a genuine symbiosis of drama, music, and kinetic performance art.

If all this sounds rather gushing and pretentious, so be it. This is great film-making. It is Rolex Oyster Perpetual film-making. This DVD edition sparkles with ultra-saturated colors, digitally remixed Dolby 5.1 sound, and some terrific extras (even if you're not particularly into musicals).

My favorite sequence is the eerily fluid dance work between Gene Kelly and Cyd Charisse against a Dali-esque background near the end of the film. Charisse is spellbinding as she trails a gravity-defying veil that must be 30 feet long. It hangs in the air, suspended by wind machines as she uses her extraordinary dance skill (and fantastic legs) to affect a wordless seduction of Kelly's naive, love-struck hero. Great stuff.

Even if you don't think of yourself as the "musical type", give Singin' in the Rain a try. After all that heavy, bitter, existential cinema, it makes one helluva fine dessert.

THE GREAT AMERICAN MUSICAL
Once upon a time there was a place called HOLLYWOOD. It wasn't just a town or even an industry, it was a state of mind. They didn't call the studios Dream Factories for nothing. This film is the epitome of the musical art and craft. This is a real "Movie Movie," made entirely on the MGM lot. The real creme de la creme of MGM contributed to it's creation; produced by Arthur Freed, starring Gene Kelly (with a brilliant turn by the dazzling ,long-legged Cyd Charisse), contract players like Debbie Reynolds and Kathleen Freeman (still going strong, currently appearing on Broadway in "The Full Monty") with costumes by my favorite designer Walter Plunkett (Gone With The Wind, 7 Brides For 7 Brothers, etc). Check out the sumptuous designs for the "Beautiful Girls" number and the outrageous spider dress at the opening night party. The real lowdown is that Jean Hagen and Donald O'Connor practically steal the show from the leads in possibly the best performances of their careers. This film is pure joy. The script by Comden and Green is not only clever but actually goofs on a real period of transition of the American film from silent to talkie.It is also a brilliant job of recycling a trunkload of old songs. This happy film has the courage to do what American musicals and comedies do best: be silly and make you forget you troubles for an hour and a half. Next time you are in bed with the flu or trying to get over a miserable love affair, take a look at Singing In The Rain. It can't help but curl up the corners of your mouth and drive the clouds away.

Wonderful Musical with Terrific Dancing -- a Trifle Dated
"Singin' in the Rain" is the definitive Hollywood musical, and charms and delights our 21st century audiences despite the (very few) characteristics of the genre that don't hold up quite so well.

There are so many high points to this movie -- the amazing cast, the songs, the choreography, and, most surprisingly, the satirical send-up of Hollywood and the "star system."

The plot is well-known. Silent film star couple, Don Lockwood (Gene Kelly, who also co-directed with Stanley Donen) and Lina Lamont (Jean Hagen) are America's sweethearts. At a Hollywood premiere of their latest romance, breathless fans ignore sidekick Cosmo Brown (Donald O'Connor, in perhaps the best sidekick performance in film history) and scream in delight as Lockwood and Lamont pander to their adoration. Nobody, however, seems to notice that the gorgeous Lamont never speaks . . .

Her imposed silence Lamont has a voice that recalls a cat with its tail caught in a wringer, although Lamont is such a "dumb blonde" (bless Hagen -- nobody ever played this stereotype better!) that she is blissfully unaware of her screech. No matter, 'cause it's the silent film era, right? Wrong! Progress brings in "The Jazz Singer" and the era of "talkies." No longer will clever staging of press events suffice.

Soon, Don Lockwood is staring career meltdown in the face as the first Lockwood-Lamont "talkie" sends the audience into hysterics. Not only is Lamont's screech audibly offensive, they can't keep the sound synchronized to the film, and the sound editing even when in synch is as amateurish as a high-school film production.

What to do? Fortunately, Lockwood had fallen for young, beautiful Kathy Selden (a teenage Debbie Reynolds), a starlet in the making. Cosmo comes up with the idea of dubbing Selden's voice for Lamont's, and all is fixed . . . or not. Lamont, an imbecile but smart enough to know her value, insists on ruining Selden's career to preserve her own . . . and so on and so forth.

The plot, ingenious as it is, is really secondary. The main delight in this movie is the amazing dancin' and singin' that the performers offer up. While most of it is pretty silly, campy stuff (particularly the Kelly-O'Connor set pieces), they simply dazzle. Kelly is the most robust, athletic dancer of his generation, and O'Connor, well, the man doesn't have a bone in his body. While the movie's most famous scene comes from Kelly splashing in puddles during the title track, the most amazing dance number has to be O'Connor's comic flailings in "Make 'Em Laugh," where he runs up walls, flirts with a mannequin, and generally pulls out all stops.

Debbie Reynolds does a magnificent job keeping up with these two giants, and is generally a pleasure to watch, even though she's clearly outclassed as a hoofer.

While some great old films seem to get better with age (think "Casablanca," "Gone With the Wind," and "Citizen Kane"), "Singin' in the Rain" is an American classic that does not hold up quite so well in some minor respects. For example, when breaking into choreographed step, Kelly, O'Connor, and Reynolds sometimes appear too rigid, with smiles frozen on their faces, which is incongruous to those raised on more modern musicals like "Moulin Rouge," where the dancers take a more naturalistic, emotional approach to their dancing. The dancing in "Singin'" holds up, but the performers were constrained by the expectations of their audiences, which somehow demanded that the performers "look pleasant" while dancing.

Still, "Singin' in the Rain" remains one of the best tonics to a foul mood ever . . . I defy you to watch this movie and not feel a smile creeping over your face.

The Best Musical Comedy Ever Produced!
I fell in love with this film when I was seven years old; I watched it on a B&W television on "The Early Show" in NY (circa 1957 or 1958). I didn't know who any of the stars were - it didn't matter. It was magic to me. From the Hollywood opening (dignity, always dignity), the romp of the elocution lessons (Moses supposes his toes are roses!), and the trial and most