"Singin' in the Rain". Image via Google.
Singin’ in the Rain is joy distilled, like 100 proof Hollywood moonshine.
And tonight, for one night only, THE movie musical is back on the big screen where it belongs. In honor of the film’s 60th anniversary, Fathom Events and Turner Classic Movies are presenting screenings at movie theaters around the country. Check their website for the showing near you…and GO!
But for now, let’s get prepped by watching some inspirational video…
Has there ever been a musical number more celebrated, more parodied, more copied than this one? But of all the versions I’ve seen (from Usher to Paddington Bear), this “Singin’ in the Rain” on Ice by Canadian figure skater Kurt Browning comes the closest to capturing the lift, the buoyancy of the original…while still be a loving tribute.
I have no idea what we just witnessed, but it just goes to show you how pervasive the song and the film are in popular culture around the world. And really, is it any weirder than seeing the Gene Kelly boogie with Olivia Newton John in Xanadu?
Jean Hagen’s performance in the film is pure genius. I adore Debbie Reynolds…and not just because she gave birth to Princess Leia. But it is the vaudeville duo of Kelly and O’Connor that are the heart of the film and the stars of my favorite musical number in the film, “Moses Supposes”. Don’t we all wish we could be this fluid, this funny, this fantastically fleet footed? I get drunk on it every time.
