Facebook Twitter Instagram YouTube
    Nostalgia Central
    • Home
    • Blog
      • Lists
      • Playlists
    • Television
      • Shows by Decade
        • 1950s Television
        • 1960s Television
        • 1970s Television
        • 1980s Television
        • 1990s Television
      • Shows by Genre
        • Comedy
        • Drama
        • Kids TV
        • Variety
        • News & Sport
        • Advertisements
      • Shows by Country
        • UK TV
        • USA TV
        • Australia & NZ TV
        • Canada TV
        • Europe TV
        • Japan TV
      • Shows A to K
        • Shows A
        • Shows B
        • Shows C
        • Shows D
        • Shows E
        • Shows F
        • Shows G
        • Shows H
        • Shows I
        • Shows J
        • Shows K
      • Shows L to Z
        • Shows L
        • Shows M
        • Shows N
        • Shows O
        • Shows P
        • Shows Q
        • Shows R
        • Shows S
        • Shows T
        • Shows U
        • Shows V
        • Shows W
        • Shows X
        • Shows Y
        • Shows Z
      • Shows 0 to 9
    • Music
      • Music by Decade
        • 1950s Music
        • 1960s Music
        • 1970s Music
        • 1980s Music
        • 1990s Music
      • Music A to K
        • Music A
        • Music B
        • Music C
        • Music D
        • Music E
        • Music F
        • Music G
        • Music H
        • Music I
        • Music J
        • Music K
      • Music L to Z
        • Music L
        • Music M
        • Music N
        • Music O
        • Music P
        • Music Q
        • Music R
        • Music S
        • Music T
        • Music U
        • Music V
        • Music W
        • Music X
        • Music Y
        • Music Z
      • Music 0 to 9
      • Genres
      • Music on Film & TV
      • One-Hit Wonders
      • Online Radio
    • Movies
      • Movies by Decade
        • 1950s Movies
        • 1960s Movies
        • 1970s Movies
        • 1980s Movies
        • 1990s Movies
      • Movies by Country
        • UK Movies
        • USA Movies
        • Australia & NZ Movies
        • Canada Movies
        • Europe Movies
        • Japan Movies
      • Movies A to K
        • Movies A
        • Movies B
        • Movies C
        • Movies D
        • Movies E
        • Movies F
        • Movies G
        • Movies H
        • Movies I
        • Movies J
        • Movies K
      • Movies L to Z
        • Movies L
        • Movies M
        • Movies N
        • Movies O
        • Movies P
        • Movies Q
        • Movies R
        • Movies S
        • Movies T
        • Movies U
        • Movies V
        • Movies W
        • Movies X
        • Movies Y
        • Movies Z
      • Movies 0 to 9
    • Pop Culture
      • Fads
      • Toys & Games
      • Fashion
      • Decor
      • Food & Drink
      • People
      • Radio
      • Technology
      • Transport
    • Social History
      • 1950s Year by Year
      • 1960s Year by Year
      • 1970s Year by Year
      • 1980s Year by Year
      • 1990s Year by Year
      • Events
    Nostalgia Central
    Home»Movies»Movies L to Z»Movies S
    Movies S 3 Mins Read

    Singin’ In The Rain (1952)

    Share
    Facebook Twitter Pinterest WhatsApp Reddit Email

    Before 1952, Gene Kelly, Stanley Donen, and Arthur Freed had made some great films.

    Kelly made his mark with his “man on the street” choreography in An American In Paris (1951) while Donen had co-directed On The Town with Kelly, and Freed had produced The Wizard of Oz among others.

    singinginrain

    But it was Singin’ In The Rain (released on 27 March 1952) that united their individual talents – including Freed’s almost-forgotten song writing ability that shone in the early film era – and made them all legends.

    The plot of Singin’ In The Rain revolved around the movie studio’s painful transition to talking pictures and proved the possibility of recycling.

    The soundtrack was mostly constructed of songs already previously heard in MGM musicals dating from as far back as 1929, even the immortal title track.

    Today, few are aware that the songs were not specially written for the film, which featured Freed’s songs from 1920s and 1930s movies like the Broadway Melody series – illustrating how well the songs stood the test of time.

    It is 1927 and Don Lockwood (Kelly) and Lina Lamont (Jean Hagen) are the greatest stars of the silent cinema, but when the talkies come in, it is discovered that Lina has a high-pitched screechy voice.

    singinintherain5

    The screen love team seems doomed until along comes dancer-singer and would-be serious actress, Kathy Selden (Debbie Reynolds) who agrees to dub the bitchy Lina’s voice.

    At the finale, when the truth is finally revealed, Don and Kathy become the new stellar team at Monumental Pictures.

    singingintherain_000

    Singin’ In The Rain cost $2.5 million but it was worth every cent. The movie cemented Kelly and Donen’s directing credibility, showcasing Kelly’s now-signature choreography in a way that only a huge budget MGM musical could.

    Singin’ In The Rain also launched the career of a young Debbie Reynolds, only 18 at the time and not trained for dancing.

    She saw herself as perfect for the part of young star-struck Kathy, remarking later “I was that young, inexperienced girl you see on the screen”.

    She trained for hours, sometimes until her feet bled, to keep up with Kelly and Donald O’Connor.

    But Reynolds was not the only one to have such discomfort . . . Kelly had a fever of 103 degrees. The solution? Warm up the water.

    The end result was possibly the most adored and iconic piece of musical movie choreography of all time.

    Don Lockwood
    Gene Kelly
    Kathy Selden
    Debbie Reynolds
    Cosmo Brown
    Donald O’Connor
    Lina Lamont
    Jean Hagen
    RF Simpson
    Millard Mitchell
    Zelda Zanders
    Rita Moreno
    Roscoe Dexter
    Douglas Fowley
    Dora Bailey
    Madge Blake

    Director
    Stanley Donen
    Gene Kelly

    Video

    Related Posts

    • Survivor, The (1981)
      Survivor, The (1981)
      British actor David Hemmings directed Australia's first disaster movie, The Survivor, starring Robert Powell as the pilot of a 747 involved…
    • SuperFly TNT (1973)
      SuperFly TNT (1973)
      Harlem hustler Priest (Ron O'Neal) is back in a sequel to the hit Superfly (1972). This time, he is persuaded to…
    • Strongest Man in the World, The (1975)
      Strongest Man in the World, The (1975)
      Medfield College science majors Dexter Reilly (Kurt Russell) and Richard Schuyler (Michael McGreevey) are trying to find a vitamin formula…
    • Spaceman and King Arthur, The (1979)
      Spaceman and King Arthur, The (1979)
      The NASA spaceship Stardust lands in Camelot in 508 AD by mistake in this Disney adaptation of Mark Twain's A Connecticut…
    • Song Remains The Same, The (1976)
      Song Remains The Same, The (1976)
      The only official concert video document to be released by Led Zeppelin, The Song Remains The Same is rather self-indulgent, bloated in…
    • Story Of Mankind, The (1957)
      Story Of Mankind, The (1957)
      Future disaster-movie king Irwin Allen, whose blockbusters include The Poseidon Adventure (1972) and The Towering Inferno (1974), made this portentous rubbish in…
    • Spiceworld (1997)
      Spiceworld (1997)
      The Spice Girls are a global pop star phenomenon and everyone wants to be a part of their world, but…
    • Superfly (1972)
      Superfly (1972)
      Directed by Gordon Parks Jr - the son of the man who directed Shaft (1971) - this superb Blaxploitation film starred…

    Share. Facebook Twitter Pinterest WhatsApp Reddit Email
    Previous ArticleSilver Lode (1954)
    Next Article Single White Female (1992)

    Comments are closed.

    A Labour of Love

    Nostalgia Central has been a labour of love for me since 1998.

    If you find the site informative or enjoyable, please consider a donation – no matter how small – to help me with the running costs of the site and ensure I can keep Nostalgia Central running for your entertainment and education.

    Thank you so much, and please enjoy your trip in the time machine!
    Follow us
    • Facebook
    • Instagram
    • YouTube
    You May Also Like
    • Madman of the People
      1 9 9 4 – 1 9 9 5 (USA) 16 x 30 minute episodes This […]
    • TV Tornado
      This television-related comic was designed by City Magazines as […]
    • Discotheques
      The increase in available leisure time in the 1960s (the average […]
    • Little Pattie
      During the early years of Australian Rock & Roll, the scene […]
    • Spiro Agnew
      Republican US vice-president (under Richard Nixon) between 1969 […]
    • Creature From The Black Lagoon (1954)
      Universal’s exclusive movie monster club got a new member […]
    Comments Box SVG iconsUsed for the like, share, comment, and reaction icons

    OUR LATEST FACEBOOK POSTS

    60 years of Billy Liar: how the Bradford locations have changed today ... See MoreSee Less

    Link thumbnail

    60 years of Billy Liar: how the Bradford locations have changed today

    theb.fi

    Not everything is at it seems about the shooting locations for this classic story of a Yorkshire daydreamer.
    1 day ago
    View on Facebook
    · Share
    Share on Facebook Share on Twitter Share on Linked In Share by Email
    View Comments
    • Likes: 7
    • Shares: 2
    • Comments: 1

    Comment on Facebook

    “I’ll tell you what Charlie, there’s always been a Holroyd at Holroyd’s mill and by god there always will be” Love this film.

    www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-coventry-warwickshire-65006801 ... See MoreSee Less

    Link thumbnail

    Terry Hall: Coventry scooter ride-out pays tribute to singer

    www.bbc.co.uk

    Hundreds of people ride through Coventry on what would have been the singer's 64th birthday.
    1 week ago
    View on Facebook
    · Share
    Share on Facebook Share on Twitter Share on Linked In Share by Email
    View Comments
    • Likes: 12
    • Shares: 2
    • Comments: 0

    Comment on Facebook

    metro.co.uk/2023/03/13/the-whos-roger-daltrey-thinks-theres-no-point-releasing-an-album-18434779/ ... See MoreSee Less

    Link thumbnail

    The Who's Roger Daltrey thinks there's 'no point' releasing another album

    metro.co.uk

    Bad luck.
    1 week ago
    View on Facebook
    · Share
    Share on Facebook Share on Twitter Share on Linked In Share by Email
    View Comments
    • Likes: 1
    • Shares: 0
    • Comments: 0

    Comment on Facebook

    www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-cambridgeshire-64963359 ... See MoreSee Less

    Link thumbnail

    Sir Michael Caine's first Rolls Royce sells at Duxford for £120K

    www.bbc.co.uk

    The Italian Job actor hired a chauffeur to drive the 1968 Silver Shadow, with its doors still intact.
    2 weeks ago
    View on Facebook
    · Share
    Share on Facebook Share on Twitter Share on Linked In Share by Email
    View Comments
    • Likes: 3
    • Shares: 0
    • Comments: 0

    Comment on Facebook

    www.bbc.co.uk/news/entertainment-arts-64900348 ... See MoreSee Less

    Link thumbnail

    Mystic Meg: Astrologer dies aged 80

    www.bbc.co.uk

    The TV star, whose real name was Margaret Lake, was a well-known TV figure in the 1990s.
    2 weeks ago
    View on Facebook
    · Share
    Share on Facebook Share on Twitter Share on Linked In Share by Email
    View Comments
    • Likes: 1
    • Shares: 0
    • Comments: 1

    Comment on Facebook

    Do you think she know it eas going to happen

    PlayTalk Teletext (1976) | BFI Replay

    Talk Teletext (1976) | BFI Replay ... See MoreSee Less

    3 weeks ago
    View on Facebook
    · Share
    Share on Facebook Share on Twitter Share on Linked In Share by Email
    View Comments
    • Likes: 8
    • Shares: 2
    • Comments: 0

    Comment on Facebook

    Gary Rossington: Lynyrd Skynyrd's last founding member dies aged 71.
    ... See MoreSee Less

    Link thumbnail

    Gary Rossington: Lynyrd Skynyrd's last founding member dies aged 71

    www.bbc.co.uk

    Guitarist Gary Rossington had survived a 1977 air crash that killed several of his bandmates.
    3 weeks ago
    View on Facebook
    · Share
    Share on Facebook Share on Twitter Share on Linked In Share by Email
    View Comments
    • Likes: 2
    • Shares: 0
    • Comments: 1

    Comment on Facebook

    What a talented man. Lucky enough to see original band in concert. BRILLIANT.

    Rest in peace Dickie Davies. An absolute giant of British sports broadcasting.

    ... See MoreSee Less

    Link thumbnail

    Dickie Davies, World of Sport presenter, dies at 94

    www.theguardian.com

    The broadcaster became something of a cult figure after fronting the ITV show for 20 years
    1 month ago
    View on Facebook
    · Share
    Share on Facebook Share on Twitter Share on Linked In Share by Email
    View Comments
    • Likes: 4
    • Shares: 1
    • Comments: 1

    Comment on Facebook

    Yes, one of the great presenters. R.I.P.

    For fans of the radio series Round The Horne (1965 - 1968) - starring the inimitable Kenneth Williams - there are several full episodes on Spotify. Some of the humour is still pretty close to the edge, even by modern standards. Bona! 

https://open.spotify.com/show/7DIM1wfGKwDis0uzsjHeP7?si=pG0_U0TjRKGzVDvrePs4vA

    For fans of the radio series "Round The Horne" (1965 - 1968) - starring the inimitable Kenneth Williams - there are several full episodes on Spotify. Some of the humour is still pretty "close to the edge", even by modern standards. Bona!

    open.spotify.com/show/7DIM1wfGKwDis0uzsjHeP7?si=pG0_U0TjRKGzVDvrePs4vA
    ... See MoreSee Less

    1 month ago
    View on Facebook
    · Share
    Share on Facebook Share on Twitter Share on Linked In Share by Email
    View Comments
    • Likes: 12
    • Shares: 1
    • Comments: 2

    Comment on Facebook

    For those interested, the complete “Jules and Sandy” is available on Audible…

    Bona to vada your jolly old eek. Lovely riah....

    RIP the beautiful Stella Stevens, who has died at the age of 84.

    ... See MoreSee Less

    Link thumbnail

    Stella Stevens: Nutty Professor and Poseidon Adventure star dies at 84

    www.bbc.co.uk

    The co-star of Elvis Presley also worked in TV on series such as Murder She Wrote and Magnum, P.I.
    1 month ago
    View on Facebook
    · Share
    Share on Facebook Share on Twitter Share on Linked In Share by Email
    View Comments
    • Likes: 0
    • Shares: 0
    • Comments: 0

    Comment on Facebook

    Load more
    Please note


    Nostalgia Central covers the period 1950 to 1999 and contains some words and references which reflect the attitudes of those times and which may be considered culturally sensitive, offensive or inappropriate today.
    • Facebook
    • Instagram
    • YouTube
    Search Nostalgia Central
    Tag Cloud
    Action Figures Amicus Arcade games Australia Beach movies Beatles Blaxploitation Board games British Invasion Britpop Bubblegum music Canada Civil rights Cold War Computer games Crime Disc Jockeys Disco Disney Doo-Wop Elvis Presley Folk rock Girl groups Glam Goth Hammer Heavy Metal Irwin Allen James Bond JFK Kraütrock Labels Madchester Merseybeat Mod revival Motown New Romantic New Wave New Zealand Nixon Northern Soul NWOBHM Oi! One-hit wonders Politics Power Pop Prog rock Pub rock Punk Radio Reggae Rolling Stones Scotland Ska Ska revival Skiffle Soul music Space Race Sport Surf music Video games Vietnam war
    Copyright © 1998, 2023 Nostalgia Central. Run by volunteers. Funded by donations.
    • About Nostalgia Central
    • Contact
    • FAQ

    Type above and press Enter to search. Press Esc to cancel.