Grab your popcorn and settle in as we travel back in time. The year is 1927. The black-and-white film era is booming. 

Don Lockwood and his best friend Cosmo Brown have worked their way to the big leagues. Struggling from a young age to get any music or acting gigs, the friends find their way to Los Angeles, California. 

California is bustling with reporters as Don Lockwood and Lina Lamont’s new feature film is debuting. The black-and-white silent film is a hit and is not the last the public will see of Lockwood and Lamont.

The industry is always evolving. Filmmakers at Monument Pictures have found a way to join sound and moving pictures. After struggling through sessions of audio recording with Lockwood and Lamont, the producers finally have a trial film to show the public. 

What a laughingstock they became. The “talkies” movie was a bust. Down on their luck, Don, Cosmo and their friend Kathy Selden stayed up late and into the morning, and oh how great it is to stay up late. 

The three came up with an idea that will change the movie industry. They decided that the film can be salvaged, it just needs to be a musical. From there, Kathy and Don, with help from Cosmo, get to work and help put together the numbers for the film.

“Singin’ in the Rain” features Gene Kelly as Don Lockwood, Donald O’Connor as Cosmo Brown and Debbie Reynolds as Kathy Selden. 

“Singin’ in the Rain” is such a comfort movie. When I need to step away from life, enjoy a musical on a glum day or just need a laugh, I always turn on this film. The plot is easy to follow. With quick wit and toe-tapping musical numbers, viewers cannot help but smile. 

Viewers of all ages can enjoy the film. The younger audiences will giggle along with Cosmo’s funny jokes as well as his actions in the song “Make ‘em Laugh” when he goes around the movie sets and acts a fool. 

The older audiences will be captivated by the relationship between Don and Kathy. Just the way these two meet is intriguing, because it would never get OKed by today’s norms.

The famous song “Singin’ in the Rain” is enough for me to rewatch this film again and again. The music, lyrics and dance are well done and very elegant. The use of props (i.e., umbrella and lamppost) make for one of the most memorable poses in cinematic history.

For viewers who did not grow up in this time, it is interesting to see the technological developments and issues. For one, they had to figure out how to hide large microphones within costumes with decent quality. If these technologies were never mastered, we would not be where we are today.

This movie does not have a lot of inclusion. The all-white cast is primarily male. There are some “girl-boss” moments as two of the main female leads stand their ground. In that period, it is amazing to have that representation.

The film is spectacular, especially given its time period. The lighting and effects in all the musical numbers are breathtaking. When Kathy and Don dance in one of the empty stages to “You Were Meant for Me”, the soft colors and fog usage transported viewers into a memory they never knew they had.

“Singin’ in the Rain” has been capturing hearts since 1952. This film pictured the early struggles of film making and the advancements of the industry. If you enjoy musicals or are just looking for something new to watch, turn on this classic. The glimpse into the past will captivate you and will have you singing in the rain.

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