Review of Singin' in the Rain (1952) by Dave H — 26 Sep 2012

There are certainly movies out there I've loved more than Singin' in the Rain, but I can't think of any other movies I've watched with such a huge dopey smile plastered across my face for most of the running time. I'm glad I got the opportunity to take Hue along to see it in the cinema. She was a little dubious after The Adventures of Robin Hood a few months ago, but within ten minutes of Singin' in the Rain she was laughing (and singing) as loudly as anyone in the theatre. I was slightly more restrained, having seen it once or twice on the telly, but only slightly.

It's not perfect. Some routines (especially "Beautiful Girl", or the parts of "Broadway Melody" not featuring Cyd Charrise) verge on tedium and redundancy. But overall, it's an awesome picture. The story is cute and the leads are charming and the music is iconic. Favourite bits include the joyfully idiotic "Moses Supposes" and the inspiring "Good Morning" - forget the Red Bull - just watch this. The film's humorous high-point comes from O'Conner's "Make 'Em Laugh" - the cinematic Everest of jaw-dropping physical comedy. Astounding stuff. But I can't go past the title number if I'm looking for the purest cinematic expression of unadulterated joy. Nor can I go past the film.