Rating: 
Summary: Wonderful Musical with Terrific Dancing -- a Trifle Dated
Review: "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.
Rating: 
Summary: The Best Musical Comedy Ever Produced!
Review: 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.
Rating:
Summary: GOOD, but...
Review: overrated. As a musical review it works pretty well and there are lively scenes, most effecticly from Jean Hagen. Her impersonation of a dumb silent star(modeled after Judy Holliday who turned the part down because she felt it was too small) is one of the great parts in movie history.
The story is alarmingly thin and only an excuse for a singing or dancing number("It`s morning - yes and what a looooooooooooovely morning.... SINGING; "Good Morning.... " to name 1 of many incidents)...
The numbers are the best from MGM, Kelly, Donald O`Connor but works only as an excuse for showing off. However, the transition-scenes from silent to sound, the preview and the finale are treasured moments - but again - thanks to Jean Hagen.
Rating:
Summary: The musical for those who hate musicals!!
Review: Despite the fact it's a musical, SITR is one of the most watchable films ever made. The acting is great, ditto the camerawork, and there are just enough musical numbers; not too many that they get in the way of the plot (which is superb, BTW... funny as hell in some spots), and none that are too overblown. This was easily both the absolute height of Reynolds' and O'Connor's careers ("Make'Em Laugh" is a masterpiece), and one of Kelly's very finest moments as well. And don't forget Cyd Charisse in that green outfit!!
Rating:
Summary: Single disc DVD of this movie
Review: A previous poster complained that this movie was not in widescreen. While I am definitely an advocate of releasing movies in widescreen, a look at the date of this movie will reveal that it never was widescreen. Widescreen movies did not start until "The Robe" in 1953.
Perhaps the forementioned poster was confused by WB's error in placing a placard at the beginning of the movie, stating that it had been modified to fit the screen. 1.33:1 is most definitely the appropriate ratio for this movie.
Rating:
Summary: Nothing to say but...
Review: Gene Kelly, the Roaring 20s, and all the movie musical magic... it doesn't get any better.
Rating:
Summary: This movie IS shown in its original aspect ratio...
Review: One reviewer complained that it wasn't widescreen... uh... there WAS no "widescreen" in 1952! TV screens and movie screens were the same shape.
Rating: 
Summary: Excellent movie but not widescreen...
Review: If you dig into the technical details, you'll see that this DVD is "pan and scan". Why can't we have this great classic in widescreen DVD?
Rating:
Summary: a great film
Review: Although polarisation can always be a dangerous thing, so too can having every person love something to the point where they will not accept an opinion to the contrary. And yet, this seems to be where vast amounts of people (myself included) stand. It seems hard to imagine anybody watching this film and not being able to enjoy it. There is nothing more that need be said, it seems unfair to spoil this magical experience by mentioning so much as one of the brilliant songs or scenes.
Rating:
Summary: one of the best movies/musicals of all time!
Review: "Singin' In the Rain" and the scene with Gene Kelly splashing around, singing the title song, are on many top ten lists for film, and this film is definitely on my list, as well, and with good reason. I really do think that this movie (filmed in 1950) was truly ahead of its time, and had the spark, the intelligence, the biting wit, the terrific score, the fabulous dance numbers, and the stellar cast that remains timeless today.
"Singin' in the Rain" takes a behind-the-scenes look at the silent film stars of the Roaring Twenties cinema, whose careers were put in possible jeopardy when "talking pictures" were first introduced. Don Lockwood (Gene Kelly) is a handsome, charismatic and talented Vaudvilian performer who took a leap into silent film. His career as a man who spends film after film miming, overacting and mouthing romantic and heroic words behind a film score background are in trouble when a "talking picture" demo is presented at a Hollywood party. His leading lady (Jean Hagan) happens to have a terrible voice that could never be transferrable to sound photos, no matter how beautiful she is. Don also meets beautiful Kathy Seldon (nineteen year old Debbie Reynolds), a young woman and aspiring dancer who hesitates to admit her adoring love for him as an avid fan of his films.
I can't tell you how many priceless scenes are in this film. The humor is warm, genuine and very, very funny. The musical numbers are first rate. The "Make 'Em Laugh" number with co-star Donald O'Connor is physical comedy and agility at its best. He was a brilliant dancer and comic. If I listed all of the dance and singing numbers, I would need more room! Please view this film with family, friends or anyone you know who enjoys comedy, music, dancing, and entertainment at its best.
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