(Originally written December 26, 2006)

Singin’ in the Rain is one of the greatest films of all time, but it is also a strange film. It is a film exploding with energy and was very much the Moulin Rouge of its day. Although the mediocre 2001 release is not in the same league as the 1952 masterpiece, both films are post-modern pieces of escapist entertainment that weave together known pieces of music into unique tapestries. One took from Elton John and Kiss; the other took from just about every significant musical before it. It makes sense that director Baz Luhrmann does one of the commentary tracks for the film. What Singin’ in the Rain did was truly ahead of its time, and what makes the film starring Gene Kelly work is that it is full of charm, a grand production without ever overstepping its ambitions. In fact, the film is at its best in some of the deceptively simple numbers: Donald O’Connor’s “Make ‘Em Laugh” and Gene Kelly’s now-classic title sequence. I will admit that the first time I saw this film, the modern dance sequence seemed irrelevant to me. I felt it was an overlong diversion from the central plot. However, this film is not just about its plot but about the joys of music and movies. Singin’ in the Rain is a time capsule of the beauty of Hollywood around the 1950s, the imagination and the quirks. Each musical number contributes to its vision of the world of entertainment. The sequence in which Gene Kelly sings to Debbie Reynolds on the movie set reminds us that we are not simply watching a love story but a love story taking place amidst the magic and fantasy capable only because of Hollywood.