Complete Cast List

On the Set

The film arose out of musical mogul Arthur Freed's desire to make use of a catalogue of songs written by himself and Nacio Herb Brown which had recently been acquired by MGM. Writers Adolph Green and Betty Comden were hired to write a movie around these 20-year-old songs, and the result would be one of the last musicals written for the screen.

What comes across as carefree hoofing on film was actually days and weeks of grueling physical work. Debbie Reynolds, a 19-year-old Miss Burbank winner handpicked by Louis Mayer, was a true amateur among professionals. She endured weeks of training sessions under the scrutiny of Gene Kelly to prepare herself for the role. Her most difficult task was the "Good Morning" number, in which she had to keep up with co-stars Kelly and Donald O'Connor. Shooting went late into the evening, and when it was all over, Debbie fainted, having burst a blood vessel in her foot. She received doctor's orders to stay in bed for three days. Debbie wasn't the only one who ended up bed-ridden. Donald O'Connor needed a full three days rest after his solo number, "Make 'Em Laugh."

The film's title number was no walk in the park either. Filmed on a soundstage in California, the scene required lengthy preparation. A tarp covered the set to make it seem like nighttime. This cover was lined with sprinklers, to provide the rain, which was actually water mixed with milk to provide greater visibility. Holes were dug in the road to produce the famous puddles. Gene Kelly wore a thick woollen suit that reportedly shrunk as he danced, and he struggled to coordinate the movements of his umbrella. The end result remains one of the most enjoyable sequences in movie history.

Did You Know...

• Newcomer Debbie Reynolds faced the same fate as her onscreen nemesis Lina Lamont. Her vocal limitations caused much of her singing (particularly the high notes) to be dubbed by Betty Noyes.
• That's not all for poor Debbie -even some of the tapping in her dancing was dubbed by Gene Kelly.
• Pay scale comparison: Gene Kelly made $2500 per week, while Debbie Reynolds made just $300 per week.
• Cyd Charisse's dance number with the 50-foot scarf was so complicated that it took three aircraft motors to blow the scarf in just the right manner.
• Almost all of the films-within-a-film sequences were based on actual silent movie sequences. The costumes and equipments are exact reproductions, as well.
• Donald O'Connor was smoking four packs of cigarettes a day while he was dancing these difficult numbers.
• The dance sequences with Cyd Charisse and Gene Kelly were choreographed to disguise the fact the Charisse was actually taller than Kelly.
• Many characters in this film industry spoof were based on real Hollywood personalities. The director, Roscoe Dexter, was modeled after Busby Berkeley and the studio boss, R.F. Simpson, bears many similarities to Arthur Freed.
• The scene in which Don Lockwood improvises dialogue in a love scene by ridiculously repeating "I love you" over and over is a parody of silent film star John Gilbert, who did the same thing in a scene prior to the demise of his brief career in talkies.
• The film was overshadowed by the nearly simultaneous release of the critically and commercially successful An American in Paris. In fact, Singin' in the Rain was even withdrawn from distribution in favor of An American in Paris after it won Best Picture.

Links

• Filmsite's Review: a good, detailed description of the film, including a lengthy plot summary.
• Roger Ebert's Review

Soundtrack Information

See the Movie!

Available on DVD - new 2-disc restored special edition, with tons of extras, including commentary, outtakes, and a documentary on Arthur Freed! Don't miss the excerpts of Freed's songs in the originating movies, included on Disc 2.