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Decades before the Hollywood film industry became famous for megabudget disaster and science fiction spectaculars, the studios of Southern California (and particularly Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer) were renowned for a uniquely American (and nearly extinct) kind of picture known as The Musical. Indeed, when the prestigious British film magazine Sight & Sound conducts its international critics poll in the second year of every decade, this 1952 MGM picture is the American musical that consistently ranks among the 10 best movies ever made. It's not only a great song-and-dance piece starring Gene Kelly, Donald O'Connor, and a sprightly Debbie Reynolds; it's also an affectionately funny insider spoof about the film industry's uneasy transition from silent pictures to "talkies." Kelly plays debonair star Don Lockwood, whose leading lady Lina Lamont (Jean Hagen) has a screechy voice hilariously ill-suited to the new technology (and her glamorous screen image). Among the musical highlights: O'Connor's knockout "Make 'Em Laugh"; the big "Broadway Melody" production number; and, best of all, that charming little title ditty in which Kelly makes movie magic on a drenched set with nothing but a few puddles, a lamppost, and an umbrella. --Jim Emerson ... Read more

Reviews (223)

The Citizen Kane of musicals
So many films in my collection are "important", "serious", "disturbing", or "great", and as much as I treasure them (films like Citizen Kane, Vertigo, and Ran), there is only so much self-importance a person can take before the pores fairly scream out for something just plain fun; something slight, buoyant, silly, and full of energy. Singin' in the Rain is just that kind of movie. The funny part is, I generally HATE musicals!

In 1951, Gene Kelly and Stanley Donen took a collection of songs by Arthur Freed and Nacio Herb Brown and - assisted by a pitch-perfect screenplay from the writing team of Adolph Green and Betty Comden - sculpted one of the great classic fusions of popular cinematic art and precision dance craft. It is the Citizen Kane of musicals: a virtual catalog of musical film technique, executed flawlessly.

But that alone would not be enough to separate Singin' in the Rain from the kind of musical I can't stand (which is to say, just about every other musical ever made). No, what makes this one special is that it knows what it is and celebrates it. It never for a moment asks you to forget you're watching a movie and then grinds to a screeching halt for the musical number. Instead, it deconstructs itself before your very eyes (and ears) as a razor-sharp, self-aware satire of the movie industry - as well as a joyous expression of the pure ecstasy of great song and dance. In that sense, it is one of the few so-called musicals that actually achieves a genuine symbiosis of drama, music, and kinetic performance art.

If all this sounds rather gushing and pretentious, so be it. This is great film-making. It is Rolex Oyster Perpetual film-making. This DVD edition sparkles with ultra-saturated colors, digitally remixed Dolby 5.1 sound, and some terrific extras (even if you're not particularly into musicals).

My favorite sequence is the eerily fluid dance work between Gene Kelly and Cyd Charisse against a Dali-esque background near the end of the film. Charisse is spellbinding as she trails a gravity-defying veil that must be 30 feet long. It hangs in the air, suspended by wind machines as she uses her extraordinary dance skill (and fantastic legs) to affect a wordless seduction of Kelly's naive, love-struck hero. Great stuff.

Even if you don't think of yourself as the "musical type", give Singin' in the Rain a try. After all that heavy, bitter, existential cinema, it makes one helluva fine dessert.

THE GREAT AMERICAN MUSICAL
Once upon a time there was a place called HOLLYWOOD. It wasn't just a town or even an industry, it was a state of mind. They didn't call the studios Dream Factories for nothing. This film is the epitome of the musical art and craft. This is a real "Movie Movie," made entirely on the MGM lot. The real creme de la creme of MGM contributed to it's creation; produced by Arthur Freed, starring Gene Kelly (with a brilliant turn by the dazzling ,long-legged Cyd Charisse), contract players like Debbie Reynolds and Kathleen Freeman (still going strong, currently appearing on Broadway in "The Full Monty") with costumes by my favorite designer Walter Plunkett (Gone With The Wind, 7 Brides For 7 Brothers, etc). Check out the sumptuous designs for the "Beautiful Girls" number and the outrageous spider dress at the opening night party. The real lowdown is that Jean Hagen and Donald O'Connor practically steal the show from the leads in possibly the best performances of their careers. This film is pure joy. The script by Comden and Green is not only clever but actually goofs on a real period of transition of the American film from silent to talkie.It is also a brilliant job of recycling a trunkload of old songs. This happy film has the courage to do what American musicals and comedies do best: be silly and make you forget you troubles for an hour and a half. Next time you are in bed with the flu or trying to get over a miserable love affair, take a look at Singing In The Rain. It can't help but curl up the corners of your mouth and drive the clouds away.

Wonderful Musical with Terrific Dancing -- a Trifle Dated
"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.

The Best Musical Comedy Ever Produced!
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.

Thoroughly entertaining musical
I have to say first of all that I am *not* at all a fan of musicals (or comedies for that matter) - I am a drama fan. I have seen a few musicals here and there over the years and tried to like them - such as 1964's "My Fair Lady" and 1961's "West Side Story." I liked both of them *somewhat,* but not too much - because I have always strongly preferred films that are realistic --> in real life, people don't burst into song when they are in one particular circumstance or another. Yet, I couldn't help enjoying myself with a smile on my face as I watched this film that landed so high (#10) on AFI's list of the top 100 American films of all time. Donald O'Connor, in particular, as Cosmo, was so perfectly cast in his role. The film was at times hilarious and at times wonderfully romantic. I definitely would recommend everyone to try this film out. B+. ... Read more

Reviews (223)

The Citizen Kane of musicals
So many films in my collection are "important", "serious", "disturbing", or "great", and as much as I treasure them (films like Citizen Kane, Vertigo, and Ran), there is only so much self-importance a person can take before the pores fairly scream out for something just plain fun; something slight, buoyant, silly, and full of energy. Singin' in the Rain is just that kind of movie. The funny part is, I generally HATE musicals!

In 1951, Gene Kelly and Stanley Donen took a collection of songs by Arthur Freed and Nacio Herb Brown and - assisted by a pitch-perfect screenplay from the writing team of Adolph Green and Betty Comden - sculpted one of the great classic fusions of popular cinematic art and precision dance craft. It is the Citizen Kane of musicals: a virtual catalog of musical film technique, executed flawlessly.

But that alone would not be enough to separate Singin' in the Rain from the kind of musical I can't stand (which is to say, just about every other musical ever made). No, what makes this one special is that it knows what it is and celebrates it. It never for a moment asks you to forget you're watching a movie and then grinds to a screeching halt for the musical number. Instead, it deconstructs itself before your very eyes (and ears) as a razor-sharp, self-aware satire of the movie industry - as well as a joyous expression of the pure ecstasy of great song and dance. In that sense, it is one of the few so-called musicals that actually achieves a genuine symbiosis of drama, music, and kinetic performance art.

If all this sounds rather gushing and pretentious, so be it. This is great film-making. It is Rolex Oyster Perpetual film-making. This DVD edition sparkles with ultra-saturated colors, digitally remixed Dolby 5.1 sound, and some terrific extras (even if you're not particularly into musicals).

My favorite sequence is the eerily fluid dance work between Gene Kelly and Cyd Charisse against a Dali-esque background near the end of the film. Charisse is spellbinding as she trails a gravity-defying veil that must be 30 feet long. It hangs in the air, suspended by wind machines as she uses her extraordinary dance skill (and fantastic legs) to affect a wordless seduction of Kelly's naive, love-struck hero. Great stuff.

Even if you don't think of yourself as the "musical type", give Singin' in the Rain a try. After all that heavy, bitter, existential cinema, it makes one helluva fine dessert.

THE GREAT AMERICAN MUSICAL
Once upon a time there was a place called HOLLYWOOD. It wasn't just a town or even an industry, it was a state of mind. They didn't call the studios Dream Factories for nothing. This film is the epitome of the musical art and craft. This is a real "Movie Movie," made entirely on the MGM lot. The real creme de la creme of MGM contributed to it's creation; produced by Arthur Freed, starring Gene Kelly (with a brilliant turn by the dazzling ,long-legged Cyd Charisse), contract players like Debbie Reynolds and Kathleen Freeman (still going strong, currently appearing on Broadway in "The Full Monty") with costumes by my favorite designer Walter Plunkett (Gone With The Wind, 7 Brides For 7 Brothers, etc). Check out the sumptuous designs for the "Beautiful Girls" number and the outrageous spider dress at the opening night party. The real lowdown is that Jean Hagen and Donald O'Connor practically steal the show from the leads in possibly the best performances of their careers. This film is pure joy. The script by Comden and Green is not only clever but actually goofs on a real period of transition of the American film from silent to talkie.It is also a brilliant job of recycling a trunkload of old songs. This happy film has the courage to do what American musicals and comedies do best: be silly and make you forget you troubles for an hour and a half. Next time you are in bed with the flu or trying to get over a miserable love affair, take a look at Singing In The Rain. It can't help but curl up the corners of your mouth and drive the clouds away.

Wonderful Musical with Terrific Dancing -- a Trifle Dated
"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.

The Best Musical Comedy Ever Produced!
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.

Thoroughly entertaining musical
I have to say first of all that I am *not* at all a fan of musicals (or comedies for that matter) - I am a drama fan. I have seen a few musicals here and there over the years and tried to like them - such as 1964's "My Fair Lady" and 1961's "West Side Story." I liked both of them *somewhat,* but not too much - because I have always strongly preferred films that are realistic --> in real life, people don't burst into song when they are in one particular circumstance or another. Yet, I couldn't help enjoying myself with a smile on my face as I watched this film that landed so high (#10) on AFI's list of the top 100 American films of all time. Donald O'Connor, in particular, as Cosmo, was so perfectly cast in his role. The film was at times hilarious and at times wonderfully romantic. I definitely would recommend everyone to try this film out. B+. ... Read more

Reviews (31)

Who Wears the Pants?
Adam's Rib (black and white; running time 101 minutes; not rated) stars two of the greatest Academy Award winning actors of our time, Spencer Tracy and Katharine Hepburn. This movie was directed by George Cukor in 1949 for Metro Goldwyn Mayer. In a very comical and humorous way, Adam's Rib explores equal rights for women and the question of who wears the pants in a marriage.

When a wife is accused of the attempted murder of her unfaithful husband, Assistant District Attorney Adam Bonner (Spencer Tracy) lands the case. Little does he know that soon his wife, Amanda Bonner (Katharine Hepburn), who is also an attorney, will be defending the accused wife and using equality for women as the main defense. Amanda Bonner wants to know, "What's the difference?". She submits that if the accused had been a man whose wife was being unfaithful, everyone would believe he was attempting to save his marriage, while her client is accused of trying to kill her husband. As the trial progresses, so does the animosity and competitiveness between the attorneys, which in turn causes a strain on their otherwise happy marriage. The sparing between the two attorneys culminates in the hilarious closing arguments of the trial. The accused wife is found not guilty and Amanda Bonner has won her case--or has she? Adam Bonner is able to use his wily ways to get Amanda back which will leave unanswered the question, "Who wears the pants?".

This film is rated five stars (*****). This classic romantic comedy will leave you with a smile on your face. The comic interaction between Tracy and Hepburn is engaging and unforgettable.

Battle of sexes never better. Maximum wit on display
The Tracy-Hepburn duo was never better than in this supremely witty, often laugh-out-loud comedy of two lawyers on opposite sides of the courtroom involved in an attempted murder case with the classic love triangle. The triangulators? Tom Ewell, Jean Hagen, and Judy Holiday--all in their first films. The lawyers? Why, Tracy and Hepburn of course--married to each other. Hep, the defense attorney, takes the case to vent her opinions on women's lib--one of the first films to lay it all out in the open on the subject. She defends poor little Judy, the wronged wife. Spence, the ADA, prosecutes to prove that Judy is nowhere near as innocent as she claims.

The back and forth here is so sharp you could cut yourself just listening to the lines. And there's the back and forth of courtroom and homefront, too. Hep and Spence go at it in both places and the lines supplied by real life husband-wife team of Ruth Gordon (Harold and Maude) and Garson Kanin are deliciously zingy so much of the time you eat em up even as your tongue is bleeding. Just too cool.

Amazing that this film has not aged at all. One of the great comedy classics and sure to remain so. If I could give this a sky full of stars, I would.

Zingalicious.

So far ahead of its time...
Katharine Hepburn is invariably described as one of the greatest screen legends of all time, and this film embodies all of her classic screen qualities. It is romantic, hilarious, and has a relevant message, even to the modern viewer. I highly recommend this film. She and Tracy had incredible chemistry on screen in all their films, but this (and "Woman of the Year") are my all-time favorites.

Another Classic Hepburn Tracy Pairing
Hepburn is feisty and Tracy is exhasperated. That seems to be the theme here. She rants and he simmers. She's progressive and he's old fashioned. Intelligent dialogue and good acting keep this somewhat dated battle of the sexes moving along. They made 9 movies together and this is probably the best, though I enjoy Woman of the Year. Knowing now what America didn't know then makes their pairing seem incongruous. Odd that such an independent outspoken and intelligent feminist such as Hepburn would hitch her cart to an adulterous drunk for a quarter of a century.

One of my favorites
This movie was excellant. The acting was superb and the story was phenomenol. I love the last scene I could not stop laughing. Great movie. One of my favorite Hepburn/Tracy movies. ... Read more

Amazon.com

Hot on the heels of What Ever Happened to Baby Jane?, Bette Davis slipped neatly into another juicy thriller. This time, instead of co-starring with Joan Crawford, she got to play opposite... herself. Dead Ringer casts Davis as a wealthy (and nasty) widow, and also as her slatternly (but good) twin sister, long estranged. When the poor sister discovers the depths of her sib's evil, she takes a dramatic step that will test her skills as a thespian. Davis's old leading man, Paul Henreid, directs this material at a leaden pace, but Davis gives such a brazen performance, she pulls it through. Plus, the moments of high trash (a red-hot poker rammed into a hand, a lethal dog attack) are easily savored. Peter Lawford's seedy playboy and Karl Malden's stolid cop fill out the key supporting roles--not that anybody else matters. This is Bette Davis's world; everybody else is just visiting. --Robert Horton ... Read more

Reviews (17)

Can you stand Bette Davis in a dual role? This is the best.
Can you stand Bette Davis in a dual role? Edith goes to the funeral of Frank, a man she used to know personally. Frank was the husband of Margaret. There the widow asked Edith to come home with her. It has been 18 years since they had seen each other. Margaret lives in a mansion and is very well-to-do. Edith rents a Los Angeles cocktail tavern and she also occupies in the upstairs apartment. The audience finds out early in the movie that Edith and Margaret look the same. They are identical. They are sisters. They haven't seen each other since Margaret announced that she was "pregnant" and was going to marry Frank. The sisters have a long-overdue arguement and Edith decides to leave in a huff. The estate's driver drives Edith back to her tavern. She learns of some very interesting secret information about Frank and Margaret. This film will keep you informed and will hold your interest. I won't mention anything more so you will be surprised. Karl
Malden plays "Jim", Edith's love interest who used to work in the Homicide Dept. Oh, the suspense in this one. Even if you are not a Bette Davis fan, you'll like this film noir.

Bette at her most tacky
This movie is only worth watching if you are a die-hard Bette Davis fan, otherwise, forget it. This is also Bette at the end of her amazing career, a sort of last gasp before age and a string of mediocre movies forced her into semi-retirement. This is her last decent film, though it drags in long stretches and the plot is silly, contrived and stupid. Peter Lawford gives a thoroughly forgetable performance as her boyfriend. Karl Malden is good, but his character is pathetically stupid. Wake up, Karl, your girlfriend is a murderer!

If you love Bette Davis, you'll watch her recite the phone book. I require a little more than that to give it a thumb's up.

Check out the bonus commentarys and documentaries on this!
According to DVDReviews.com: Bonus material will include a commentary by Charles Busch (Die! Mommie, Die!) and Boze Hadleigh (author of Bette Davis Speaks and the two interview books, Hollywood Gays and Hollywood Lesbians), an all-new documentary Double Take: Bette vs. Bette, the featurette Behind-the-Scenes at the Doheny Mansion and a theatrical trailer. Sounds like great fun!

And btw, Busch is also doing a commentary track with Patty McCormack on Warner's new release of THE BAD SEED!

DAVIS x 2....
Repeating the gimmick from "A Stolen Life", Bette Davis here plays twin sisters...this time estranged due to complicated circumstances over a man years before. Margaret DeLorca (Davis) married the old flame of Edith (Davis) and got rich. Edie, who wound up poor, now runs a seedy jazz bar that's behind in it's bills. When Mr.DeLorca dies, Edie sees Margaret at the funeral and Margaret invites her to the mansion and flaunts her wealth (and cast offs) at Edie. Edie quickly realizes the set-up. Margaret never loved the man and married him for money (telling him she was pregnant) while Edie truly loved him and never really got over the pain. When the rent comes due on the bar again and Edie can't pay, she devises a murderous plan to end her financial worries once and for all. Davis is excellent in both roles and is ably supported by a top notch supporting cast. Karl Malden as the cop who loves Edie, Peter Lawford as the slimy, aging gigolo lover of Margaret, Estelle Winwood as a religious family friend of the DeLorca's and Jean Hagen as a playgirl friend of Margaret's. Edith finds out (too late of course) that Margaret was worse than she thought and more murderous complications ensue. While all this is basically a more macabre rehash of "A Stolen Life", Davis fans (like me) should eat it up. Her co-star from "Now Voyager" Paul Henreid directed the film and his daughter Monika plays the personal maid to Margaret/Edie. It's in glorious b&w and the scenes involving both sisters are very well done. Will be very glad to see this on DVD. Now, how about "Hush...Hush, Sweet Charlotte"?

Worth watching for Bette, as always...
This is the second time Bette co-starred with herself; the first time was in "A Stolen Life"; however, do not look for that sort of quality here...the poor sister of the rich sister, Bette kills off her richer sibling and adopts her persona, and moves from her tawdry digs into the magnificent mansion in Beverly Hills. (The old Doheny estate, and the location for "Cinderfella" and "The Loved One.")
I enjoy Peter Lawford in anything, a truly underappreciated actor and a really nice man. He is enjoyably slimy in this role, and adds the right note for the jaded, rather tired boyfriend. Karl Malden is sad, and you feel sorry for him;; he was so devoted to the poor sister...the star of the show is Ms. Davis, and the fabulous house and grounds. Don't look for high, quality drama here, but rather, an enjoyable way to spend a Saturday night.
(NOTE: The Doheny estate, built in the early 1920s, is specatacular, and boasts several streets with signs for it's 25 acres of grounds, and it has a children's playhouse with fireplace and kitchen, etc., that rivals anything I've ever seen...and three guest houses, larger and more magnificent than most mansions! Also a bowling alley, a real movie theatre and over 30 bedrooms in the servants quarters. There was murder there, around 1929, the father caught his son with the butler, and shot and killed him; the son was put away in an asylum. Quite a history, and quite a setting...) ... Read more

Reviews (25)

Huston's Revenge
When John Huston was edged out of the production of The Killlers, he was determined to create a landmark film that would define and embody professional criminality. Huston exceeded his expectations. The Asphalt Jungle is the seminal "caper film" that inspired a host of similar productions. Huston assembled a superb cast, where each actor represented a character that possessed special skills needed to complete a million dollar jewelry hiest. Sam Jaffe is Doc Reidenschneider- the mastermind, Anthony Caruso is Louie Ciavelli- the safecracker, Marc Lawrence is Cobby- the bookmaker who finances the operation, Sterling Hayden is Dix Handley- the enforcer, James Whitmore is Gus - the wheelman, and Louis Calhern is Emmerich- the fence. The characters, especially Doc, Louie, Dix and Gus, are sketched with blatant realism. Each character is defined by the skills that determine their existence within the underworld. The characters proceed with their assignments in workmanlike fashion. Huston's tightly wound script eliminated the pompous flambouancy associated with earlier crime films. Doc's hand picked criminal experts represent blue collar values and commitment. Huston injects virtues such as trust, loyalty, and respect into Doc's criminal circle and simultaneously questions the code of honor among the so called rightousness of society. Emmerich the crooked attorney sums up this dichotomy with a memorable line: ..."There's nothing so different about them (criminals). Crime is only a left-handed form of human endeavor". Morality, an issue in most noir films becomes blurred as Emmerich and a graft accepting detective ( Barry Kelley) become viewed as figures more contemptable than the jewel thieves. Sterling Hayden as Dix Handley delivers one of his most memorable performances. Dix is not just a tough, cardboard, heavy, but a loner trying to ..."Wash this city dirt off me". Huston allows viewers insights into each of the character's personas. The elderstatesman Doc has a queer predilection for nubile young girls. Gus is aware that his pysical deformity limits his access and acceptance into mainstream society. Louie's familial responsibilities and Emmerich's moral disintegration also add to the film's dark aesthetics. The Apsphalt Jungle is one of the premier black and white films ever made. John huston's creative energy is evident in every line and scene. The Asphalt Jungle is American noir film making at its best.

Huston's Revenge
When director John Huston was edged out of the production of The Killers, he was determined to create a landmark film that would define and embody professional crimminality. Huston exceeded his expectations. The Asphalt Jungle is the seminal "caper film" which inspired a host of similar pictures. Huston assembled a superb cast where each actor represented a character who possessed a special skill needed to complete a million dollar jewel heist. Sam Jaffe is Doc Reidenschneider-the mastermind, Anthony Caruso is Louie Ciavelli- the safe cracker, Marc Lawrence is Coby- the bookmaker who finances the operation, Sterling Hayden is Dix Handley- the enforcer, James Whitmore is Gus- the wheelman,and Louis Calhern is Emmerich- the corrupt attorney who acts as a fence. The characters, especially Doc, Louie, Dix, and Gus, are sketched with blatant realism. Each character is proud of their status and existence within the underworld. Their careers and reputations hinge on their acceptance by fellow professionals. Huston injects the virtues of trust, loyalty, and respect into their crimminal circle and simultaneously questions the code of honor among the rightousness. Emmerich sums up this dichotomy with a memorable line: "There's nothing so different about them (crimminals). Crime is only a left-handed form of human endeavor." Morality, an issue in most noir films becomes blurred as Emmerich and a graft accepting detective become viewed as figures more contemptable than the crimminals involved in the heist. Sterling Hayden as Dix delivers his most memorable performance. Dix is not just another tough henchman, but a troubled loner trying to ..."wash this city dirt off me". Huston allows viewers unabashed insight into each of his characters. Doc with his predilection for nubile young girls, Gus's conscious awareness of his physical deformity, Louie's familial responsibilities, and Emmerich's moral disintegration add to the film's realism. The Asphalt Jungle is one of the premier black and white films ever made. John Huston's creative energy is evident in every line and scene. Truely American film making at its best.

"That nasty asphalt pavement thing'

Director: John Huston
Format: Black & White
Studio: Turner Home Video
Video Release Date: February 26, 1992

Cast:

Sterling Hayden ... Dix Handley
Louis Calhern ... Alonzo D. Emmerich
Jean Hagen ... Doll Conovan
James Whitmore ... Gus Minissi
Sam Jaffe ... Doc Erwin Riedenschneider
John McIntire ... Police Commissioner Hardy
Marc Lawrence ... 'Cobby' Cobb
Barry Kelley ... Lt. Ditrich
Anthony Caruso ... Louis Ciavelli
Teresa Celli ... Maria Ciavelli
Marilyn Monroe ... Angela Phinlay
William 'Wee Willie' Davis ... Timmons
Dorothy Tree ... May Emmerich
Brad Dexter ... Bob Brannom
John Maxwell ... Dr. Swanson
Ralph Dunn ... Policeman
Gene Evans ... Policeman at Ciavalli's apartment
Pat Flaherty ... Policeman
Alex Gerry ... Maxwell
Sol Gorss ... Policeman
Fred Graham ... Truck driver
William Haade ... Bill (cop)
Don Haggerty ... Det. Andrews
Thomas Browne Henry ... James X. Connery
George Lynn ... Detective at Ciavelli's apartment
Fred Marlow ... Reporter
Strother Martin ... William Doldy (second man in lineup)
Howard M. Mitchell ... Secretary
Alberto Morin ... Eddie Donato (grocer)
Raymond Roe ... Tallboy
Henry Rowland ... Frank Schurz (taxi driver)
Tim Ryan ... Jack (police clerk)
James Seay ... Officer Janocek
Jack Shea ... Policeman
Joseph Darr Smith ... Reporter
Ray Teal ... Policeman
William Washington ... Suspect
Victor Wood ... Evans
Wilson Wood ... Man
Jeff York ... Policeman
Benny Burt ... Taxi driver
Frank Cady ... Night clerk
David Clarke ... Mr. Atkinson (railroad engineer)
John Cliff ... Policeman
Henry Corden ... Karl Anton Smith
Chuck Courtney ... Red (boy in diner)
Eloise Hardt ... Vivian
Patricia Miller ... Girl
Kerry O'Day ... Girl
Helene Stanley ... Jeannie (girl in diner)
Leah Wakefield ... Girl
Constance Weiler ... Woman
Judith Wood ... Woman
Jean Carter ... Woman

Dix Handley (Sterling Hayden) plays the lead in this crime drama. An old-time crook, Doc Erwin Riedenschneider (Sam Jaffe) is released from prison with a plan for a big score--a jewelry store, with gems worth at least a half-million dollars. The heist goes off as planned, but an unexpected policeman's gun goes off as Handley disarms him and shoots Louis Ciavelli (Anthony Caruso ), the safe cracker of the gang, in the belly, which is ultimately fatal.

Then the money man tries to welsh on the payment for the caper, and his muscle, private detective (Brad Dexter) is shot by Dix, who is shot in turn, but not immerdiately fatally.

Police Commissioner Hardy (John McIntire) is wise to a corrupt lieutenant, Lt. Ditrich (Barry Kelley) who is trying to protect his job with phoney crackdowns, and the money man,
Alonzo D. Emmerich (Louis Calhern) and his sidekick, 'Cobby' Cobb (Marc Lawrence) are planning to fence the jewels. But, the best laid plans of mice and men aft gang aglee: everything goes awry, and...that's where the story gets interesting.

This was a very well received movie, which turned into a classic in its time. I recommend it to you.

Joseph (Joe) Pierre

author of Handguns and Freedom...their care and maintenance
and other books

THE CITY UNDER THE CITY....
German-born Doc (Sam Jaffe) assembles a team of expert criminals for a big jewel heist in John Huston's "Asphalt Jungle". The planning of the robbery and the actual crime itself make up the first part of this excellent film. The remainder of the film details the fall-out after the crime. Sterling Hayden is Dix, a country boy tired of being covered in big city dirt; James Whitmore is a cafe owner whose dive is a front for criminal activity; Anthony Caruso as a safecracker with a family: Marc Lawrence as a bookie with his own racket going---all these actors are superb as the gang. Then there's Louis Calhern as Lon, a wealthy businessman whose blown all his money on his mistress Angela (Marilyn Monroe) and wants to pull a scam of his own to "get out from under", and there's Doll (Jean Hagen), a clip-joint girl who loves Dix. Just an incredible cast makes this film worth watching and Huston's taut direction keep it exciting all the way to the end. Surprisingly adult for the time in it's frank depictions of the characters foibles and weaknesses---particularly Jaffe's (Doc) eye for young girls. Monroe has two extended and very telling scenes with Calhern and Hagen is wonderful as the uneducated hard luck Doll. Highly recommended all the way for lovers of tough, juicy noir crime films. The DVD is a good print that includes commentaries (including Whitmore) and an archival introduction by Huston. A truly compelling viewing experience.

THE LAW OF THIS JUNGLE IS DEADLY
The disquieting urban landscape and deeply disturbed motley crew of spurious characters that populate "The Asphalt Jungle" make the film one of the essential destinations for fans of film noir. The films artfully gritty atmosphere is perhaps its best selling feature, though, truth be told, there is nothing about the production that is second rate. Basically, it's a jewel heist caper gone horribly wrong but carried off with such panache and attention to detail by director, John Huston that one has to admire both the economy of plot and depth of characters fleshed out within the context of two hours. Huston's great knack for extolling unusual and breakthrough performances from his ensemble is working overtime on this occasion. While we might be used to seeing Sam Jaffe as a nefarious rogue (here, he's Doc, the criminal mastermind with a weakness for hoop earrings and tight skirts), the extraordinary off kilter performance of Louis Calhern - as middle aged fencer, Ennrich/sugar daddy to Marilyn Monroe, is so menacing in its undertone, that one wishes the actor had been given the opportunity to play more such parts. There is nothing cartoonish or cliché about any of the characters in the film. Sterling Hayden's particularly powerful as Dix Handley, the tense enforcer of the group. This is a story about out of control people losing control of their lives. Huston captures the immediacy of these tragic lives and the overwhelming sense of doom. As one might expect, it ends badly for all concerned though, within the context of this review I won't say exactly how.
The transfer on "The Asphalt Jungle" is better than average, though it's not perfect. The gray scale has a richly balanced look with deep solid blacks and clean whites. On occasion grain looks heavier than it should and contrast levels seem a tad low. Still, this DVD is considerable improvement over previously issued VHS tapes. Age related artifacts are present but do not terribly distract. The audio is mono but nicely balanced. The more intent listener will notice some hiss but nothing that will distract. Drew Casper provides the audio commentary here. There are a few inserts of audio from James Whitmore that will most surely enhance your appreciation for this film. All in all, another good disc to add to your library of classic film noir. ... Read more

Amazon.com

This biography of Gene Kelly comes from the American Masters series, and even by the high standard of that pedigree, it's an unusually fine portrait. The clips from Kelly's films are superbly chosen (and in sparkling condition), illustrating his low-to-the-ground dancing style and his sky-high choreographic ambitions. "Singin' in the Rain" is here, of course, but so is his lonely, lovely solo with a newspaper in Summer Stock and his double-exposure "Alter Ego" number from Cover Girl. The documentary is not fawning; testimony from collaborators such as Debbie Reynolds and André Previn leaves no doubt about his vanity and his perfectionism. The best of the interviewees is the actress Betsy Blair, Kelly's first wife, whose intelligence and frankness reflect well on him. A running theme is Kelly's masculine, blue-collar image, which allowed audiences to accept sailors and baseball players dancing with balletic precision. It's the precision of genius. --Robert Horton ... Read more

Reviews (7)

A brilliant and provocative look at a fascinating talent...
Chalk up another one to American Masters and filmmaker Robert Trachtenberg, who follow their impressive collaboration about George Cukor with this magnificent exploration of the life and times of the magnificent Gene Kelly.

The approach of Trachtenberg is unconventional from the first frame, and you know you're in for a captivating entree into life of a man who transformed the genre of movie musicals.

Plentiful film clips (primarily from Kelly's tenture at M-G-M)and frank interviews from those who knew him help to flush out a full portrait of the man and his artistry. It is a film worth watching again and again. Highly recommended!

Incredible!
Another top notch documentary from American Masters. This biography of G Kelly is just incredible. An excellent review of his life and films. The big ones, like Singing in the Rain and American in Paris, but also many of the lesser known films. Will leave you shaking your head on how anyone could dance like this. As pointed out in the film, his dancing appealed to men as well as women. His physical abilities made dancing look both artistic and athletic. He created dance numbers never tried before, and not seen since on the silver screen. In addition to all this, the film quality is unbelievable. Nearly every movie clip was restored to better than original condition. The colors and clarity, especially on a high def tv, are so sharp you will not believe these are 50+ year old movie clips. Bottom line, this 85 min documentary is five stars all the way.

He's my lucky star...
The first movie I saw of Gene Kelly was "Singin' in the Rain". At first I thought it was going to be an okay movie. But than just watching him singing and dancing in the rain made me feel lighter than air, and so I started dancing around the tv room. Now every time I order off of Amazon, I always make sure that I buy more of Gene Kelly's greatest movies! Also other wonderful musicals that star Bing Crosby, Frank Sinatra, Fred Astaire, Judy Garland, ext. This time I ordered this biography of Gene Kelly's life. This biography made me fall in love with him even more, and I just hope that all of you Gene Kelly fans will also feel the exact same way. Your're my lucky star Gene Kelly!

a great tribute to Gene Kelly
This is a wonderful tribute to Gene Kelly and interviews many of his leading ladies and also his firast wife and aughter. It's a beautiful, entertaining and loving tribute about a wonderful dancer and humen being.

Excellent DVD for Kelly fans
If you are a fan of the wonderful Mr.Kelly,then this is the DVD for you.Lots of interesting background info,and lots of dancing! I fell in love with him when I saw "Singin' in the Rain"when I was three,and have been happily purchasing everything on DVD that is available.The quality of the DVD is excellent,as well.Now excuse me,please,while I go outside and splash around in a few mud puddles!! ... Read more

Reviews (8)

Hollywood From the Bottom Up
In just one of the trenchant lines in this superbly written film, Shelley Winters's character, a pathetic starlet/whore, tells the film's tortured protagonist (Palance), "You don't see these people the way I do, from the bottom." Unlike the preponderance of other reviewers here, I love Rod Steiger's performance as studio chief Stanley Shriner Hoff. Steiger has an incredible dynamic range-one critic called him a cross between a cobra and a bull. I've read Odets' play, and the film is a remarkably faithfull adaptation. Robert Aldrich's films could often be coarse and catered to an audience of jaded working class men looking for action, but here he comes through with one of his best films.

TOUGH ENTERTAINMENT.....
Great movie. Big movie star Charlie Castle (Jack Palance) doesn't want to renew his contract to his studio. He wants to reclaim his soul and his family who have left him. But The Boss (Rod Steiger---going full-blast) won't hear of it. Castle's pictures make money and he will do anything to keep it rolling in. Wendell Corey is slime personified as The Boss' right-hand man. Ida Lupino is Castle's wife who loves him and wants him to have his soul back too. Jean Hagen is the trampy evil wife of Castle's best friend and Shelley Winters appears as a troubled starlet and party girl for the Big Boys who knows (and drinks) too much. According to this story, down and dirty blackmail was how they kept stars in line back in the studio days and Castle has a tragic scandal to hide. Based on Clifford Odets' play, the film shows it's stage origins but is fascinating to watch nonetheless for the performances of the top-notch cast. A must see for film buffs and the DVD looks great. A keeper for your collection.

Hollywood stabbing itself in the back
This is a superbly searing attack on the days of the old studio system when actors were placed under seven year contracts by the big studios.Jack Palance is great as the tortured and angst-ridden actor Charlie Castle who is put under terrific mental pressure to sign a new contract by the deranged studio boss Stanley Hoff-played by a massively overacting Rod Steiger.Steiger's performance in fact,is a great example of the method school of acting taken too far-it becomes a caricature,a parody of a character rather than a realistic portrayal.That said though,his performance is compulsively watchable and entertaining.

50's Exotica
Too talky for some, too stage-bound for others, too strident for all, this is not a movie for everyone. Yet The Big Knife contiues to fascinate at the same time it annoys. Maybe it's the savage depiction of Hollywood politics and the amoral glamor industry surrounding it. After all, neither blackmail nor murder is off-limits to egomanical studio boss Stanley Hoff ( vintage Rod Steiger), while the human sharks swimming around him behave nothing like opening night at the Oscars. Maybe it's the sterling cast, featuring such 50's exotica as Steiger, Jack Palance, Wendell Corey, and Shelley Winters. In the end, of course, everyone gets to explode on screen except the ice cold Corey whose chronic bemusement proves ultimately more satanic than cynical. Whatever the reason, the result is an over-the-top cavalcade of unusual flair.

It's likely that producer-director Robert Aldrich targeted the film in behalf of blacklisted mentor Abraham Polonsky with whom he had collabrated on 1948's Force of Evil. After all, the year was 1955 and the all-powerful list could not be attacked directly, so what better vehicle than Clifford Odet's corrosive stage play adapted for all America to see. (Odets would do the same for Broadway in 1957's revealing Sweet Smell of Success.) It's fun to imagine how Aldrich's resulting indictment played in studio screening rooms where real reputations were at stake. Then too, much of the film's dirty laundry appears based on fact. The hit and run on Clark Gable's hushed-up 1933 episode; the Palance character on John Garfield's death at 39, listed officially as heart attack.

It's hard to picture the producers ever believing such curdled fare would actually make money. Of course it didn't, angering many ticket-buyers with a title that seemed to imply real action instead of endless palaver. Still, this overheated exercise in shameless baroque remains an interesting oddity. A permanent record not only of individual styles, but of artistic protest amidst the throes of cultural repression.

dark film that ages well
Here's a film with superb acting and a great script. It also ages well and doesn't seem dated. Riveting. Understated acting with dark subtleties. The exception is Rod Steiger, who turns in my favorite performance of his career - as a megalomaniacal, sleazy yet debonair movie mogul. His performance is dynamic and intense. Wendell Corey and Shelley Winter turn in excellent supporting roles.

A nihlistic, dark, riveting film. Excellent. ... Read more

Amazon.com

Decades before the Hollywood film industry became famous for megabudget disaster and science fiction spectaculars, the studios of Southern California (and particularly Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer) were renowned for a uniquely American (and nearly extinct) kind of picture known as The Musical. Indeed, when the prestigious British film magazine Sight & Sound conducts its international critics poll in the second year of every decade, this 1952 MGM picture is the American musical that consistently ranks among the 10 best movies ever made. It's not only a great song-and-dance piece starring Gene Kelly, Donald O'Connor, and a sprightly Debbie Reynolds; it's also an affectionately funny insider spoof about the film industry's uneasy transition from silent pictures to "talkies." Kelly plays debonair star Don Lockwood, whose leading lady Lina Lamont (Jean Hagen) has a screechy voice hilariously ill-suited to the new technology (and her glamorous screen image). Among the musical highlights: O'Connor's knockout "Make 'Em Laugh"; the big "Broadway Melody" production number; and, best of all, that charming little title ditty in which Kelly makes movie magic on a drenched set with nothing but a few puddles, a lamppost, and an umbrella. --Jim Emerson ... Read more

Reviews (223)

The Citizen Kane of musicals
So many films in my collection are "important", "serious", "disturbing", or "great", and as much as I treasure them (films like Citizen Kane, Vertigo, and Ran), there is only so much self-importance a person can take before the pores fairly scream out for something just plain fun; something slight, buoyant, silly, and full of energy. Singin' in the Rain is just that kind of movie. The funny part is, I generally HATE musicals!

In 1951, Gene Kelly and Stanley Donen took a collection of songs by Arthur Freed and Nacio Herb Brown and - assisted by a pitch-perfect screenplay from the writing team of Adolph Green and Betty Comden - sculpted one of the great classic fusions of popular cinematic art and precision dance craft. It is the Citizen Kane of musicals: a virtual catalog of musical film technique, executed flawlessly.

But that alone would not be enough to separate Singin' in the Rain from the kind of musical I can't stand (which is to say, just about every other musical ever made). No, what makes this one special is that it knows what it is and celebrates it. It never for a moment asks you to forget you're watching a movie and then grinds to a screeching halt for the musical number. Instead, it deconstructs itself before your very eyes (and ears) as a razor-sharp, self-aware satire of the movie industry - as well as a joyous expression of the pure ecstasy of great song and dance. In that sense, it is one of the few so-called musicals that actually achieves a genuine symbiosis of drama, music, and kinetic performance art.

If all this sounds rather gushing and pretentious, so be it. This is great film-making. It is Rolex Oyster Perpetual film-making. This DVD edition sparkles with ultra-saturated colors, digitally remixed Dolby 5.1 sound, and some terrific extras (even if you're not particularly into musicals).

My favorite sequence is the eerily fluid dance work between Gene Kelly and Cyd Charisse against a Dali-esque background near the end of the film. Charisse is spellbinding as she trails a gravity-defying veil that must be 30 feet long. It hangs in the air, suspended by wind machines as she uses her extraordinary dance skill (and fantastic legs) to affect a wordless seduction of Kelly's naive, love-struck hero. Great stuff.

Even if you don't think of yourself as the "musical type", give Singin' in the Rain a try. After all that heavy, bitter, existential cinema, it makes one helluva fine dessert.

THE GREAT AMERICAN MUSICAL
Once upon a time there was a place called HOLLYWOOD. It wasn't just a town or even an industry, it was a state of mind. They didn't call the studios Dream Factories for nothing. This film is the epitome of the musical art and craft. This is a real "Movie Movie," made entirely on the MGM lot. The real creme de la creme of MGM contributed to it's creation; produced by Arthur Freed, starring Gene Kelly (with a brilliant turn by the dazzling ,long-legged Cyd Charisse), contract players like Debbie Reynolds and Kathleen Freeman (still going strong, currently appearing on Broadway in "The Full Monty") with costumes by my favorite designer Walter Plunkett (Gone With The Wind, 7 Brides For 7 Brothers, etc). Check out the sumptuous designs for the "Beautiful Girls" number and the outrageous spider dress at the opening night party. The real lowdown is that Jean Hagen and Donald O'Connor practically steal the show from the leads in possibly the best performances of their careers. This film is pure joy. The script by Comden and Green is not only clever but actually goofs on a real period of transition of the American film from silent to talkie.It is also a brilliant job of recycling a trunkload of old songs. This happy film has the courage to do what American musicals and comedies do best: be silly and make you forget you troubles for an hour and a half. Next time you are in bed with the flu or trying to get over a miserable love affair, take a look at Singing In The Rain. It can't help but curl up the corners of your mouth and drive the clouds away.

Wonderful Musical with Terrific Dancing -- a Trifle Dated
"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.

The Best Musical Comedy Ever Produced!
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.

Thoroughly entertaining musical
I have to say first of all that I am *not* at all a fan of musicals (or comedies for that matter) - I am a drama fan. I have seen a few musicals here and there over the years and tried to like them - such as 1964's "My Fair Lady" and 1961's "West Side Story." I liked both of them *somewhat,* but not too much - because I have always strongly preferred films that are realistic --> in real life, people don't burst into song when they are in one particular circumstance or another. Yet, I couldn't help enjoying myself with a smile on my face as I watched this film that landed so high (#10) on AFI's list of the top 100 American films of all time. Donald O'Connor, in particular, as Cosmo, was so perfectly cast in his role. The film was at times hilarious and at times wonderfully romantic. I definitely would recommend everyone to try this film out. B+. ... Read more

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There are two great husband-wife teams (one on-screen, the other off) involved in this classic 1949 comedy. Not only do Katharine Hepburn and Spencer Tracy throw comedic sparks as a married team of lawyers on opposing sides of a high-profile case, but their exquisite verbal jousting was scripted by the outstanding team of Garson Kanin and Ruth Gordon. Leading all of this stellar talent was director George Cukor at the prime of his career. The result is one of Hollywood's greatest comedy classics, still packing a punch with its sophisticated gender politics. Arguably the best of the Tracy-Hepburn vehicles, Adam's Rib shows the stars at their finest in roles that not only made their off-screen love so entertainingly obvious, but also defined their timeless screen personas--she the intelligent, savvy, rebellious woman ahead of her time, he the easygoing but obstinate modern man who can't help but love her. Screen teams don't get any better than this. --Jeff Shannon ... Read more

Reviews (31)

Who Wears the Pants?
Adam's Rib (black and white; running time 101 minutes; not rated) stars two of the greatest Academy Award winning actors of our time, Spencer Tracy and Katharine Hepburn. This movie was directed by George Cukor in 1949 for Metro Goldwyn Mayer. In a very comical and humorous way, Adam's Rib explores equal rights for women and the question of who wears the pants in a marriage.

When a wife is accused of the attempted murder of her unfaithful husband, Assistant District Attorney Adam Bonner (Spencer Tracy) lands the case. Little does he know that soon his wife, Amanda Bonner (Katharine Hepburn), who is also an attorney, will be defending the accused wife and using equality for women as the main defense. Amanda Bonner wants to know, "What's the difference?". She submits that if the accused had been a man whose wife was being unfaithful, everyone would believe he was attempting to save his marriage, while her client is accused of trying to kill her husband. As the trial progresses, so does the animosity and competitiveness between the attorneys, which in turn causes a strain on their otherwise happy marriage. The sparing between the two attorneys culminates in the hilarious closing arguments of the trial. The accused wife is found not guilty and Amanda Bonner has won her case--or has she? Adam Bonner is able to use his wily ways to get Amanda back which will leave unanswered the question, "Who wears the pants?".

This film is rated five stars (*****). This classic romantic comedy will leave you with a smile on your face. The comic interaction between Tracy and Hepburn is engaging and unforgettable.

Battle of sexes never better. Maximum wit on display
The Tracy-Hepburn duo was never better than in this supremely witty, often laugh-out-loud comedy of two lawyers on opposite sides of the courtroom involved in an attempted murder case with the classic love triangle. The triangulators? Tom Ewell, Jean Hagen, and Judy Holiday--all in their first films. The lawyers? Why, Tracy and Hepburn of course--married to each other. Hep, the defense attorney, takes the case to vent her opinions on women's lib--one of the first films to lay it all out in the open on the subject. She defends poor little Judy, the wronged wife. Spence, the ADA, prosecutes to prove that Judy is nowhere near as innocent as she claims.

The back and forth here is so sharp you could cut yourself just listening to the lines. And there's the back and forth of courtroom and homefront, too. Hep and Spence go at it in both places and the lines supplied by real life husband-wife team of Ruth Gordon (Harold and Maude) and Garson Kanin are deliciously zingy so much of the time you eat em up even as your tongue is bleeding. Just too cool.

Amazing that this film has not aged at all. One of the great comedy classics and sure to remain so. If I could give this a sky full of stars, I would.

Zingalicious.

So far ahead of its time...
Katharine Hepburn is invariably described as one of the greatest screen legends of all time, and this film embodies all of her classic screen qualities. It is romantic, hilarious, and has a relevant message, even to the modern viewer. I highly recommend this film. She and Tracy had incredible chemistry on screen in all their films, but this (and "Woman of the Year") are my all-time favorites.

Another Classic Hepburn Tracy Pairing
Hepburn is feisty and Tracy is exhasperated. That seems to be the theme here. She rants and he simmers. She's progressive and he's old fashioned. Intelligent dialogue and good acting keep this somewhat dated battle of the sexes moving along. They made 9 movies together and this is probably the best, though I enjoy Woman of the Year. Knowing now what America didn't know then makes their pairing seem incongruous. Odd that such an independent outspoken and intelligent feminist such as Hepburn would hitch her cart to an adulterous drunk for a quarter of a century.

One of my favorites
This movie was excellant. The acting was superb and the story was phenomenol. I love the last scene I could not stop laughing. Great movie. One of my favorite Hepburn/Tracy movies. ... Read more

Reviews (1)

A Great Version of the GREATEST MOVIE MUSICAL EVER
First of all, Singin' In The Rain (SITR) is the greatest movie musical ever and ranks in the top ten for all-time greatest movies of any kind. This DVD set really does justice to the film.

To start, the extra features are fun and informative; I especially liked the clips from movies that first featured the songs from SITR. I also enjoyed seeing Debbie Reynolds looking so good 50 years after filming (she narrates the "Making of..." piece).

Moving on to the film itself, the transfer to digital medum was done very well. The picture is great (especially since I started using an S-video connection from DVD player to TV) and the sound is fantastic. The music was apparently digitized from a pristine original or something (I am not too clear on the technical details). Whatever the MGM folks did, it worked like a charm! The movie looks and sounds beautiful, even compared to the new print currently playing in movie theaters.

I should add that my elder son has been a big SITR fan since he was 2 years old. We used to play a game in which he was Gene Kelly and I was Donald O'Connor. He would get upset if I didn't call him Gene for the hours the game went on. He is currently taking tap-dancing lessons, in no small part due to the influence of Gene Kelly in SITR as well as other movies (e.g. Anchors Aweigh, On The Town, and American In Paris).

In short, this DVD is a wonderful addition to any movie collection. ... Read more

Reviews (5)

Sweet, nostalgic Fun
This movie may seem a pretty dated to today's kids and teens, but adults will enjoy this family film about a boy (Tommy Kirk) who can shape-shift into a big, shaggy dog. The wonderful Fred MacMurray plays his allergic-to-dogs father.It is funny and innocent, set in a more carefree time. I highly recommend this movie. 5 Stars!

Hot diggetty Dog!
I hadn't seen this black and white Disney classic since I was knee-high to a sheepdog! It's a fun reunion with old friends and an enjoyable treat for the whole family. Fred MacMurray is a mail man. He hates dogs. His older son, Wilby (Tommy Kirk) is a geeky teenager. Younger son Moochie, (Kevin Corcoran) wants a dog. Annette Funicello (after the Mickey Mouse Club but before the Beach) is the girl next door whose hold on Wilby and his friend Buzz (later to be the eldest of MacMurray's Four - there were 3, and then he left and Ernie - Chip's real-life brother- came and there were still Three - TV Sons ) is threatened by an exotic new girl on the block, Francesca. Francesca has a very large Bratislavian (Shaggy) Sheepdog and a father with lots of unsavory friends and associates, including Struther Martin who will later have a "failure to communicate" with Paul Newman in "Cool Hand Luke."

It is 1959. It is the height of the Cold War with the USSR and its Eastern Bloc. Wilby has stumbled (literally) into possession of an accursed ring of Lucretia Borgia's - which, at unpredictable times and places "shape shifts" him into the Shaggy Dog or back into Wilby. In his various incarnations, Wilby overhears a plot to destroy America. He and his family and friends must save Democracy! Along the way we see a pajama clad Dog gargling and brushing his teeth at the sink before bedtime, chatting with confounded policemen, and leading them on a merry high speed car chase. A Bratislavian Sheepdog driving a convertible at a rapid rate is quite a sight to see! My favorite line is Buzz (an Eddie Haskell type of adolescent) hitting up Wilby for some money. "I'll need some gas. You wouldn't happen to have a buck on you?" Things have changed.

Disney gets big laughs with new comedy formula
This movie has kids and teens, animals, fun music, a magic ring that changes a person into a dog, spies, fumbling police, mixed up identities, fast cars, action and chase scenes, and a suffering dad who has to take the brunt of his boys antics including an attempt to prove he is crazy by a psychologist. This is an important film as the first live action comedy made by Disney introducing a popular series of formula Disney comedies through the sixties. The best parts of this film were mimicked in so many others.

It is also the first Disney film to feature Fred MacMurray. This was a comeback vehicle for the actor who was languishing without much work since the type of film he was known for was no longer produced. But after this film he went on to do many films for Disney, the "Absent Minded Professor" and its sequal "Son of Flubber","Bon Voyage", "The Happiest Millionaire", "Charley and the Angel", and "Follow Me Boys", a non-comedy sentimental film Dinsey made about a boy scout leader.

Tommy Kirk is also in this film as Freds son "Wilby" and the hero, of sorts. After all, he is the one turns into a dog with the accidental help of a magic ring. Juvenile Disney star Moochie (Kevin Corcoran)plays his younger brother, and is outright hilareous with his show stealing antics. The ever charming Annete Funicello is here, along with a couple of other Mouseketeers in bit parts. But mouseketeer Roberta Shore plays the sweet Franceska, the new neighbor that Wilby falls for. Her dog looks just like the dog that Wilby turns into when he is enchanted, so Wilby takes his place to find out how good a dog's life really is. But Wilby soon finds out that her villainous father is a dangerous foreign spy.

While it was filmed as a low budget piece, it was very succesful comercially raking in $8 million in its first theatrical release. That was very big in 1959. The movie concept was first offered to a TV network as an idea for a new series, and they gruffly turned it down as "a stupid idea that no one would want to watch". Walt made it anyway, turning it into a theatrical release. When the crowds poured in to the theatre the studio boss called Walt to admit his mistake. Walt laughed all the way to the bank, and created a whole series of movies based on some ideas from this movies formula. This includes the police officer scratching his head, and other character actors that seemed to crop up in the next dozen comedies.

A great Disney advertising campaign aimed at teenagers capitalized on the then-current fad for "I was a teenage ____" movies. The film starts with some great animated titles done expertly by veteran Dinsey animators X. Atencio, T. Hee, and Bill Justice. Released in 1959, written and produced by Disney Studio man Bill Walsh. Directed by Charles Barton. Disney veteran Bill Koehler did the animal training with the sheepdog that is used in some scenes as he did on at least half of the Disney films. (read his rare book "The Wonderful World of Disney Animals" if you can find it.)

Look out for famous Disney voice talent Paul Frees in this, he is the narrator and is seen as the psychiatrist (a rare on-screen appearance for the voice actor). His famous voice is featured throughout Disneyland ride attractions, especially in the Haunted Mansion (ghost host)and Pirates of the Caribbean.

The plot has a touch of 50's paranoia about the cold war, but spoofs it rather than warning of the dangers. Kids just love this film and so do parents and teens.
A sequal called "The Shaggy DA" was made after this. This movie was also remade recently for television by Disney with more modern effects.

Just hilarious.
This is one of the funniest Disney movies they ever made. The adults are goofy, the kids adorable, and the exchanges between the two brothers....priceless. I'd forgotten how much I love it.

Funny
this is a funny movie about a teenager who finds this magic ring and reads what it says on the ring, he sometimes (you never now when) will turn into a dog, and worse the dog that he turns into belongs to a girl he likes. very funny good family movie ... Read more