Oldies Movie Review - Singin' in the Rain

Director: Stanley Donen, Gene Kelly
Genre: Musical/ Romance/ Comedy
Runtime: 99 minutes
Year: 1952
Starring: Gene Kelly, Donald O’Connor, Debbie Reynolds, Jean Hagen, Cyd Charisse, Millard Mitchell, Douglas Fowley, Rita Moreno

Description: A silent film production company and cast make a difficult transition to sound.

Review: Fans of musicals will feel like a kid in a candy store while watching “Singin’ in the Rain”. The many songs and dance numbers are unforgettable with all the romance, sensuality, comedy, enthusiasm and craftsmanship.
You also get to see a peace of movie history, when you see the transition from the silent film to the “talkie”, a movie where there is actual talking. We see how hard it was and how at first people were against it. The movie world of the 1920s is shown to us in a very entertaining way. In one of the most hilarious scenes you can see how actress Lina Lamont struggles with the microphone.
The comedy is a strong point. Besides the smart and ironic screenplay, the performances are also good. Jean Hagen is hilarious as the simple, materialistic and bitchy Lina, but also Debbie Reynolds as Kathy Selden is great. Gene Kelly is the focal point and I love him in his role as Don Lockwood. My favorite is Donald O’Connor as Don’s sidekick Cosmo. They work great together and his musical number “Make ‘em Laugh” is one of my favorite moments of the film.
The romantic storyline is not big, but I think it’s better that way. The songs are all fantastic, with Gene Kelly performing “Singin’ in the Rain” as the absolute highlight. This scene always puts a smile on my face.
For the musical fan an absolute must-see. For me, the ultimate movie that just makes me happy every time I watch it.

Rating: 5/ 5

100 Movie Challenge 2016 - # 120: Brigadoon

Director: Vincente Minnelli
Genre: Musical/ Drama/ Romance/ Fantasy
Runtime: 108 minutes
Year: 1954
Starring: Gene Kelly, Van Johnson, Cyd Charisse, Elaine Stewart

Description: Two Americans (Gene Kelly, Van Johnson) on a hunting trip in Scotland become lost. They encounter a small village, not on the map, called Brigadoon, in which people harbor a mysterious secret, and behave as if they were still living two hundred years in the past.

Review: A romance in Scotland. I’m a big Gene Kelly fan and I was looking forward to finally seeing “Brigadoon”. I was a bit disappointed. Tommy and Jeff are two Americans on a hunting trip in Scotland. They get lost and stumble upon a little town called Brigadoon. The town isn’t on the map and the people there live like they are still living two hundred years in the past.
The décor in “Brigadoon” would work perfect on stage, but in this movie it looks too make-believe. The songs stop the story and not one has stuck with me.
Gene Kelly doesn’t disappoint, because he is was a talented singer, dancer, actor and choreographer. He makes “Brigadoon” watchable and lifts it to a higher level.
Overall, “Brigadoon” is a perfect stage musical, but it just doesn’t work as a movie. I wasn’t taken by this film, sadly, because I really wanted to love it.

Rating: 2,5/ 5

Marry, Kiss, Cliff - Round 12

Lance Brumbder (“Orange County”), Saul Silver (“Pineapple Express”) and Don Lockwood (“Singin’ in the Rain”)

Marry: Don Lockwood would be the most sensible choice. He is charming and he always knows how to lighten up your day. Don can get you in the right mood.

Kiss: Okay, he might not be the sharpest tool in the shed, but let’s face it. You gotta love Saul Silver. I think he’s great!

Cliff: As much as I like Lance Brumbder, he’s also a pain in the ass. He can’t do anything right, he actually doesn’t really do anything but watch TV.

100 Movie Challenge 2015 - # 43: An American in Paris

Director: Vincente Minnelli

Genre: Musical/ Romance

Runtime: 114 minutes

Year: 1951

Starring: Gene Kelly, Eugene Borden, Oscar Levant, Nan Boardman, Martha Mabattre, Leslie Caron, Madge Blake, George Guétary, Marie Antoinette Andrews, Nina Foch

Description: Three friends struggle to find work in Paris. However, things become more complicated when two of them fall in love with the same woman.

Review: A year before my favorite musical, “Singin’ in the Rain”, came out, Gene Kelly was shining in “An American in Paris”. Although the movie has wonderful dance scenes and George Gershwins’s music is timeless, it never reaches that same level as “Singin’ in the Rain”. But “An American in Paris” is colorful and lively entertainment.

One of the strongest points of the film is the soundtrack. They are all original songs by George Gershwin, which gives the movie an unique and jazzy atmosphere. That in combination with Gene Kelly’s amazing dance moves, are the highlights of “An American in Paris”.

The story and the acting is not as interesting as the spectacle its surrounded by. The romance doesn’t captivate you. Luckily for us the chemistry between Gene Kelly and Leslie Caron is more present in the dance scenes.

Because it’s a musical, the story isn’t the most important thing. It’s the music and dancing that make this movie to a success. As a fan of musicals and Gene Kelly, this is definitely a movie you should watch.

Rating: 4/ 5

Top 5 Thursday: Classic Movie Stars

My daily talk is about movies, movies popular today and the actors and actresses in those films. Sometimes I also like to think and talk about the stars that we once had. The classic movie stars. Here are my favorites.

5. Gene Kelly
Gene Kelly is most famous for his roles in “Singin’ in the Rain”, which I absolutely love, and “An American in Paris”. He was a dominant force in Hollywood musical films from the mid 1940s until this art form fell out of fashion in the late 1950s.

4. Marilyn Monroe
Not just a famous Hollywood actress, but also a model, singer, showgirl and sex symbol. Starred in “The Seven Year Itch”, “All About Eve”, “Gentlemen Prefer Blondes” and “Some Like it Hot”. An icon in her time and never will she be forgotten.

3. James Dean
James Dean was a cultural icon. “Rebel Without a Cause”, where he played troubled teenager Jim Stark, defined his stardom. Later he starred in “East of Eden” and “Giant” which were also a great success. Dean's enduring fame and popularity rests on his performances in only these three films. He died too young.

2. Audrey Hepburn
The only British actress on this list. She wasn’t only an actress, Hepburn was also a humanitarian. She was actually always very modest about her acting, which makes her likeable. Favorites off course “Breakfast at Tiffanies” and “My Fair Lady”.

1. Marlon Brando
Brando was, besides a fantastic actor, also a political activist. Brando had a significant impact on film acting, and was the foremost example of the "method" acting style. Great movies like “On the Waterfront” and “A Streetcar Named Desire” and later “The Godfather” and “Apocalypse Now”. What an actor!

They almost made the top 5: Grace Kelly, Eva Gardner and Paul Newman