1. Singin’ In the Rain Directors: Stanley Donen & Gene Kelly Genre: Musical comedy, romance Year: made in 1952, set in 1927 Cast: –Don Lockwood (Gene Kelly) –Cosmo Brown (Donald O’Connor) –Kathy Selden (Debbie Reynolds) –Lina Lamont (Jean Hagen)

2. Cultural References Real-life silent stars are parodied: –The “Zip Girl” is based on Clara Bow, the “It Girl” –Olga Mara (in the spider web dress) is based on Pola Negri “Monumental Pictures” is MGM, and R.F. Simpson is based on Louis B. Mayer Vintage props from prior films are used

3. History 2 problems with sound: synchronization and amplification 1927 – The Jazz Singer introduces synchronized dialogue and singing By the end of 1929 almost all Hollywood films are “talkies” Silent stars saw their careers end; Rudolph Valentino, Charlie Chaplin, Douglas Fairbanks, Mary Pickford, Lillian Gish

4. Musical References Al Jolson in “The Jazz Singer”The Jazz Singer Busby Berkley production numbersproduction numbers Gold Diggers musical productionsmusical productions

5. Make ‘Em Laugh The song was written for this film, to take advantage of Donald O’Connor’s vaudeville experience The original footage was lost – O’Connor had to repeat the whole performance The number was so physically exhausting that O’Connor spent several days in bed after it was shot

6. Dubbing Ironically, Debbie Reynolds’s voice is dubbed in “Would You” and “You Are My Lucky Star” Jean Hagen (Lina) actually had a beautiful speaking voice; when Kathy is dubbing Lina’s lines, the voice we hear is Jean Hagen’s, not Debbie Reynolds’s

8. Accolades American Film Institute: #5 Greatest Movie of All Time, and the #1 movie musical in American film history Entertainment Weekly: 10th Greatest Film of all time by, and the highest ranked musical Empire Magazine: #8 on Empire Magazine's 500 Greatest Movies Of All Time