The Big Picture
- Gene Kelly performed the iconic "Singin' in the Rain" number with a 103F fever.
- As the title song of the famed musical, it has lived on despite the difficulties in the performance, with moments like Tom Holland paying homage to Kelly's performance in a popular Lip Sync Battle.
- The film even inspired a sequence in Greta Gerwig's Barbie, proving it's long-lasting legacy.
He's fallen in love and just walked home the girl of his dreams. Now, there's nothing left for him to do but walk the rainy streets of Los Angeles, and do a time-step or two. Gene Kelly, Debbie Reynolds, and Donald O'Connor starred in what many consider to be one of the greatest musicals of all time, Singin' in the Rain. Released in 1952, it has stood the test of time and is celebrated for its elaborate sets, incredibly staged musical productions, and satirical depiction of show business. Kelly not only starred in the film, but he also co-directed with Stanley Donen and choreographed alongside assistant choreographer, Carol Haney. This massive undertaking provided a challenge Kelly couldn't have foreseen heading into the film's most iconic dance number.
When the musical Singin' in the Rain is brought up, most people's first thoughts are of the titular song, which Kelly performs after falling in love with rising starlet, Kathy Selden (Debbie Reynolds). Singin' in the Rain is an ode to the silent picture era in Hollywood, and how the abrupt introduction of talking pictures changed the trajectory of film forever. Kelly plays a silent picture movie star, Don Lockwood, with Donald O'Connor co-starring as his best friend, Cosmo Brown, and Debbie Reynolds as a chorus girl, Kathy Selden. When talking pictures enter the fold, Kathy is brought on to secretly dub the speaking and singing for Lockwood's frequent co-star, Lina Lamont (Jean Hagen). As Don and Kathy fall in love, the ongoing pressure of being kept a secret from the public causes problems. Singin' in the Rain has become a legendary film for many reasons, but one of its most legendary moments comes from behind the scenes, during which Gene Kelly fell very ill while shooting. But, as the saying goes, the show must go on.
Singin in the Rain
G Release Date April 9, 1952 Director Stanley Donen , Gene Kelly Cast Gene Kelly , Donald O'Connor , Debbie Reynolds , Jean Hagen , Millard Mitchell , Cyd Charisse Runtime 103 Main Genre Comedy Writers Adolph Green , Betty Comden Studio MGM/Loew'sGene Kelly Had a Fever of 103F While Filming the Famous Number, "Singin' in the Rain"
Kelly had fallen extremely ill by the time he had to film the now iconic number, "Singin' in the Rain." For years, it was hard to confirm the story's accuracy, but his wife, Patricia Ward Kelly, confirmed the story to Radio Times in an interview back in 2016. She revealed that Kelly did, in fact, have a fever of 103F, but performed anyway in the harsh, wet conditions, saying, "You have to remember he's directing, choreographing and starring in the picture, and so it is hard to have any downtime for someone of that magnitude... Occasionally people would get sick, but you could often shoot around them, or do other segments and things. But with Gene, he's it."
In the dance number, Don has just walked Kathy home in the rain and has begun to fall in love. After saying goodbye, he performs "Singin' in the Rain" as he hops on streetlamps, dances with his umbrella, and tap dances while splashing around in the rain. The scene became famous as Kelly stands under gutters of gushing water with stunning imagery, and it's become as iconic as "Over the Rainbow" in The Wizard of Oz, or "America" in West Side Story. As Don hopped around in the rain, behind the scenes, the crew was dumping buckets and buckets of cold water on Kelly from the skies and gutters. In her interview, Patricia revealed how Kelly got through the brutal shoot. "It was all draped in black tarpaulin, so he would come outside of the tarpaulin into the daylight and just lie in the sunlight and just kind of bake this fever out of him, and go back in and start over again...They shot the number in a day and a half."
Tom Holland Paid Homage to "Singin' in the Rain" Number in Lip Sync Battle
Tom Holland's celebrity status skyrocketed back in 2017 when his triple-threat talents were put on full display during his lip sync battle with Zendaya. Doing a mash-up of "Singin' in the Rain" and "Umbrella" by Rihanna, Holland starts out donning an identical suit, hat, and umbrella to Kelly from the iconic number. He then tap dances across the stage with the same grace and execution the Hollywood legend had, before stripping down to a leotard and tights for the "Umbrella" segment. The video has now amassed over 150 million views on YouTube and introduced an entire new generation to one of Hollywood's greatest musicals of all time. It's become an unforgettable moment in pop culture, and also showed off Holland's roots in musical theater, as he starred in the West End production of Billy Elliot as a child.
Greta Gerwig Was Inspired by 'Singin' in the Rain' For "I'm Just Ken"
With its massive dance numbers consisting of hundreds of extras across candy-colored sets, Singin' in the Rain had a massive impact on cinema lover, Greta Gerwig. In her film, Barbie, Gerwig was inspired by the epic dream ballet featuring Gene Kelly and Cyd Charisse, and she pays homage to it during the showstopping number, "I'm Just Ken." While on tour promoting the film, Gerwig discussed how the dream ballet number Kelly embarks on in Singin' in the Rain influenced her cinematic direction for "I'm Just Ken." From the sets, costumes, and distinctive choreography, she re-assembled it all in striking new ways.
Gerwig stated, "There was a big meeting that was like, ‘Do you need this?’ And I was like, ‘Everything in me needs this.’ They were like, ‘What do you even mean? What is a dream ballet?’ And I was like, ‘A dream ballet? Where do I begin...I was like, if people could follow that in ‘Singing in the Rain,’ I think we’ll be fine. I think people will know what this is. So that was the big reference point...Even though everything felt right to me and was giving me so much joy in the way we were doing it, it was also like, ‘Oh no, this could be just terrible, but now I’m committed."
'Singin in the Rain' Is Considered One of the Greatest Musicals of All Time
CloseSingin' in the Rain's impact on film is everlasting. Capturing lightning in a bottle, the film is a touching portrayal of the magic of making movies, and the introduction of talking pictures. On AFI's list of The 25 Greatest Movie Musicals of All Time, Singin' in the Rain holds the top spot. It's placed ahead of groundbreaking musicals, such as West Side Story and The Wizard of Oz, which came in at number 2 and 3, respectively. It was also chosen to be one of the first 25 films to be preserved in the National Film Registry by the United States Library of Congress for being, "culturally, historically, or aesthetically significant."
Groundbreaking for many reasons, Singin' in the Rain is Kelly's crowning achievement. It was also Debbie Reynold's breakout role at the age of 19, and includes some of the most celebrated musical numbers of all time, like "Make Em' Laugh" and "Good Morning." But still, the "Singin' in the Rain" number is often the most beloved number associated with the movie. As Kelly secretly battled a debilitating fever while joyously embracing the rain, he is the epitome of showbiz. Come rain or shine, he'll do whatever it takes to put on a good show and make audiences smile.
Singin' in the Rain is Available to Stream on Max in the U.S.
ncG1vNJzZmibn6G5qrDEq2Wcp51kwKq6xqKloGWZo3q1tMRmqZqhnmK0prrEZqKepJyaxm6yxK%2Bcq2c%3D