Poster of "Song in the Rain"
In the spring of 1952, when "Song in the Rain" was released in North America, it was neither the highest-grossing film (the tenth box office of the year) nor the most critically acclaimed film (nominated for two Oscars, but it stood the test of time and has become a well-deserved song and dance classic.
In 1982 and 2002, It was ranked 4th and 10th respectively as the best film of all time in the British film magazine Sight & Hear.
In 1998, the American Film Institute selected the top 100 films, and "Song in the Rain" ranked 10th.
In 2004, the American Film Institute selected the top 100 film songs, "Song in the Rain" had three songs shortlisted, the eponymous interlude "Song in the Rain" ranked 3rd, "Make Them Laugh" ranked 49th, and "Good Morning" ranked 72.
On the famous film review website Rotten Tomatoes, "Song in the Rain" maintains 100% freshness, with 49 film reviews, with an average score of 8.2, ranking 14th in the most praised list in the history of the website.
"Song in the Rain" was also one of the first films to be selected for the National Film List of the United States because of its "cultural, historical and aesthetic importance".
According to the two screenwriters of the film, François Truffaut and Aaron René liked the film very much, and Truffaut remembered every frame clearly because he had seen it many times.
Director Damien Chazere has also said many times that it was "Song in the Rain" that inspired him to create "Philharmonic City", which is a tribute to the former.
Stills from "City of Philharmonic"
"Song in the Rain" is a standard Hollywood Golden Age song and dance film, and what really makes it enduring is the joy it brings to the audience.
Every time I watch this movie, or hear the classic song in it, the corners of my mouth involuntarily rise, and my heart is like the Grinch in "Green Grinch", which immediately expands threefold.
The film is 103 minutes long, it will not feel lengthy, the plot, song and dance are stuffed, but it is not delayed, the story line is clear, song and dance, love, comedy, each other's integration, each other's background.
In the first 25 minutes of the film, using the premiere and celebration banquet of a silent film, the male protagonist Don Lockwood (played by Gene Kelly) is told the story of "the birth of a star", and also lets him successfully meet the heroine and lose the heroine.
The male and female protagonists of "Song in the Rain" meet for the first time
Not only does it provide an important background for Lockwood's transformation, but it also cleverly sets up the environment of Hollywood from silent to sound.
The first major song and dance scene, "Make Them Laugh" performed by Donald O'Connor, is full of comedy and has high requirements for dance, even O'Connor, who comes from a juggler family and has a deep dance background, also smokes several boxes of cigarettes every day due to difficult choreography.
What made him even more desperate was that the footage that had been filmed was completely destroyed due to technical problems, and he had to return to the set the next day and start all over again.
Donald O'Connor
The first song and dance clip of the male protagonist Lockwood and the female protagonist Kathy is completely different from O'Connor's, there is no comedic element, it is all the love between the eyebrows and the love sung.
Lockwood takes Casey to the empty studio, lights up the backdrop, searchlights, turns on the sprayer, blower, and there's no better place to convey affection than here.
Kathy in the soft light is charming, playing the role of Debbie Reynolds, who has only played some small roles before, and the first time playing the heroine is to play with Gene Kelly, the pressure can be imagined.
Reynolds came from gymnastics, with a wonderful singing voice but no dance skills, a large number of dance choreographers, she studied hard, and was poured cold water by Kelly.
The mood fell to the bottom, and it was fred Astaire, the king of the dances, who helped her. Astaire saw Reynolds hiding under the piano, tears flowing down his face, and said to her, "Learn to dance, that's it, if you don't sweat, it means you're doing it wrong." ”
Astaire invited Reynolds to watch his rehearsals, and the latter found that rehearsing dances was difficult for the dance king, and felt that the problems he encountered were not so difficult to deal with.
Debbie Reynolds
"Good Morning" is a scene that is mostly long shots, rarely uses editing, and the actors appear in full body, allowing no flaws, and Reynolds successfully keeps up with the steps of the two predecessors.
The last three people climbed over the couch and filmed more than 40 times, shooting non-stop from 8 a.m. to 11 p.m., Reynolds feet were bloodied, she once said: "Shooting 'Song in the Rain' and having a baby are the two most difficult things I have ever done. ”
The episodic episode of the same name, "Song in the Rain", is probably the most well-known clip in the film, Lockwood, who fell in love, danced in the rain, and I believe that everyone who has paid the heart can experience this happiness.
Kelly did film the scene with a high fever, but there are rumors that the scene was only filmed once, which is not accurate. The scene was allegedly filmed for two or three days.
"Song in the Rain" was shortlisted for the "Missing Filmmakers" section of the Beijing International Film Festival because the film's director Stanley Donan passed away on February 23 this year.
Donen is widely regarded as the master who changed the pattern of song and dance films, in addition to "Song in the Rain", he has also made classic films such as "Spring In Jincheng" and "Sweet Sister". Collaborate with superstars such as Frank Sinatra, Audrey Hepburn, Fred Astaire and more.
Never nominated for an Oscar, he was awarded a Lifetime Achievement Award only in 1998.
In the "Beijing Screening" unit of this Beijing International Film Festival, the majority of audiences can enjoy this song and dance film classic on the big screen, which is a rare opportunity, and I hope that fans and friends will be happy to watch and fully enjoy the film fun of the Beijing Film Festival.