It’s time yet again to Social Distance the heck out of this epidemic and watch a movie together while still staying in three different states: North Carolina, Florida, and California. Next up this week, a classic that somehow most of us have never seen, 1952’s Singin’ in the Rain.
The Players: Elizabeth, Hannah, Kathryn, Nathan, and the parents (Parents represented here by Marian, because Dad would chisel a message in a stone tablet before typing anything on a phone.)
Hannah
All set here
Kathryn
Here too!
Elizabeth
Almost almost one sec
Renting on prime?
Nathan
Yep!
Elizabeth
Ready!
Kathryn
Pressing play
Elizabeth
Playing!
Hannah
This is fun because either Mom figures out how to mute her phone or I find out if I can hit the bay from here
Elizabeth
Hahaha
I’ve never seen this film…
Hannah
I saw it in college but don’t remember
Kathryn
New to me too.
Nathan
New for me, too, but I’ve never been that into musicals.
Kathryn
I want that spider-web dress
Nice bit of red carpet exposition here.
Hannah
Give it up for Lady Exposition here
Haha
Kathryn
Jinx!
Nathan
Kathryn
The schmaltzy music of a BS story.
Elizabeth
The fake violin playin’s not too bad
Nathan
I wonder if they really used to yank people off the stage with those giant canes or is that a myth?
Nathan
These suits hurt my eyes.
Kathryn
That’s certainly some FANCY fake violin playing.
Hannah
Haha
Cosmo has a bit of the Danny Kaye to him
Elizabeth
First dance number and I’m impressed right down to the ground.
Kathryn
IMPRESSIVE footwork, damn.
Hannah
Seriously
I do not remember this movie being a whole flashback
“Urbane… sophisticated… suave” [KABOOM]
Elizabeth
Cat’s entranced
Kathryn
Cricket’s dazzled by his smile.
“That’s funny, I’m busy.”
BURN
Elizabeth
Hahaha, and the reason why she’s not allowed to speak.
Hannah
Omg Billie Dawn voice
Nathan
Starbuck is mildly interested.
Elizabeth
Haha
Hannah
Edgar’s having none of it
Kathryn
Hannah
“Ok you’re a cab” definitely remember that
Nathan
A young Debbie Reynolds!
Kathryn
Carrie Fisher’s mom?
Nathan
The very one.
Elizabeth
Wow!
Kathryn
I’d be a LOT more distracted if a famous celebrity hopped into my car and begged for a ride.
Nathan
Crank up the smarm, Gene!
Hannah
Haha #consent, GENE
Kathryn
No means no Gene
He doesn’t like being crushed by fans but he can’t STAND someone not being impressed.
Hannah
Kick him in the nads, Debbie
Heh nice dismount
Elizabeth
Dramatic exit, RUINED
Man he really does have a smile that lights up the room
Hannah
Did he ever do anything with Cary Grant?
Nathan
Maybe?
He did a movie with Evel Knevel!
Hannah
Haha ending a Zoom call there
Kathryn
Whoops
Dignity!
Elizabeth
Hahah, scandalous!
Hannah
I’m pretty sure Debbie did a version of this on Will & Grace
Elizabeth
Eeep!
Hannah
Oops
Kathryn
That was an EPIC pie in the face
Problematic racial stereotypes in three, two, one…
Hannah
Random movie set gags are great
Elizabeth
Yes!
Hannah
Planting the seeds for the likes of Blazing Saddles, Peewee’s Great Adventure, etc
Elizabeth
I like his buddy
Kathryn
Good comedic timing in that diatribe
Hannah
Heh Dad just pointed out he was on Frasier
Elizabeth
Oh no way!
Hannah
(I believe as a tap dancer who sublet Niles’ apartment)
Kathryn
I believe this scene could be a TAD shorter.
Elizabeth
I was JUST gonna say that
Kathryn
I can only take so much madcap at once.
Elizabeth
“Well then everbuddy was a dope.”
Oooooooooooo
Nathan
From the IMDB page: For the “Make ’em Laugh” number, Gene Kelly asked Donald O’Connor to revive a trick he had done as a young dancer: running up a wall and completing a somersault. The number was so physically taxing that O’Connor, who smoked four packs of cigarettes a day at the time, ended up in a hospital bed for a week after its completion. He suffered from exhaustion and painful carpet burns. Unfortunately, an accident ruined all of the initial footage, so after a brief rest O’Connor–ever the professional–agreed to do the difficult number all over again.
Hannah
Hee
Ooof
Kathryn
Yikes
Elizabeth
Wow
I love the vicious dialog while they were filming
Hannah
Huh wasn’t that too long a kiss for the Hays Code?
Elizabeth
Hmmmm
Kathryn
Maybe?
Hannah
Probably allowable in silent films but I don’t think that’d be a pass in the 50s
Kathryn
Heh, the long turn around “oh thaaaats right…”
Nathan
We’ve suddenly gone all Busby Berkeley.
Kathryn
This is seizure-inducing
I wonder if someone has a database of “fake” movies, the ones that only exist inside the continuity of another movie.
Elizabeth
They should, fake TV shows too
Hannah
I just realized I had to write the first part of a screenplay in college and I incorporated a similar gag
Elizabeth
Pie in the face?
Hannah
No fake stories (in my case plays) that people were dressed for in different scenes
I had already seen this so unconscious robbery
Elizabeth
Neat shot with them walking through that huge door
Hannah
I wanted to have a side character and make it clear it was the same person but would be so different in every “role” that he’d have to be played by a different actor in each appearance
Elizabeth
Ooo, neat idea
Kathryn
Oo, I like that idea.
Hannah
I can’t plot for shit but I can gimmick occasionally
Elizabeth
Also, is there a gag where they start a fan for atmosphere and it goes haywire and blows them off the set?
Hannah
Haha I don’t know
Kathryn
I’m still trying to see the similarity between Debbie and Carrie Fisher, but I’m not really seeing it.
Hannah
They cover some of her father’s infidelity in that Cleopatra recap in Best Pick
Elizabeth
Yes they do!
Nathan
Here’s her father.
Hannah
Oh I love a good romantic soft shoe
Elizabeth
I don’t see the resemblance to her dad either?
Hannah
I think I can see a bit of Debbie in her eyes and mouth
But she got her daddy’s nose
Elizabeth
Hee, speech coach scenes are always fun.
Hannah
This definitely took some from Born Yesterday
And Pygmalion of course
Kathryn
I was wondering what her accent was reminding me of.
Born Yesterday, I’ve never seen Pygmalion
Or My Fair Lady
Oh boy, more madcap.
Elizabeth
Song and dance number around tongue twisters, as you do.
Hannah
Get you a friend who improvisers tap numbers like these two
Mom said they look like they’re having such fun and seriously
You can’t be tense while you tap
Kathryn
This movie is basically a humorous romantic triangle wrapped around a vaudeville number.
Nathan
Did Gene Kelly & Fred Astaire ever do a movie together?
Elizabeth
wild applause
Kathryn
“AAAAAAAAY”
She’s reminding me of Harley Quinn from the Batman cartoon.
Hannah
They cover that in Best Pick, too: I think Gene and Fred had mutual respect and at some point Gene had to drop out of a role and Fred came out of retirement to do it
Nathan
Think this director will make it through the film without having a heart attack?
Hannah
“Speak into the bush” is quite the euphemism
Kathryn
QUIET ON THE SET
Hannah
Hah now there’s a pratfall
Kathryn
Heeeere we go…
Elizabeth
Can’t steend im
Kathryn
“I cawnt STEEEND ‘im.”
Hannah
It’s unforgivable that movies today can’t get this kind of humor right when this movie exists
Elizabeth
Right?
Kathryn
“NOOOOOOO”
Elizabeth
Of course SHE liked it
Kathryn
Wasn’t this part of the plot of The Artist?
Nathan
Very similar.
Hannah
I didn’t see it (and may have tuned out during the Best Pick discussion)
Nathan
The Artist is really good.
Kathryn
Six weeks is NOT enough time to recut a movie, but okay.
Hannah
She’s wearing a Bolts sweater
Elizabeth
Ha, so she is
Nathan
Basically!
Hannah
I know one of the differences between him and Astaire was Fred said, “Either the camera moves or I do”
Wow Mom says she wasn’t a dancer before this role
Elizabeth
Wow
Hannah
Also, “Wait a minute, I’m about to be brilliant” is my new catchphrase
Also you must watch Tom Holland’s Lip Sync Battle after this
Elizabeth
Absolutely
I need to research what the rain machines on this scene looked like
Hannah
There are also several famous stories of women’s voices being dubbed
West Side Story is the only one I can think of right now
Elizabeth
Love the moving walkway on the set
Kathryn
Wasn’t there a Best Picture winner called Broadway Melody?
Hannah
Yep!
Like 1934-ish?
Kathryn
Thought so, couldn’t tell you anything about it, even after listening to the Best Pick episode.
Hannah
Heh I think part of the issue was that it doesn’t really have a plot
(Not that I’ve seen it)
I just got mad about the ice-skating scene in The Bishop’s Wife all over again
Nathan
I believe that’s Cyd Charisse.
Hannah
Haha Mom and Dad confirm
Kathryn
This MUST have been the inspiration for Chicago.
Nathan
Saw her in the IMDB page listed as “dancer”.
Elizabeth
This is playing fast and loose with the Hayes code too innit?
THIS is the inspiration for at least one Bugs Bunny cartoon!
Hannah
Haha
Kathryn
Man, it would take more than six weeks JUST to do this one number.
Hannah
We GET it, Gene, you can DANCE
Nathan
Elizabeth
Neat effect with the cape
Kathryn
Why is this reminding me of Salvador Dali?
Elizabeth
Yes!
Hannah
Hahaha
Ma’am, I believe yer bedsheet’s come unstowed
Kathryn
Pretty beautiful images here.
Hannah
Also something Gilliam stole for Brazil a bit I bet
Elizabeth
I’ve never seen a dance number like that
Hannah
Ok Cosmo needs his distemper shot
Elizabeth
Hahah
Kathryn
No, wait until AFTER the movie is released
Ack, too late
Nathan
Zelda was Rita Moreno!
Hannah
Yes!
Haha “I make more money than Calvin Coolidge. Put together!”
“An exclusive story to every paper in town” is both subtle humor and galling to me
Elizabeth
Ut oh, she lawyered up.
Nathan
It must have hurt having to do that voice.
Hannah
I love how she didn’t look at the paper as she “read” that
Elizabeth
The character’s more interesting as evil than dumb
Hannah
Hee yes
But both is a nice trip
Elizabeth
Yes make a speech!!
Kathryn
Speech speech!
Hannah
HOIST BY YOUR OWN PETARD, LEENA
Kathryn
Leena’s about to be roasted by the court of public opinion.
A Fle-aht
Hannah
Perpetuating the myth that a conductor can magically give an orchestra music via hand gestures
Elizabeth
Hahaha EXACTLY
Also what a boring billboard….
Kathryn
Hee.
That was fun!
Elizabeth
Cute!
Kathryn
I can understand why that won an Oscar.
Back in the day when you could have lighthearted comedies win.
Elizabeth
It really is like he’s floating across the floor sometimes
Hannah
I’ll take the excuse for all that dancing
Kathryn
Just realized I’ve only seen a grand total of two Gene Kelly movies, this one and a gawdawful one with Evil Kenevel that RiffTrax mocked.
This must be corrected.
Marian
Now, that was fun.
Kathryn
I’m still kind of bemused by the fact that this was Princess Leia’s mother.
Hannah
Obligatory Tom Holland post
Kathryn
Hee, love it!
I’m always so impressed with how everyone just THROWS themselves into these performances, no hesitation or holding back.
Also, apparently Singin’ In The Rain didn’t win Best Picture. that year. The award went to The Greatest Show On Earth, a film that apparently no one thought deserved to win, so NEVER MIND.
Hannah
Haha did you say it had won?
I was trying to remember because I knew it was discussed but couldn’t remember what episode that was on
Kathryn
Yep, I even made a comment about the good old days when films like that COULD win rather than something hard-hitting and dark.
Mind you, The Greatest Show On Earth is pretty much the opposite of hard-hitting and dark, so I think the sentiment still stands.
Hannah
I remember them grudgingly acknowledging that there was something Greatest Show On Earth was something of a feat but TBH so was frigging Singin’in the Rain
(never mind the syntax of that message apparently I’m having a stroke)
Elizabeth
Hahaha
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