Singin' in the Rain Essay Questions

Why has Lina had such success in silent films?

Lina became a mega-star during the silent era of filmmaking because she is beautiful and gives the appearance of being very refined. With the invention of talking pictures and the success of The Jazz Singer, the studio begins to transition into pictures with sound. This technological advancement does not suit Lina's talents, as indeed her voice is very off-putting and she is a bad actress. Her beauty and grace were made for the silent era, but her high-pitched voice was not. Lina is thus the perfect character to represent the difficulty that some silent film stars had in transitioning into the era of the "talkie."

How did Don Lockwood make his way into the big-time Hollywood leading man roles?

Lockwood tells a crowd before a premier that he played sophisticated roles coming up in Hollywood, and describes a highly trained, highbrow theatrical journey to stardom. While he describes his career in this way, the viewer sees a montage of his actual biography, which contrasts greatly with his account. In fact, he grew up modestly and learned everything he knows from playing in smokey saloons and bars and sneaking into vaudeville shows. Later, while working as a musician on a silent film set, he stepped in to do a stunt in a Western when one of the actors was rendered unconscious in a fight scene. We see Lockwood doing a series of unthinkable stunts on movies, before a producer taps him to try starring in a film alongside Lina. Lockwood was willing to do anything necessary in order to get to the next level of his career, and his stardom was almost completely accidental.

Why is Lockwood so intrigued by Kathy Selden?

When Lockwood jumps into Kathy Selden's car, he expects her to recognize him immediately, but she does not, and at first believes him to be a gangster. Because Lockwood is such a widely known star, he is perplexed that Kathy is even capable of not recognizing him. Having just escaped from a throng of overexcited fans, he finds Kathy's indifference to him refreshing. Additionally, she speaks ill of his profession as a silent film star, and proclaims that silent film acting is not real acting because it does not involve speaking or sound. Kathy's preferred love is the theater, and Lockwood relishes mocking her about her highbrow passion, playfully calling her "Ethel Barrymore," a famous stage actress. Kathy first intrigues Lockwood because she is so indifferent to him. Then later, when she pops out of the cake at Simpson's party and he sees that she is actually a chorus girl employed by the studio, he is even more intrigued and bemused, because he sees that she was in fact bluffing about her highbrow affiliations.

How does the movie use song and dance to tell the story of the film?

The characters in Singin' in the Rain often resort to singing, dancing, and performance to express how they feel and to move through various moments in their lives. When Lockwood is down in the dumps, Cosmo sings "Make 'Em Laugh" to cheer him up. The story of this song is rather straightforward: Cosmo does a number of impressive dances and slapstick routines to cheer Lockwood up and remind him to stay lighthearted even when he is feeling down. Then later, when Lockwood professes his love for Kathy, he sings to her on an empty soundstage and they dance. Here, song allows the couple to express their affection for one another in a heightened way; their synchronicity and beautiful expressive dancing is an elevated way for them to show their attraction to one another. Song and dance are employed similarly in the moment when Lockwood sings in the rain. Overcome by emotion, he can barely walk down the street without adding a dance-y elevation to his steps, and he cannot contain his voice from singing. Lockwood is filled with love for Kathy, and with the sense that everything will work out, which compels him to sing and dance, even in the less-than-ideal weather conditions.

What is the significance of the title?

"Singin' in the Rain" is the title of a popular song that was already in existence when the film was made, and serves as the visual centerpiece of the film—Gene Kelly abandoning his umbrella to sing and dance through the puddles in the rain. It also represents a broader philosophy and sentiment that runs through the film: one must stay optimistic and not be discouraged by little setbacks. The image of Gene Kelly "singin' in the rain" without a care in the world reminds the viewer to stay positive, to celebrate the beauty of life, and to meet challenges with a smile and a sunny attitude. This is the main theme of many early musicals, which used song and dance to cheer up audiences and focus on the bright side. Even though it might be raining, that ought not deter one from tap dancing down the street and being grateful for one's life.