Singin' in the Rain Viewer's Response
1. In Singin' in the Rain, when Don Lockwood gives his autobiography, the film contradicts his words. When Lina Lamont talks on screen, her voice is dubbed by Kathy Seldon. Why are so many scenes in this film out of synch? What is the effect of ironic contrast? How basic is it to the nature of comedy?
2. How is the history of motion pictures represented in this film? For example, how does it represent the popular attitudes toward motion pictures of the 1920’s and 1930’s? What does it explain about the transition between silent movies and “talkies”?
3. Audiences often laugh out loud during the movie. Who or what are they laughing at? To what degree is Singin' in the Rain a satire, a parody or some other recognizable form of comedy?
4. Musicals typically alternate between dramatic scenes and musical numbers. Sometimes the drama seems stronger than the music; sometimes it’s the other way around. How well integrated are story and spectacle and music in this film?
5. Some film historians argue that the film musical reached its peak in the 1940s and has since lost its vitality. Do you agree? Give examples of contemporary movie musicals to support your point of view.
Questions taken from Reading the Movies: Twelve Great Films on Video and How to Teach Them by William Costanzo