Singin' in the Rain (1952)
12-month trend
12-month trend
Monthly article views
2025-09 to 2026-08
A vaudevillian performer and a film star navigate the chaotic transition from silent films to 'talkies' in 1920s Hollywood.
The story
In 1927, silent film stars Don Lockwood and Lina Lamont attend the premiere of their latest film, The Royal Rascal. Don, a performer with a vaudevillian background, is caught in the whirlwind of Hollywood's transition to 'talkies.' When the studio decides to convert their next project, The Dueling Cavalier, into a musical, the production faces significant hurdles due to Lina's inability to adapt to the new technology. Amidst the technical difficulties and the frantic atmosphere of the studio, Don finds himself collaborating with a talented but overlooked dancer, Kathy Selden, to save the production and navigate the changing landscape of the film industry.
Full plot (contains spoilers)
In 1927, silent film stars Don Lockwood and Lina Lamont premiere 'The Royal Rascal.' Don, who secretly has vaudeville roots, is paired with the difficult Lina. When the industry shifts to 'talkies,' the studio decides to turn their next film, 'The Dueling Cavalier,' into a musical. Lina's inability to handle the new audio technology leads to a disastrous preview. To save the film, Don and his friend Cosmo Brown suggest that Kathy Selden, a talented dancer, secretly dub her voice. Don and Kathy fall in love during the process, and a complex scheme is devised to keep Kathy's involvement a secret from Lina. The film is retitled 'The Dancing Cavalier.' At the premiere, a ruse is staged where Kathy performs behind a curtain while Lina lip-syncs. The ruse is revealed to the audience, and Kathy is publicly acknowledged as the 'real star.' The film ends with Don and Kathy together in front of a billboard for their new hit, 'Singin' in the Rain.'
- First release year
- 1952
- Runtime (minutes)
- 103
- Production countries
- United States
- Original languages
- English
- Directors
- Gene Kelly; Stanley Donen
- Writers
- Betty Comden · writer; Adolph Green · writer
- Cast and characters
- Gene Kelly · Donald "Don" Lockwood; Donald O'Connor · Cosmo Brown; Debbie Reynolds · Kathy Selden; Jean Hagen · Lina Lamont; Millard Mitchell · R. F. Simpson; Cyd Charisse · the woman in the green sequined dress; Douglas Fowley · Roscoe Dexter; Rita Moreno · Zelda Zanders
- Genres
- musical; romantic comedy
- Themes
- Hollywood transition; romance
- Tone and mood
- lighthearted; satirical
- Premise and plot tags
- musical; romance; comedy; meta-fiction
- Content notes
- child
- Reception
- Initially a modest hit, it is now widely acclaimed as one of the greatest musical films ever made, appearing on numerous 'best of' lists from the AFI, Empire, and Sight & Sound.
- Reported review scores
- Rotten Tomatoes · score: 100% · scale: 100% · review count: 64; Metacritic · score: 99 · scale: 100 · review count: 17
- Production trivia
- The film was not initially expected to become a classic.
Film metadata comes from the open sources listed in Credits & Contact. Catalogue details may be incomplete.
Your lists
Loading your lists…