Conformity to and Divergence from Genre in “Singin’ in the Rain”
ALORA ZULLIGER
Conformity to genre is usually seen as imperative to the creation of a successful motion picture; however, it is often the films that bend the rules and step outside of the bounds of genre that succeed on an artistic level or in a meaningful way. When films diverge from the standard set of rules that people think ought to be applied to a movie of a certain genre, something new and exciting emerges. This blended film is not only more interesting to watch, but is endlessly fascinating to study. Instead of being entirely predictable and typical, these hybridized movies are able to surprise their audiences with fresh techniques and perspectives. In this essay, the ways in which “Singin’ in the Rain” conforms to and diverges from the musical genre will be discussed, with a particular emphasis placed on how this unique blend of characteristics serves to create a more intricately layered, and therefore more creatively brilliant, film.
Before delving into the manner in which “Singin’ in the Rain” does not conform to its genre, it is important to explore which aspects of the movie are clearly rooted in the musical tradition. Most obvious of all of the characteristics of a musical is that the characters in the show use dance and song in order to express themselves and their emotional states. All throughout this movie, the principle character Don Lockwood (as played by the extraordinary dancer Gene Kelly) sings and dances when he is feeling especially jubilant or disgruntled. Perhaps most famously, Don expresses the contentment and joy of falling in love with Kathy Selden when he dances down the street in the pouring rain, sans umbrella, singing, “I’m happy again/ I’m laughing at clouds/ So dark up above/ The sun’s in my heart/ And I’m ready for love.” This movie is peppered with examples of characters using the mediums of song and/or dance to communicate how they are feeling in the moment. Thus, it adheres to the primary requirement of the musical genre.
Another commonly recognized characteristic of musicals is that they involve what our textbook states as “dazzling movement [and] formal spectacle,” (Barsam & Monahan, 2016, p. 106). Certainly, this film contains countless instances of aesthetically breathtaking displays. One particular scene provides a prominent example of this. The Broadway Melody, the extended dance sequence that takes place in Don’s head while he is in the producer’s office, offers up awe- some visual pageantry. One portion of the scene involves a huge pastel colored sound-stage. Audience members are made to feel delightfully enchanted by the lilac and cotton-candy pink sky and the seemingly infinite horizon. The talented dancer Cyd Charisse wore a white gown that flowed up and around her like an elegant kite as she danced, while Gene Kelley’s all-black ensemble created a striking contrast. Visually, this scene certainly ought to be considered spectacular. The Broadway Melody also included many other dance sequences that were full of color, sequins, fringed dresses, and movement. At several points in the scene, a crowd of dancers all moved in synchronicity, creating a mob of dancing limbs and swaying costumes. As the camera panned in at the start of this sequence and out at its conclusion, flashing neon lights were seen all around. “Dazzling” is an apt word to describe it; this shot is nearly fantastically flashy enough to become optically overwhelming. Clearly, this film includes a preponderance of spectacle, an aspect that plants it firmly within the confines of the musical tradition.
Though our textbook neglects to discuss it, another characteristic or trope that is commonly attributed to musicals is the inclusion of a romantic sub-plot. This portion of the narrative is usually light and happy-go-lucky, adding a playful flirtatious flavor to the dialogue and storyline. In “Singin’ in the Rain,” Don first encounters Kathy in a stereotypical meet-cute moment. While attempting to escape his over-zealous fans, Don hops down from the roof of a trolley car into Kathy’s convertible. Quite understandably, she is startled and tries to get him out of her moving vehicle as soon as possible. After she realizes who he is (a famous Hollywood actor), she warms to him slightly, but still they part on fairly irritated terms. Several minutes later, however, the audience discovers that Kathy is the paid entertainment at the fancy cocktail party that Don was attending that evening. When she pops out of a faux cake wearing a gaudy pink showgirl outfit, Don can’t help but flirtatiously antagonize her. From that moment forwards, Don and Kathy maintain a witty banter as their relationship develops. Though potential conflicts arise, this portion of the narrative bestows a light-hearted, effervescent charm upon the film, glazing the narrative in a rose-tinted sheen. Again, this is quite standard for the musical genre.
Now that the ways in which “Singin’ in the Rain” adhered to its intended genre have been discussed, it follows that the manner by which it diverges ought to be examined. In order to create a cohesive understanding of the primary deviation of the film, the two types of musical should be briefly defined. The first category is known as the backstage musical. This type generally follows the story of a promising young performer who is determined to make it big in the entertainment industry. In backstage musicals, much of the action takes place on an actual stage. This is highly convenient, as it allows the actors to sing and dance as they practice and perform the musical numbers of the play within the movie. With this method, the film maintains a certain sense of realism. It makes sense that stage actors would sing and dance while rehearsing or while putting on an actual show. Alternately, there is the category known as the integrated musical. During this type of musical, the singing and dancing is incorporated directly into otherwise average/realistic situations. Multiple characters often burst into song and dance at once, as if on cue, perfectly synchronizing their lyrics and choreography with one another. Clearly, this is not something that would happen in real life since there is no way for several people to perfectly align words and dance steps without previous conference on the subject. However, in integrated musicals, this is normalized. There need be no reason (such as a stage performance) to sing and dance; opportunities and catalysts for music-making are everywhere! Its last defining characteristic is that an integrated musical shifts back and forth between “whimsy [and] poignancy,” (p. 107). These two sub-genres of the musical are typically seen to be mutually exclusive, that is, musicals follow either one format or the other.
What makes “Singin’ in the Rain” so extraordinary, therefore, is that it combines the two categories. The film presents the audience with a hybridized version of a musical, one which includes both the backstage element and the integrated element. To illustrate this, examine for a moment the primary narrative. Don Lockwood, our handsome protagonist, is a Hollywood silent film star. As the movie progresses and the technology for talking pictures becomes available, Don must adapt in order to maintain a thriving career. To do so, he decides to turn his next big movie into a musical entitled “The Dancing Cavalier.” Rehearsals and performances must ensue. Also, Kathy performs as a party showgirl to make a living. These dances would certainly have been pre-choreographed. The beginning of the film includes a reminiscent scene where Don and his best friend Cosmo think back on all of the silly dancing and singing gigs that they took on in the past. It is clear that all of these scenes align with the expectations of a backstage musical. However, the film is also an integrated musical for many reasons. For instance, when Don takes Kathy to the pastel sound-stage to confess his romantic feelings for her, they end up dancing and singing in unison to a song that she would not have known. During the scene where Don takes a voice lesson, he and Cosmo dance in synch as they make fun of the uptight instructor. Multiple other times throughout the movie, characters break out into song and dance together (during the “Good Mornin’” scene, for instance).
Though there are other ways in which “Singin’ in the Rain” strays away from the conventional model of the musical, such as Cosmo’s incorporation of slapstick humor, it is this blending of sub-genres that truly creates a magical viewing experience. Layering these techniques makes for a more visually and narratively complex film, one that draws audience members in and compels them to feel emotionally invested in the characters and story. Without this hybridization, the film would still be enjoyable, but would likely not be as meaningful or artistically impressive. Ultimately, the stylistic decision to diverge from the standards of genre is what makes certain films creatively superior and allows them to stand the test of time, a feat that “Singin’ in the Rain” has most certainly accomplished.
Before delving into the manner in which “Singin’ in the Rain” does not conform to its genre, it is important to explore which aspects of the movie are clearly rooted in the musical tradition. Most obvious of all of the characteristics of a musical is that the characters in the show use dance and song in order to express themselves and their emotional states. All throughout this movie, the principle character Don Lockwood (as played by the extraordinary dancer Gene Kelly) sings and dances when he is feeling especially jubilant or disgruntled. Perhaps most famously, Don expresses the contentment and joy of falling in love with Kathy Selden when he dances down the street in the pouring rain, sans umbrella, singing, “I’m happy again/ I’m laughing at clouds/ So dark up above/ The sun’s in my heart/ And I’m ready for love.” This movie is peppered with examples of characters using the mediums of song and/or dance to communicate how they are feeling in the moment. Thus, it adheres to the primary requirement of the musical genre.
Another commonly recognized characteristic of musicals is that they involve what our textbook states as “dazzling movement [and] formal spectacle,” (Barsam & Monahan, 2016, p. 106). Certainly, this film contains countless instances of aesthetically breathtaking displays. One particular scene provides a prominent example of this. The Broadway Melody, the extended dance sequence that takes place in Don’s head while he is in the producer’s office, offers up awe- some visual pageantry. One portion of the scene involves a huge pastel colored sound-stage. Audience members are made to feel delightfully enchanted by the lilac and cotton-candy pink sky and the seemingly infinite horizon. The talented dancer Cyd Charisse wore a white gown that flowed up and around her like an elegant kite as she danced, while Gene Kelley’s all-black ensemble created a striking contrast. Visually, this scene certainly ought to be considered spectacular. The Broadway Melody also included many other dance sequences that were full of color, sequins, fringed dresses, and movement. At several points in the scene, a crowd of dancers all moved in synchronicity, creating a mob of dancing limbs and swaying costumes. As the camera panned in at the start of this sequence and out at its conclusion, flashing neon lights were seen all around. “Dazzling” is an apt word to describe it; this shot is nearly fantastically flashy enough to become optically overwhelming. Clearly, this film includes a preponderance of spectacle, an aspect that plants it firmly within the confines of the musical tradition.
Though our textbook neglects to discuss it, another characteristic or trope that is commonly attributed to musicals is the inclusion of a romantic sub-plot. This portion of the narrative is usually light and happy-go-lucky, adding a playful flirtatious flavor to the dialogue and storyline. In “Singin’ in the Rain,” Don first encounters Kathy in a stereotypical meet-cute moment. While attempting to escape his over-zealous fans, Don hops down from the roof of a trolley car into Kathy’s convertible. Quite understandably, she is startled and tries to get him out of her moving vehicle as soon as possible. After she realizes who he is (a famous Hollywood actor), she warms to him slightly, but still they part on fairly irritated terms. Several minutes later, however, the audience discovers that Kathy is the paid entertainment at the fancy cocktail party that Don was attending that evening. When she pops out of a faux cake wearing a gaudy pink showgirl outfit, Don can’t help but flirtatiously antagonize her. From that moment forwards, Don and Kathy maintain a witty banter as their relationship develops. Though potential conflicts arise, this portion of the narrative bestows a light-hearted, effervescent charm upon the film, glazing the narrative in a rose-tinted sheen. Again, this is quite standard for the musical genre.
Now that the ways in which “Singin’ in the Rain” adhered to its intended genre have been discussed, it follows that the manner by which it diverges ought to be examined. In order to create a cohesive understanding of the primary deviation of the film, the two types of musical should be briefly defined. The first category is known as the backstage musical. This type generally follows the story of a promising young performer who is determined to make it big in the entertainment industry. In backstage musicals, much of the action takes place on an actual stage. This is highly convenient, as it allows the actors to sing and dance as they practice and perform the musical numbers of the play within the movie. With this method, the film maintains a certain sense of realism. It makes sense that stage actors would sing and dance while rehearsing or while putting on an actual show. Alternately, there is the category known as the integrated musical. During this type of musical, the singing and dancing is incorporated directly into otherwise average/realistic situations. Multiple characters often burst into song and dance at once, as if on cue, perfectly synchronizing their lyrics and choreography with one another. Clearly, this is not something that would happen in real life since there is no way for several people to perfectly align words and dance steps without previous conference on the subject. However, in integrated musicals, this is normalized. There need be no reason (such as a stage performance) to sing and dance; opportunities and catalysts for music-making are everywhere! Its last defining characteristic is that an integrated musical shifts back and forth between “whimsy [and] poignancy,” (p. 107). These two sub-genres of the musical are typically seen to be mutually exclusive, that is, musicals follow either one format or the other.
What makes “Singin’ in the Rain” so extraordinary, therefore, is that it combines the two categories. The film presents the audience with a hybridized version of a musical, one which includes both the backstage element and the integrated element. To illustrate this, examine for a moment the primary narrative. Don Lockwood, our handsome protagonist, is a Hollywood silent film star. As the movie progresses and the technology for talking pictures becomes available, Don must adapt in order to maintain a thriving career. To do so, he decides to turn his next big movie into a musical entitled “The Dancing Cavalier.” Rehearsals and performances must ensue. Also, Kathy performs as a party showgirl to make a living. These dances would certainly have been pre-choreographed. The beginning of the film includes a reminiscent scene where Don and his best friend Cosmo think back on all of the silly dancing and singing gigs that they took on in the past. It is clear that all of these scenes align with the expectations of a backstage musical. However, the film is also an integrated musical for many reasons. For instance, when Don takes Kathy to the pastel sound-stage to confess his romantic feelings for her, they end up dancing and singing in unison to a song that she would not have known. During the scene where Don takes a voice lesson, he and Cosmo dance in synch as they make fun of the uptight instructor. Multiple other times throughout the movie, characters break out into song and dance together (during the “Good Mornin’” scene, for instance).
Though there are other ways in which “Singin’ in the Rain” strays away from the conventional model of the musical, such as Cosmo’s incorporation of slapstick humor, it is this blending of sub-genres that truly creates a magical viewing experience. Layering these techniques makes for a more visually and narratively complex film, one that draws audience members in and compels them to feel emotionally invested in the characters and story. Without this hybridization, the film would still be enjoyable, but would likely not be as meaningful or artistically impressive. Ultimately, the stylistic decision to diverge from the standards of genre is what makes certain films creatively superior and allows them to stand the test of time, a feat that “Singin’ in the Rain” has most certainly accomplished.