Singin’ in the Rain

Gene Kelly, Debbie Reynolds, and Donald O’Connor star in one of the greatest and most beloved musicals of all time. Bursting with unforgettable songs, dazzling dance routines, and Kelly’s iconic rain-soaked performance, the film captures the magic of classic Hollywood. Set during the industry’s transition to sound cinema, it satirizes the technical and acting upheavals of the era. Movie star Don Lockwood (Kelly) is paired on-screen with the glamorous but talentless Lina Lamont (Jean Hagen). When Lockwood falls for aspiring singer Kathy Selden (Reynolds), Lamont has her dismissed. But with the rise of talking pictures, Lockwood’s career is thrown into uncertainty when audiences mock Lamont’s shrill voice – until the studio finds a clever solution: dubbing her with Selden’s voice.

American Film Festival catalog

Stanley Donen and Gene Kelly formed one of the most iconic duos in musical cinema history. Their groundbreaking Singin’ in the Rain (1952) forever changed Hollywood, seamlessly blending masterful choreography with an innovative narrative approach. They had previously collaborated on Anchors Aweigh (1945) and On the Town (1949), followed by the equally ambitious It’s Always Fair Weather (1955). Donen brought directorial finesse and a keen sense of rhythm, while Kelly dazzled with his athleticism and signature dance style. Their shared vision set the gold standard for musicals, inspiring generations of filmmakers and performers.