--- title: "Singin' in the Rain" year: 1952 kind: "film" canonical: "https://film.one/film/singin-in-the-rain" fi1m_id: "singin-in-the-rain" imdb_id: "tt0045152" tmdb_id: 872 wikidata_id: "Q309153" fi1m_score: 93 critics_score: 91 critics_reviews: 19 published: "2026-09-12" updated: "2026-09-18T08:37:42.590201+00:00" region: "US" licence: "© Fi1m Ltd. Written by AI under a human editor; checked against sources before publication. Quote with attribution and a link to the canonical URL." --- # Singin' in the Rain (1952) Directed by Stanley Donen, Gene Kelly · 1h 43m · MPA G · Comedy, Romance ## Identity Singin' in the Rain - **Canonical:** https://film.one/film/singin-in-the-rain - **Type:** Film - **Fi1m ID:** singin-in-the-rain - **IMDb ID:** tt0045152 - **TMDB ID:** 872 - **Wikidata ID:** Q309153 - **Same entity:** https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0045152/, https://www.themoviedb.org/movie/872, https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q309153 **Fi1m score: 93** · Critics 91 from 19 reviews *In a sentence:* We could happily watch Jean Hagen argue with recording equipment for another hour > Stanley Donen and Gene Kelly’s musical makes the arrival of sound in Hollywood funny, troublesome and a reason to dance. The romance is slight, but the comic timing and pleasure of the performances make this an easy recommendation. ## Synopsis Hollywood is learning to make films with sound, and Don Lockwood (Gene Kelly) is caught in the change. Around him are Cosmo Brown (Donald O’Connor), Kathy Selden (Debbie Reynolds) and Lina Lamont (Jean Hagen), as performers and film-makers discover how much a microphone can complicate their work. Studio routines become material for comedy, romance and song-and-dance numbers, with elocution lessons and recording troubles among the obstacles. Stanley Donen and Kelly direct a musical set amid the picture business of the late 1920s, where being able to command the screen no longer means being able to stay silent. ## Review *Singin’ in the Rain* is generous entertainment with a useful comic suspicion of the people who make it. Directors Stanley Donen and Gene Kelly turn Hollywood’s move to sound into a succession of practical difficulties, giving talented people equipment that does not care how famous they are. We recommend it without requiring any fondness for old Hollywood: the jokes make sense the moment somebody has to work with the new machinery. Betty Comden and Adolph Green’s screenplay gives the singing and dancing room while keeping the business of making a film in view. Jean Hagen, as Lina Lamont, is the chief reason the comedy stays so sharp. We laughed aloud at Lina’s trouble with the microphone. Hagen gives her indignation such conviction that we can enjoy the absurdity without dismissing the performer. She makes the difficulties of recording a voice funny through timing and temperament, and the scene has no need of a song to keep it moving. Kelly’s Don Lockwood gives the film its assurance, and Cosmo Brown supplies a welcome unruliness. Kelly never seems to be counting steps, while O’Connor lets us feel the effort of a physical joke. Debbie Reynolds, as Kathy Selden, holds her place alongside them without seeming like an accessory to their act. The romance is thinly written, though Reynolds gives Kathy enough presence to keep it from feeling like a pause between routines. Harold Rosson’s photography gives the dancers space, allowing us to follow their movements clearly. Adrienne Fazan’s editing preserves that pleasure while allowing the comic performances their pauses, particularly when Hagen has something to object to. The production design makes the studio surroundings enjoyable to look at without stealing attention from the people at work in them. Walter Plunkett’s costumes contribute to the bright colour and keep the period visible even when the dancing takes over. Cosmo Brown’s music has the directness this kind of comedy needs: tunes that make an immediate impression and still leave room for a performer to play. The title number is a good measure of the film’s confidence, trusting Kelly’s dancing in the rain to hold our attention. It made us happier than we expected; his pleasure in moving is so clear that the sequence does not need a further joke to justify itself. The film is less curious about anyone who might be left behind by the change to sound. Comden and Green find plenty of comedy in professional panic, but their sympathy has limits when somebody cannot adapt. That keeps things light, though it also makes the studio business seem kinder than some of the jokes suggest. The attention stays chiefly with people who can keep entertaining us, leaving the less fortunate outside the picture. At 103 minutes, it gives its performers time without making us impatient for the story to resume. It passes the musical’s basic test of making another song welcome, even when the comedy would be enough to keep us watching. If musicals usually test your patience, we would try this one before giving up on them. *Fi1m score 93, published 12 September 2026.* ## What the critics say Nineteen reviews, every one of them positive, and the praise barely wavers across seven decades. Most critics treat it as the Hollywood musical the others are measured against. The satire of the studios’ scramble into sound is singled out as clever and affectionate rather than sour, and the songs are noted for sitting inside the story rather than interrupting it. Gene Kelly’s dancing draws the warmest notices, the title number above all, with Donald O’Connor’s Make ‘Em Laugh close behind. Jean Hagen’s comic turn is mentioned repeatedly, and Kelly and Donen’s direction is credited with making hard work look easy. Reservations are scarce. The New Yorker is the coolest voice, admiring O’Connor’s vaudeville skills and Kelly’s tap work without the rapture found elsewhere. Little White Lies observes that the film’s cheer glosses over the industry’s casualties. The Los Angeles Times notes that its early reception was modest, which the later reviews make hard to credit. The spread is narrow. ## Straight answers **Is Singin' in the Rain worth watching?** *Singin' in the Rain* is worth watching for almost anyone, and we scored it 93. Stanley Donen and Gene Kelly turn Hollywood's move to sound into practical comedy, and Jean Hagen's Lina Lamont arguing with a microphone is reason enough on its own. The romance is thinly written, but if musicals usually test your patience, we would try this one before giving up on them. **How long is Singin' in the Rain, and what is it rated?** *Singin' in the Rain* runs 1h 43m and is rated G by the MPA in the US. It is a comedy and romance film. **Where can I watch Singin' in the Rain in the US?** *Singin' in the Rain* is streaming on HBO Max, Hulu, The Roku Channel and Amazon Prime Video in the US, and it is also available to rent from Amazon Prime Video from $5.99. Availability is checked daily; the links above go straight to each service. **How does Singin' in the Rain compare to Top Hat?** *Singin' in the Rain* is the funnier film and the more complete one; [*Top Hat*](https://film.one/film/top-hat) has the finer dancing. Two of the Astaire and Rogers numbers are as good as anything the cinema has managed, but the plot needs one plain sentence to fix it and the finale is too big. Kelly and Donen's film keeps its comedy and its dancing working together, so we would start there. **What should I watch after Singin' in the Rain?** After *Singin' in the Rain*, try [*Top Hat*](https://film.one/film/top-hat) (1935, Fi1m 87): For dancing with wit, and romantic complications that know when to stop talking. Then [*The Young Girls of Rochefort*](https://film.one/film/the-young-girls-of-rochefort) (1967, Fi1m 84): For a whole town where colour, flirtation and dancing occupy nearly everyone; and [*Strictly Ballroom*](https://film.one/film/strictly-ballroom) (1992, Fi1m 83): For competitive dancers whose formidable vanity makes the romance more entertaining. ### Reviews we read (19) - **Little White Lies**, BP Flanagan (3/5/5): The timeless musical remains an effervescent, life-affirming wonder that pokes fun at Hollywood’s transition to sound through brilliant comic set pieces and dance numbers. It celebrates joy and dreams while glossing over the industry’s less fortunate side. [Read](https://lwlies.com/reviews/singin-in-the-rain) - **Radio Times**, Tony Sloman (5/5): A collection of talents at their peak generated an enjoyable and clever movie that evokes the excitement of making motion pictures. It is the supreme original, an affectionate parody of the sound era whose every incident actually happened, and a unique work of art from MGM at its height. [Read](https://www.radiotimes.com/movie-guide/b-56twg3/singin-in-the-rain/) - **RogerEbert.com**, Roger Ebert (4/4): The critic calls it one of the most fun and enduring movie musicals, praising its lighthearted joy, inventive dance numbers, and clever satire of Hollywood's transition to sound. He singles out the title dance and 'Make 'em Laugh' for their exuberance and technical brilliance. [Read](https://www.rogerebert.com/reviews/great-movie-singin-in-the-rain-1952) - **Sight and Sound**, Jason Anderson (95/100, inferred): It is perhaps the greatest of movie musicals, the product of enormous toil yet defined by effervescence and joy that feels scarce today. Kelly and Donen’s masterwork is a meta celebration of Hollywood history with an inexhaustible bounty of ingenuity and unabashed showstoppers. [Read](https://bfi.org.uk/film/33de2949-3ce8-5f0b-920a-311784964aec/singin-in-the-rain) - **Empire**, Ian Freer (90/100, inferred): The critic calls it one of the greatest musicals ever made, an ode to the joy of moviemaking, friendship and dance, with sophisticated integration of songs into the story and timeless appeal. [Read](https://www.empireonline.com/movies/reviews/empire-essay-singin-rain-review/) - **Los Angeles Times**, Kenneth Turan (90/100, inferred): The critic calls the film in a class by itself as the most durable example of the Hollywood musical, praising its exuberance and joy of performance as a theme and noting its impressive longevity in critic polls despite modest initial acclaim. [Read](https://www.latimes.com/entertainment/movies/la-et-mn-stanley-donen-appreciation-kenneth-turan-20190224-story.html) - **Slant Magazine**, Chris Cabin (90/100, inferred): The review hails the film as the greatest to date about the promises and pitfalls of change in cinema, praising its exuberant musical numbers, technical ingenuity and Kelly’s dual role as star and co-director. It singles out the film’s sincere appreciation of cinema as pure enchantment and the way it relates Kelly’s own artistic journey. [Read](https://www.slantmagazine.com/dvd/singin-in-the-rain/) - **The Guardian**, Peter Bradshaw (90/100, inferred): The critic praises this sublime 1952 musical for its joyful display of artistry by Gene Kelly, Debbie Reynolds and others in a re-release. It highlights the film's meta-musical qualities, the rain dance number and how Kelly and Donen make entertainment look effortless. [Read](https://www.theguardian.com/film/2019/oct/18/singin-in-the-rain-review-gene-kelly-debbie-reynolds-rerelease) - **The Hollywood Reporter**, THR Staff (90/100, inferred): The critic calls the film a gay, tuneful spoof of the late-1920s picture business that is poised to be another MGM hit thanks to its stars, songs, dancing and comedy. Direction by Kelly and Donen keeps a lively, tongue-in-cheek tone, with standout production numbers and excellent performances, especially from Kelly, O’Connor and Hagen. [Read](https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/news/general-news/singin-rain-1952-review-959758/) - **The Independent** (90/100, inferred): The critic finds the film exhilarating in its affectionate, non-cynical view of Hollywood's Golden Age and the joy its makers took in their craft. They single out the contrast with more modern, jaded films-about-filmmaking and note how the movie folk are propelled by love and the compulsion to dance rather than cynicism. [Read](https://www.independent.co.uk/arts-entertainment/film-a-cloudburst-and-a-heatwave-1542923.html) - **The New York Times**, Bosley Crowther (90/100, inferred): The review welcomes the film as a fresh, cheerful musical comedy full of music, dance, color, and Gene Kelly's abundant energy, highlighting its impudent satire of early talkie-era Hollywood. It praises the lively performances, especially Kelly's dancing, and the overall buoyant, entertaining spirit. [Read](https://www.nytimes.com/1952/03/28/archives/singin-in-the-rain-starring-gene-kelly-ushers-in-spring-at-the.html) - **The Times** (90/100, inferred): The review calls Singin’ in the Rain one of the few musicals that rises above the formulaic, praising its style, high spirits, affection for the era it satirises and perfect timing in performances and numbers like Make ’Em Laugh. [Read](https://www.thetimes.com/article/review-from-the-archive-singin-in-the-rain-dx009zt27) - **Total Film** (90/100, inferred): The critic praises it as one of Hollywood's finest musicals and a Technicolor love-letter to the studio system, highlighting its seamless blending of song-and-dance numbers with the plot and Kelly's iconic title sequence. [Read](https://www.gamesradar.com/singin-in-the-rain-review/) - **Variety**, Variety Staff (90/100, inferred): The critic calls it a fancy package of musical entertainment with wide appeal that glitters with color, talent, tunes and an infectious air sure to click with audiences. They single out the hilarious satire on Hollywood's transition to talkies, the strong cast performances (especially Jean Hagen), the inventive musical numbers including the title song and 'Make 'Em Laugh,' and the topflight technical values. [Read](https://variety.com/1952/film/reviews/singin-in-the-rain-2-1117794912/) - **The New Yorker** (70/100, inferred): The critic finds it good to revisit the film on its anniversary Blu-ray release and singles out Donald O’Connor’s vaudeville virtuosity and the sophisticated story of Hollywood’s transition from silents to talkies for praise, while noting Gene Kelly’s tap dancing remains astonishing. [Read](https://www.newyorker.com/magazine/2012/08/06/glorious-feeling) - **Collider**, Andre Dellamorte (90/100, inferred): The critic describes the film as one of the greatest musicals ever made, evoking joy and wonder through its smart Hollywood satire, engaging story, and transcendent musical numbers. They single out the pure joy and skill in sequences like 'Moses Supposes' and the title song for praise. [Read](https://collider.com/singin-in-the-rain-60th-anniversary-blu-ray-review/) - **Den of Geek**, David Crow (90/100, inferred): The critic praises Singin' in the Rain as the greatest movie musical for its joyful escapism and masterful dance sequences, particularly highlighting Gene Kelly's performance in the title song as capturing pure happiness and cinematic wonder. [Read](https://www.denofgeek.com/movies/singin-in-the-rain-still-the-best-movie-musical/) - **Eye for Film**, Chris (90/100, inferred): The critic calls Singin' in the Rain one of the most enduring, effervescent and exuberant of films and the finest musical of all time. They single out its re-creation of the Roaring Twenties with inventive visual and aural contrasts, parodies of silent films, and its revolution in the American musical. [Read](https://www.eyeforfilm.co.uk/review/singin-in-the-rain-film-review-by-chris) - **/Film**, Hoai-Tran Bui (90/100, inferred): The critic calls Singin' in the Rain the platonic ideal of the classic movie musical and one of their favorite comfort watches. They single out Gene Kelly's luminous, athletic, and charismatic performance for particular praise. [Read](https://www.slashfilm.com/581706/the-daily-stream-singin-in-the-rain/) ## Details - **Director:** Stanley Donen, Gene Kelly - **Director:** Stanley Donen, Gene Kelly - **Screenplay:** Adolph Green, Betty Comden - **Story:** Adolph Green, Betty Comden - **Cinematography:** Harold Rosson - **Editor:** Adrienne Fazan - **Music:** Nacio Herb Brown - **Costume design:** Walter Plunkett - **Producer:** Arthur Freed - **Cast:** Gene Kelly as Don Lockwood; Donald O'Connor as Cosmo Brown; Debbie Reynolds as Kathy Selden; Jean Hagen as Lina Lamont; Millard Mitchell as R.F. Simpson; Cyd Charisse as Dancer; Douglas Fowley as Roscoe Dexter; Rita Moreno as Zelda Zanders - **Runtime:** 1h 43m - **Certificate (MPA):** G - **Release (the US):** 10 April 1952 - **Genres:** Comedy, Romance - **Also in:** [BAFTA Best Film winners](https://film.one/collections/bafta-best-film.md) (Nominee, 1952); [Golden Globe Best Musical or Comedy winners](https://film.one/collections/golden-globe-comedy.md) (Nominee, 1952); [The classics, without the homework](https://film.one/collections/classics-without-the-homework.md) - **Budget:** $3 million - **Box office:** $7 million - **Trailer:** https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lSE8sl2-PZg ## Where to watch in the US - HBO Max: streaming, uhd - Hulu: add-on, hd - The Roku Channel: add-on, hd - Amazon Prime Video: add-on, uhd - Amazon Prime Video: rent $5.99, uhd - Amazon Prime Video: buy $12.99, uhd *Checked 2026-09-12.* Also available in: AR, AT, AU, BE, BR, CA, CH, CL, CO, CZ, DE, DK, EC, ES, FI, FR, GB, HR, IE, IT, MX, NL, NO, NZ, PA, PE, PL, PT, RO, RS, SE, US. Add `?region=XX` to this URL for another country. ## Awards - Academy Awards 1953: Best Original Musical Score (nominated); Best Supporting Actress (nominated) ## If you liked this - *Top Hat* (1935), Fi1m 87: For dancing with wit, and romantic complications that know when to stop talking. — [Fi1m page](https://film.one/film/top-hat.md) - *The Young Girls of Rochefort* (1967), Fi1m 84: For a whole town where colour, flirtation and dancing occupy nearly everyone. — [Fi1m page](https://film.one/film/the-young-girls-of-rochefort.md) - *Shall We Dance?* (1996): For the quieter pleasure of watching an inhibited adult learn to dance. - *Strictly Ballroom* (1992), Fi1m 83: For competitive dancers whose formidable vanity makes the romance more entertaining. — [Fi1m page](https://film.one/film/strictly-ballroom.md) - *The Artist* (2011), Fi1m 82: For another comedy about sound arriving before its leading man is ready. — [Fi1m page](https://film.one/film/the-artist.md) --- © Fi1m Ltd. Written by AI under a human editor; checked against sources before publication. Quote with attribution and a link to the canonical URL. Canonical: https://film.one/film/singin-in-the-rain