History Film / SinginInTheRain

* ShesGotLegs: In the "Broadway Ballet" extravaganza, Cyd Charisse's entrance is marked by her slowly handing Gene Kelly his hat back after he drops it... using one of her very long, very beautiful legs to do it. That scene is used as the picture on the ShesGotLegs page.

* ShesGotLegs: In the "Broadway Ballet" extravaganza, Cyd Charisse's entrance is marked by her slowly handing Gene Kelly his hat back after he drops it... using one of her very long, very beautiful legs to do it.

* ArcWord: 'Dignity'. Don's claim to it is BlatantLies; Lina has the appearance of it but it quickly vanishes as soon as her fame is in danger; Kathy struggles with it after Don [[WhosLaughingNow catches her at her job]]. Cosmo, who never pretends to have any, is probably the happiest throughout the film, and Kathy and Don are a lot better off when they realize they could lose a bit of dignity every now and then.

* LiteralMetaphor: Don has escaped his adoring fans by [[MeetCute jumping into Kathy Seldon's car]]. After suggestive dialog, Don must tearfully depart. He inadvertently closes the car door on his (already-ruined) suit.

* LiteralMetaphor: Don has escaped his adoring fans by [[MeetCute jumping into Kathy Sheldon's car]]. After suggestive dialog, Don must tearfully depart. He inadvertently closes the car door on his (already-ruined) suit.

* FilmWithinAFilm:
** The movie starts off at the premiere of Don's and Lina's fictional ''The Royal Rascal''. The footage shown is actually from a real film called ''Film/{{The Three Musketeers|1948}}'' (1948) starring Gene Kelly - which is in color and has sound.
** The movie depicts the troubles in making the fictional movie ''The Dueling Cavalier'', later changed to ''The Dancing Cavalier''.[[invoked]]
** Two real-life movies are being referenced. ''Film/TheJazzSinger'' (the first talkie) is mentioned. And in the final shot we see a billboard advertising Don Lockwood and Kathy Seldon, in a picture called...wait for it...''Film/SinginInTheRain''.
* FiftiesHair: While it is set at the end of UsefulNotes/TheSilentEraOfHollywood, the cast's hairstyles are very 1952.

* ShowWithinAShow: The movies being made, with the most focus on ''The Dueling Cavalier'' and how to make it a success.

* EurekaMoment: Cosmo realizing they can dub over Lina, after he and Kathy mock some of the sound issues at the premiere.

** The movie depicts the troubles in making the fictional movie ''The Duelling Cavalier'', later changed to ''The Dancing Cavalier''.[[invoked]]

* FiftiesHair: While it is set at the end of The Silent Era Of Hollywood, the cast's hairstyles are very 1952.

[[quoteright:350:https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/3e0cc7da_7675_4c14_9114_ee65dec9b474.jpeg]]

* AdvertisedExtra: Advertisements for the classic movie listed the names of all its stars, which was common at the time. However along with the people you would expect (Kelly, O’Conner, Reynolds, Hagen, Mitchell) they had Cyd Charisse. She was in the movie for less than 3 minutes as Kelly’s dance partner during a BigLippedAlligatorMoment (which was inside another BigLippedAlligatorMoment). The strange thing is that Charisse was not a star yet it probably would not have made a difference whether people saw the movie or not. You could chalk it up to fanservice.

* TheOner: "Fit as a Fiddle" is done in about 4 shots max and "Make 'em Laugh" has a oner where Donald O'Connor does two back flips in a row off two walls.

* AbhorrentAdmirer: Lina, for Don. Lina herself, however, is undaunted.

* AllJustADream: The framing device used to switch ''The Dueling Cavalier'' from accidentally campy to intentionally campy.

* AnachronismStew: The film takes place in the late 1920s at the very start of the sound era, however the "Beautiful Girl" segment, supposedly being shot for a movie of the era, is technologically too advanced for what was possible at the time (compare the real-life film of the era, ''Film/TheBroadwayMelody''). The closing musical segment is also supposed to theoretically be part of a film within the film, however it too is far more advanced than would have been possible in the late 1920s, however it is presented as a fantasy sequence, so does not necessarily count as an anachronism.
* ArcWord: 'Dignity', Don's claim to it is BlatantLies, Lina has the appearance of it but it quickly vanishes as soon as her fame is in danger, Kathy struggles with it after Don [[WhosLaughingNow catches her at her job]]. Cosmo, who never pretends to have any, is probably the happiest throughout the film. Kathy and Don are a lot better off when they realize they could lose a bit of dignity every now and then.
* ArtisticLicenceHistory: Once ''The Jazz Singer'' is a smash hit all the movie theatres are ''instantly'' installing sound equipment, the studios are scrambling to adapt and actors are struggling to make the transition, all within the space of a few months. In reality -- as at the beginning of the film -- sound was first regarded as a fad that wouldn't last, and it wasn't until 1929 that the studios really adopted 'talkies' as a standard feature; the first ''full-length'' talking picture, Film/LightsOfNewYork, was released in 1928. Even until the mid 1930s, most Hollywood films were produced in dual silent and talking versions.

-->'''Lina''': [after a take] Oh, Donnie...you couldn't kiss me like that and not mean it!\\
'''Don''': Meet the greatest actor in the world! I'd rather kiss a tarantula!\\

'''Don''': I don't...? Hey, Joe, get me a tarantula!

* BitchInSheepsClothing: Lina has a nice public persona, but is a prima donna behind the scenes; ignoring Don until he's important enough to catch her interest, and getting Kathy fired when she accidentally hit her with a cake. And that's ''before'' she gets wind of her voice being dubbed...
* BlatantLies: "Dignity. ''Always'' dignity," says Don when the flashbacks show his highly un-glamorous rise to fame.

* CrazyEnoughToWork: The idea to turn ''The Dueling Cavalier'' into a musical, especially when Cosmo essentially invents dubbing and suggests incorporating the AllJustADream so they can include contemporary musical numbers but still use the already filmed footage.

* DoomedNewClothes: Don's tux and Lina's dress for ''The Royal Rascal'' premiere. Before the end of the night both are ruined; Don's via fan girls and a car door, Lina's via an ill-aimed caked.

* DrunkOnMilk: Don, Kathy and Cosmo seem exceptionally giddy after drinking milk together into the wee hours of the morning, as (UsefulNotes/TheHaysCode prohibited the use of alcohol onscreen).

* DoomedNewClothes: Don's tux and Lina's dress for ''The Royal Rascal'' premiere. Before the end of the night both are ruined; Don's via fan girls and a car door, Lina's via an ill aimed caked.

* WhenPropsAttack: The "Make 'Em Laugh" sequence has Cosmo "flirting" with a headless prop, which proceeds to slap him and they tussle for a minute or two off screen.

'''Don:''' But we don't know anything about this gadget!\\
'''R.F.''' What do you have to know? It's a picture. You do what you always did! ''You just add talking to it!''

* ArtisticLicenceHistory: Once ''The Jazz Singer'' is a smash hit all the movie theatres are ''instantly'' installing sound equipment, the studios are scrambling to adapt and actors are struggling to make the transition, all within the space of a few months. In reality -- as at the beginning of the film -- sound was first regarded as a fad that wouldn't last, and it wasn't until 1929 that the studios really adopted 'talkies' as a standard feature. Even until the mid 1930s, most Hollywood films were produced in dual silent and talking versions.

** Lina's image as a refined leading lady simply ''can't'' survive once people are actually subject to her real voice; she goes to desperate and ruthless lengths to safeguard her public persona, but ends up exposed and a laughing stock.
** Don's ''voice'' is perfectly fine, but his overly emphasised gestures make him look ridiculous even before the sound goes wonky. He gloomily refers to both himself and ''The Dueling Cavalier'' as a museum piece, and while he can fall back on his vaudeville background to reinvent himself as a dancer and musical star, many other actors didn't have that option.

** Don's ''voice'' is perfectly fine, but his overly emphasised gestures make him look ridiculous even before the sound goes wonky. He gloomily refers to both himself and ''The Dueling Cavalier'' as a museum piece.

* CrazyEnoughToWork: The idea to turn ''The Dueling Cavalier'' into a musical, especially when Cosmo essentially invents dubbing and suggests incorporating the AllJustADreamPlot so they can include contemporary musical numbers but still use the already filmed footage.

* ArtisticLicenceHistory: Once ''The Jazz Singer'' is a smash hit all the movie theatres are ''instantly'' installing sound equipment, the studios are scrambling to adapt and actors are struggling to make the transition, within the space of a few months. In reality -- as at the beginning of the film -- sound was first regarded as a fad, and it wasn't until 1929 that the studios really adopted 'talkies' as a standard feature. Even until the mid 1930s, most Hollywood films were produced in dual silent and talking versions.

* JerkassHasAPoint: Lina is thoroughly obnoxious while complaining about as much as possible, but when told "everybody" in the 18th century wore very heavy wigs, she says, "Then everybody was a dope." She has another good point during filming when she keeps turning her head from Don to the bush where the microphone is hidden, and Roscoe reminds her she needs to talk into the microphone in the bush. Lina points out "Well, I can't make love to a bush!!!" And she has every right to be angry about the studio dubbing over her voice without even telling her, and worried about the effect it will have on her career.

* JerkassHasAPoint: Lina is thoroughly obnoxious while complaining about as much as possible, but when told "everybody" in the 18th century wore very heavy wigs, she says, "Then everybody was a dope." She has another good point during filming when she keeps turning her head from Don to the bush where the microphone is hidden, and Roscoe reminds her she needs to talk into the microphone in the bush. Lina points out "Well I can't make love to a bush!"

* ArtisticLicenceHistory: In the film, once ''The Jazz Singer'' is a smash hit all the theatres are ''instantly'' installing sound equipment, the studios are scrambling to adapt and actors are struggling to make the transition. In reality sound was first seen as a fad, and it wasn't until 1929 that the studios really adopted 'talkies' as a standard feature. Even until the mid 1930s, most Hollywood films were produced in dual silent and talking versions.

* ArtisticLicenceHistory: In the film, once ''The Jazz Singer'' is a smash hit all the theatres are instantly installing sound equipment and the studios are scrambling to adapt. In reality sound was first seen as a fad, and it wasn't until 1929 that the studios really adopted 'talkies' as a standard feature. Even until the mid 1930s, most Hollywood films were produced in dual silent and talking versions.

->'''R.F:''' Every studio's doing it. All the theaters are putting in sound equipment.\\
'''Don:''' But we know nothing about it--!\\
'''R.F.''' What's to know? You do what you always did! ''Just add talking to it!''

* LadykillerInLove: Don has numerous fans admiring him. He falls for Kathy, who at first isn't at all impressed by the moves he attempts to put on her.

* BitchInSheepsClothing: Lina has a nice public persona, but is a prima donna behind the scenes.
* BlatantLies: "Dignity. ''Always'' dignity," says Don when the flashbacks show his un-glamorous rise to fame.

** Lina wants to give a speech but Don subtly stops her... and then we later see she's got a screechy voice.

** Don throwing his cane away as the scene is filmed silently sets up for him doing the same thing to a loud clatter in the talkie version.

* CrazyEnoughToWork: The idea to turn ''The Dueling Cavalier'' into a musical.

* CuteButCacophonic: Lina has a face like a model but a shrill voice with a [[{{Joisey}} New Jersey/New York]] accent.
* DamnYouMuscleMemory: Part of the reason ''The Dueling Cavalier'' is such a disaster is that Lina and Don continue to act as they would in a silent film, with overly exaggerated movements and gestures -- Lina tosses her head back and forth dramatically as she recites her lines (thus missing the microphone no matter where it's placed); and Don at one point flings a cane away in an overly theatrical manner, resulting in a loud offscreen clatter.

* DescriptionCut: Don and Cosmo's flashbacks at the beginning of the movie differ a lot from what Don says happened.

* DidntThinkThisThrough: After years of keeping silent before audiences (to appear as a refined lady) and bullying the studio into making Kathy's dub work for her un-credited, Lina decides that she's tired of other people speaking for her and wants to address her audience directly. [[HoistByHisOwnPetard It goes about as well for her as you'd expect]].
* DisneyAcidSequence: The "Broadway Melody" and "Beautiful Girls" numbers, both of which come from waaaaaaay out in left field stylistically. Though setpieces like those were pretty common in movie musicals of that era.

* TheDogBitesBack: Lina forcing R.F. to drop Kathy's name from the credits of the new musical winds up becoming her undoing; [[spoiler:R.F. decides he's had it with her and helps expose her "lip-synching" scheme]].
* DoomedNewClothes: Don's tux and Lina's dress for ''The Royal Rascal'' premiere. Before the end of the night both are ruined.

* DreamSequence: ''The Dancing Cavalier'' is retconned into an extended dream sequence by Don's character, a Broadway performer who gets [[TapOnTheHead pasted by a falling sandbag]] and dreams himself in 17th century France.

* DrunkOnMilk: Don, Kathy and Cosmo seem exceptionally giddy after drinking milk together into the wee hours of the morning (UsefulNotes/TheHaysCode prohibited the use of alcohol onscreen).

* ForgottenFramingDevice: InUniverse, ''The Dancing Cavalier'' begins with a modern guy getting bumped on the head and dreaming he's in 17th century France, and ends with him still in 17th century France.

* GetTheeToANunnery: "Lemme guess: she's a simple girl of the people, you're a dashing aristocrat, and she won't even give you a [[http://en.wiktionary.org/wiki/tumbril tumbril]]. Hah!"

* HiddenWire: While making ''The Dueling Cavalier'', Lina has trouble being heard. First, the microphone is hidden in a plant, and she can't be heard because she "can't make love to a bush!" Then, they put the microphone in a giant brooch on her chest and get a nice background of her heartbeat. Then, it's placed in a poof of her sleeve on her left shoulder. Of course, when she turns her head to say "No, I cannot love you", she fades out and back in.

* HoodHopping: Don does this escaping from his fans after his car blows a flat.
* HypercompetentSidekick: Cosmo not only gives Don advice when he needs it, he comes up with ideas that save a film.

* LadykillerInLove: Don has so many fans admiring him, and then he falls for Kathy.

* LaserGuidedKarma: Lina pretty much sets up her own downfall by improvising a speech, which reveals that [[spoiler:she wasn't doing the singing in ''The Dancing Cavalier'']].

* LoopholeAbuse: Lina's contract regarding management of her publicity means that R.F. and the studio can't call her out on her claims that Kathy's voice is hers. R.F., Don and Cosmo ''can'', however, manipulate her into making a fool out of herself and expose the truth, via a handy curtain raise.

* TheMillstone: Lina, as her voice can't be changed or fixed, unlike the other problems with the movie being made.

** Don's an amalgam of the countless silent movie stars who failed to transition to ''talkies'' for multitude of reasons. His attitude while filming the first version of ''The Dueling Cavalier'' in particular is very not-so-subtly based on real silent film star John Gilbert. Don replacing his romantic speech in favor of just saying "I love you" over and over is directly based on something Gilbert infamously actually did.

* NoSongForTheWicked: Lina has no singing number, just a brief sound test. Justified in that much of the plot of the film revolves around the fact that her singing voice (And actually, her voice in general) is godawful.

** Kathy jumps out of the cake at the party, and her eyes land on Don.

* ThePrimaDonna: Lina, such as getting Kathy fired, ostensibly for ruining her dress but actually out of jealousy.

* SanityBall: The one time Lina is on track about something is during the ''Dueling Cavalier'' filming scenes, when she finally gets fed up and exclaims "WELL, I CAN'T MAKE LOVE TO A BUSH!" when she's trying to do her lines since she has to turn to Don when she speaks to him.

** Kathy bolts from the party after attempting to hit Don in the face with a cake after it hits Lina instead.

* SelfProclaimedLoveInterest: Don and Lina are rumored to be together—and Lina goes along with this, because she read it in the tabloids. A few scenes are devoted to Don trying to convince her it isn't true.

* TalentDouble: Lina can't sing, so Kathy dubs her. In a particularly confusing occurrence, Debbie Reynolds, who played the fictional talent double, was herself using a talent double in real life — in one scene, the voice dubbed in over Debbie Reynolds' voice is Jean Hagen's!