struggling to get a closer look (1:40 10:47). Lina enjoys the personal attention showered onto
her, later commenting, People? I aint people. I am a shimmering, glowing star in the cinema
firament, thus emphasizing her perceived right to be treated exclusively.
Of course, Lina the star isnt doing this for ulterior motives. When she is given a
microphone to speak to her fans she says If we bring a little joy into your humdrum lives, it
makes us feel as if our hard work aint been in vain for nothing. Mise-en-scene is used in this
scene as shots repeatedly switch from a long shot of the roaring crowd to an American shot of
Don and Lina, emphasizing the contrast between their individualized glitzy and ostentatious
dress as they emerge out of the gleaming limousine and the simply dressed fans portrayed as
uncontrollable and commoner like.
The film industry is driven by innovation and excitement that appeals to the public.
Actors that can sustain exciting profiles become stars. However, their fans, inspired by fan
magazines, expect them to continue their stardom acting, although it may be far from their true
personality. In past films, Don and Lina were portrayed as being in a romantic relationship;
naturally, the fan magazines exaggerate to make it seem as though it continues into real life.
Although Don has no feelings for Lina, he is egged on by the gossip magazine columnist Dora
Bailey (Madge Blake), and not wanting to disappoint the fans, plays along with it. Later, Don
accuses Lina of reading fan magazines and later complains to Cosmo that Lina still hasnt
realized that he is simply acting and that its all cooked up romance just for publicity (14:28
14:448).
In the interest of fame, Don assumes the mantle of a star as Cosmo tells him The price
of fameyouve got the glory, youve got to take the heartaches with it. After being
roughhoused by youthful fans, Don confides in Kathy Selden (Debbie Reynolds) People think
we lead lives of glamour and romance, but were really lonely. Kathy pretends as if she doesnt
know anything about him, but it becomes clear that shes not only seen as his films, but shes
also been reading the fan magazines and is too convinced that Don is in love with Lina. Although
there are instances throughout the film when Don acts normal when he is with Kathy or
Cosmo, Don still carries an aura of a movie star. It is true that stars too have a personal side not
revealed by the fan magazines, yet for the most part, they are committed to maintaining their
image and ensuring that the film succeeds.
In the scene after Don and Lina exit the stage, Lina complains that she isnt being
allowed to talk during the premiere. R.F. Simpson (Millard Mitchell) has to explain that the
studios got to keep their stars from looking ridiculous at any cost (13:23 13:35). This
demonstrates that stars need to maintain the publics perceived image of them if they wish to
keep their stardom.
One scene in which stars fail at their acting role and thus lose credibility is in The
Dueling Cavalier scene (56:11 59:35), where Dons studio, Monumental Pictures, decides to
implement sound in their films in order to keep up with competition. Throughout the film the
sound repeatedly loses synchronization with the camera. Consequently, once the audience
realizes, their perception turns from previous admiration to mocking laughter. This defies their
expectations on how stars should perform, and the stars are not living up to the script that has
been dictated to them, so their reception of the film fails miserably, with some members noting
That was the worse film I ever saw.
Similarly, in the Musical Scene (1:35:15 1:41:36), Lina pretends to sing Singin in
the Rain with Kathy providing the voice behind a curtain. The VIP audiences gaze is fixated on
Lina and naturally she gets their admiration. However, when Don pulls the curtains up and the
audience realizes Linas inability to sing, they burst out laughing. Its as if all her previous
stardom and reputation has been erased, so there is no persona or glory to latch onto. It takes Don
to call out that Kathy is the real star in order to assist in Kathys personal accession to stardom.
The idea that stars appeal to the public by virtue of their beauty, performance, or style,
and in turn receive publicity that is used to promote a film, is a central theme in Singin in the
Rain and a key feature of film production. Regardless of the role that the star is playing, if it
exudes awe inspiring acting, the audience will appreciate the movie that much more and place it
rightfully in the annals of great film.
Works Cited
Singin' in the Rain. Perf. Donald O'Connor and Debbie Reynolds. Prod. MGM, 1952.
Villarejo, Amy. Film Studies: The Basics. London: Routledge, 2007. Print.