Singin’ in the Rain

(Stanley Donen, Gene Kelly, US 1952, 103 min., 35mm)

Movies in the Movies. Set during Hollywood’s uneasy switch from silents to sound, the film features Gene Kelly as a star saddled with a glamorous but tone-deaf and shrill-voiced costar (Jean Hagen in a hilarious turn). Enter golden-throated Debbie Reynolds as an ingénue ready for her own close-up, and the fun begins. Highlights include the now-classic title production number, the elaborate “Broadway Ballet” featuring Cyd Charisse, and Donald O’Connor’s show-stopping “Make ’Em Laugh.” A big-screen showing of Singin’ in the Rain is an event not to miss.