"I'm singin', just singin' in the rain!"

This Sunday afternoon the Ohio Theatre played the classic musical "Singin' In the Rain". Starring Gene Kelly, Debbie Reynolds, and Donald O'Connor, this is considered one of the best-loved musicals of all time! Well, on the big screen - it certainly is on the top! So far, it is my favorite film that we have seen in the theatre. I thought drama was pretty swell, but musicals are fantastic!

Clark Wilson is the organist who plays the Ohio Theatre's famous Morton organ. The organ has 324 stops which control more than 2,500 pipes! His playing is simply wonderful. He plays for half an hour before every film, fifteen minutes at intermission, and again at the end of the film. I've really enjoyed his playing every other time, but for "Singin' in the Rain" it was the best! He played every song from the film, even "Temptation". However, you've never heard anything as pretty as his rendition of "Would You". Positively gorgeous! We even stayed after the film to hear him.

Of course, the film was wonderful (as always)! My favorite part is still the end where Debbie Reynolds is behind the curtain and Jean Hagen is out front. The dance numbers are terrific, my personal favorite being "Good Morning" with the three stars. Debbie Reynolds, who was only 19 when filming this movie, commuted from her parents house every morning at 4:00am. Sometimes, to save time, she would just sleep on the set.

The role of Lina was originally written for Judy Holliday. However, when casting began, she had just made a huge hit in "Born Yesterday", so they cast Jean Hagen (who was Judy Holliday's understudy for "Born Yesterday") instead. A funny thing is that in the film, Debbie Reynolds is hired to dub Jean Hagen. Actually, Debbie Reynolds' voice was considered too young sounding to fit Jean Hagen and it is actually Jean Hagen's real voice that you hear when Kathy is dubbing Lina's lines! Jean Hagen was nominated for the Best Supporting Actress Oscar for her performance as Lina Lamont.

All in all, this was a very, very fun Sunday afternoon. So far it has been the best film on the big screen, and I am not sure anything can top it, so we'll see. "The Adventures of Robin Hood" might, though!

"Hath the rain a father? or who hath begotten the drops of dew?" - Job 38:28