I do have a sad story connecte to it, though, so Singin’ in the Rain is rather bittersweet. My grandma had Alzheimer’s. She died Xmas day 2003. I grew up with her right next door and there were times when I spent more time at grandma’s house than I did my own. :) One summer, 1999, I was home from college and pretty much lived down there with her, only going home to change clothes. We knew she was getting sick, but at the time we didn’t know with what or how bad.

One evening, I brought Singin’ in the Rain for us to watch and we had a blast with it. She could actually remember seeing it when it first came out. A couple nights later, it was still sitting on top of the TV and she asked me ‘what movie is that?’ I told her and she said ‘oh, it’s been so long since I’ve seen that!’ It had been two days, but she couldn’t remember that.

I was devastated because we all knew what it meant that she couldn’t remember and for the longest time couldn’t watch that movie without crying. Now I watch it and think of her, just like I do when I crochet. It’s bittersweet, but I wouldn’t change it.

and, nope, not weird at all about that clip making your heart go all pitter-pat. Gene Kelly and Fred Astaire were both AMAZING dancers, and I find them both terribly compelling.

My. I think I need to go lie down with a cold compress now. Palpitations, y’know? *grin*

I had the *huge-est* crush on Donald O’Connor as a kid! That particular scene played a big part in that. Nifty tidbit from IMDB with regards to him and that amazing piece of work:

– For the “Make Em Laugh” number, Gene Kelly asked ‘Donald O’Connor’ to revive a trick he had done as a young dancer, running up a wall and completing a somersault. The number was so physically taxing that O’Connor, who was smoking four packs of cigarettes a day at the time, went to bed (or may have been hospitalized, depending on the source) for a week after its completion, suffering from exhaustion and painful carpet burns. Unfortunately, an accident ruined all of the initial footage, so after a brief rest, O’Connor, ever the professional, agreed to do the difficult number all over again.

I may or may not have a tad obsession with costuming, though it has not graduated to anything past a hobby (and a few required classes for my major many moons ago.)

another side note: is it weird that watching that clip makes my heart pitter patter and also makes me turn to mr. christina and say, “why can’t YOU tap dance?!” and, “will you say ‘oop-dee-doo-dee-doodle’ to me…just once? Pleeeease?”

*sigh*

Oh, and can I just give a shout-out to men’s fashion designers in the 40s (yes, I get that the movie is set in the 20s, but it’s not necessarily period-correct)? Because that cut of pants makes just about any man look good. And it didn’t hurt to have the entire military during WWII dressed that way.

And even on the Axis side, by damn did the Nazis pay attention to fashion.

Gee, thanks, zuzu. You made me HAVE to go look stuff up in my costuming history resources. *sigh* ;) Please disregard the following if you REALLY aren’t interested in fashion/costume history!!

Men’s wear is harder to find documentation for than women’s, and I don’t have a male specific resource (yet!), but the ones I have tend to point to the costumes in at least the referenced scene as being a little more 1940s than 1920s. Pleated pants were still much the fashion at the time, and remained so until into the 30s. It MAY have been the fabric rationing in WWII that finally did away with pleated front pants for a while.* The sweaters that I saw in my docs also seemed to be longer waisted than the ones in this scene — the “at the waist” look seems to have come in later on, in the 30s. Spats were definitely out by the 40s, though, so they got that bit right, and bow/string ties were definitely still being worn, especially by older, more conservative men at that time, although a lot of other guys were going to what we’d consider a regular tie, and the rich guys/dandies were definitely wearing ascots, especially for more casual wear.

And YES, the designers back then were awesome! :) But some of it depended on people willing to be a little uncomfortable in order to look nice, too. :(

May I also suggest “Thoroughly Modern Millie” as being a fun 1920s musical romp? Julie Andrews, Mary Tyler Moore, and Carol Channing. Raaaaaaaaaazz-Berries! *grin* Hmmmmmm, both versions of “Mame”/”Auntie Mame” are pretty good, too. Dang it! Now I want to watch musicals instead of work!

*I personally happen to like pleated front pants assuming they fit correctly, which means that there is enough fabric in the pleats AND they are the correct size through the waist/hips so that they don’t pull open. And cuffs. *Loooove* men’s pants to be cuffed. :) The men’s costuming in the first “Indian Jones” movie ROCKS.

Y’know, there’s this great website called google . . .

But then we wouldn’t be having this discussion, would we?