Lina Lamont Quotes: Lina Lamont: Gee, this wig weighs a ton! Lina Lamont Quotes in Singin' in the Rain (1952) Share. In 2008, Empire Magazine ranked it as the eighth best film of all time. After hearing Don and Cosmo pitch the idea, R.F. She becomes even angrier when she discovers that R.F. Singin' In The Rain", Julius Tannen, Chatterbox, "Speaking the Public Mind," PerformingArtsArchive.com, "Top Ten Movie Dance Scenes: A Wet, Soft Shoe in, "The dark side of Singin' In The Rain star Gene Kelly", "Singin' in the Rain (1952) – Hollywood's Greatest Musical! According to the audio commentary on the 2002 Special Edition DVD, the original negative was destroyed in a fire. [25] Years later, she was quoted as saying that "Singin' in the Rain and childbirth were the two hardest things I ever had to do in my life. The final shot end scene with the Billboard for the fictional "Singin' in the Rain", implies that Lina has definitely left her position at Monumental Pictures as the Lead Female Box Office Star, as Kathy and Don kiss in front of a billboard for their new film, "Singin' in the Rain". Stream ad-free or purchase CD's and MP3s now on Amazon.com. [13] Screenwriters Betty Comden and Adolph Green wrote two entirely new songs, "Make 'Em Laugh" and "Moses Supposes", the latter with music director Roger Edens providing the music (see below).[14]. The song, ending in Kelly's bedroom, was cut from the release version after two. In contrast, Don fares better when taking diction lessons ("Moses Supposes"). Don Lockwood: So that's it. (Plus, the fake rain made his wool suit shrink.) Contrary to myth, the rain did not have milk in it (supposedly needed to make the raindrops show better on … When Howard Keel was mentioned as the possible lead, they tried to work up a story involving a star of Western films who makes a comeback as a singing cowboy, but they kept gravitating to a story about a swashbuckling romantic hero with a vaudeville background who survives the transition by falling back on his abilities as a song-and-dance man, a story which Gene Kelly was well-suited for. Furious at Don's teasing, she throws a real cake at him, accidentally hitting Lina in the face and fleeing. [19], After Comden and Green had returned to New York to work on other projects, they received word that a new song was needed for a love-song sequence between Kelly and Debbie Reynolds. Bless you all. Don Lockwood: *I* was kissing *her*! With Gene Kelly, Donald O'Connor, Debbie Reynolds, Jean Hagen. Lina Lamont: Well, then everybody was a dope. [36] It was the tenth highest-grossing movie of the year in the US and Canada. View All Videos (1) Singin' in the Rain Quotes. [61], The 40th Anniversary Edition VHS version released in 1992 includes a documentary, the original trailer, and Reynolds's solo rendition of "You Are My Lucky Star," which had been cut from the final film.[62]. The original had been a song-and-dance medley involving different sets in different soundstages on the studio lot, but they were asked for a romantic love song set in an empty sound stage, and it was needed immediately. Put together!" Don sings her a love song, and she confesses to having been a fan of his all along ("You Were Meant for Me"). [18], By this time shooting on An American in Paris had completed, and Freed suggested that Kelly be given the script to read. [3] In 2005 the British Film Institute included it in its list of the 50 films to be seen by the age of 14. "[34], Donald O'Connor had to stay in bed in the hospital for several days after filming the "Make 'Em Laugh" sequence, due to his smoking up to four packs of cigarettes a day. Simpson: Lina, did you send this stuff out? The film is recognized by the American Film Institute in these lists: The film was inducted in 1989 into the National Film Registry by the Library of Congress. [20], In the sequence in which Gene Kelly dances and sings the title song while spinning an umbrella, splashing through puddles and getting soaked with rain, Kelly was sick with a 103 °F (39 °C) fever. The three are disheartened when they realize Lina's terrible voice remains a problem. To Don's amusement, Kathy pops out of a mock cake right in front of him, revealing herself to be a chorus girl ("All I Do is Dream of You"). [17], Kelly could not be approached at the time, as he was deeply immersed in An American in Paris (1951), which he was starring in and co-choreographing with Stanley Donen. R.F. Lina Lamont: If we bring a little joy into your humdrum lives, it makes us feel as though our hard work ain't been in vain for nothin'. gleefully raise the curtain, revealing the fakery. Patricia Ward Kelly wants to set the record straight. Don Lockwood: I never heard of anything so low. Lina Lamont: Because you liked her. Shortly before shooting began, "The Wedding of the Painted Dolls", which Comden and Green had "painfully wedged into the script as a cheering-up song" was replaced with a new Comden and Green song, "Make 'Em Laugh". In the steamy "Vamp Dance" segment of the "Broadway Melody Ballet" with Cyd Charisse and Gene Kelly, reviewers from both the, Lina Lamont: "What do they think I am, dumb or something? [49] Betty Comden and Adolph Green received the Writers Guild of America Award for Best Written American Musical. Lina Lamont: Sticks and stones may break my bones... Don Lockwood: I'd like to break every bone in your body. Jimmy Thompson as the singer of "Beautiful Girl". – but what exactly is the secret of its success? However, it has since been accorded legendary status by contemporary critics, and is often regarded as the greatest musical film ever made,[2] as well as the greatest film made in the "Freed Unit" at Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer. They are now on permanent display at the Costume World Broadway Collection Museum in Pompano Beach, Florida. All songs have lyrics by Freed and music by Brown unless otherwise indicated. Why did you do it? Comden, Green, Kelly, and Donen were all old friends, and the process went smoothly. THIS … Everybody knows you're in love with me. Simpson (Millard Mitchell), shows a short demonstration of a talking picture,[a] but his guests are unimpressed. Lina Lamont: That's ridiculous. 20 on the UK Singles Chart.. Three years later in 2008, due to the exposure of the song via the performance of then-unknown dancer George Sampson on the reality TV series Britain's Got Talent, the track went to No. Lina Lamont is the main antagonist in the 1952 musical "Singin' In The Rain". For many, the answer would have to be Singin’ in the Rain, MGM’s glorious Technicolor homage to the silent movie era’s struggle to survive the advent of the talkies. No! Share. Like. This is a movie from 1952, so we get all of the credits out of the way at the beginning, and they kick off with Gene Kelly, Debbie Reynolds, and Donald O'Connor in full rain gear, holding umbrellas, and singing "Singin' in the Rain." O'Connor won the Golden Globe Award for Best Actor – Motion Picture Musical or Comedy, and Betty Comden and Adolph Green won the Writers Guild of America Award for their screenplay, while Jean Hagen was nominated for the Academy Award for Best Supporting Actress. The script with the re-written opening was approved by Freed and by MGM's head of production Dore Schary, who had recently replaced Louis B. Musical has pace, humor, and good spirits a-plenty, in a breezy, good-natured spoof at the film industry itself ... Standout performances by Gene Kelly and Donald O'Connor, especially the latter, enhance the film's pull. When the audience clamors for Lina to sing live, Don, Cosmo, and R.F. It offers a lighthearted depiction of Hollywood in the late 1920s, with the three stars portraying performers caught up in the transition from silent films to "talkies". You got that poor kid fired. I happen to be in love with her. $8.44 $12.99. After rival studio Warner Bros. has an enormous hit with its first talking picture, the 1927 film The Jazz Singer, R.F. Video Video … Reynolds' solo rendition of "You Are My Lucky Star" (to a billboard showing an image of Lockwood) was cut after previews. Comden and Green first refused the assignment, as their agent had assured them that their new contract with MGM called for them to write the lyrics to all songs unless the score was by Irving Berlin, Cole Porter, or Rodgers and Hammerstein. The musical opened on July 2, 1985 at the Gershwin Theatre after 39 previews, and ran for 367 performances, closing on May 18, 1986. Lina Lamont: I gave an exclusive story to every paper in town. On the screen she appears as a glamorous, refined and loving actress. Singin' in the Rain is a stage musical with story by Betty Comden and Adolph Green, lyrics by Arthur Freed, and music by Nacio Herb Brown.. Kathy Selden: Now look, Miss Lamont, Don and I... Lina Lamont: Don? Lina Lamont: "People"? Don becomes smitten with Kathy and searches for her for weeks, with Cosmo trying to cheer him up ("Make 'Em Laugh"). Comden and Green continued to work on the script, and had at that time three possible openings for the film: a silent movie premiere, a magazine interview with a Hollywood star, and a star-meets-girl, star-loses-girl sequence. Singin' in the Rain (1952) Full Cast & Crew. She drops him off, but not before claiming to be a stage actress and sneering at his "undignified" accomplishments as a movie star. $8.44 $12.99. [64], This article is about the film. I could tell. Unable to decide which to use or how to proceed, they had just decided to return their advance to MGM and admit defeat, when Betty Comden's husband arrived from New York and suggested that they combine all three openings into one. These papers were written primarily by students and provide critical analysis of Singin' in the Rain by Gene Kelly. 16. While Lina is "singing" ("Singin' in the Rain Reprise"), Don, Cosmo, and R.F. and the villain nods his head while Lina's squeaky soprano says, "No! "[42], Pauline Kael, the long-time film critic for The New Yorker, said of the film "This exhuberant and malicious satire of Hollywood in the late twenties is perhaps the most enjoyable of movie musicals – just about the best Hollywood musical of all time. Singin' in the Rain Videos. Lina Lamont: Well, then everybody was a dope. 0. In 1989, Singin' in the Rain was one of the first 25 films selected by the United States Library of Congress for preservation in the National Film Registry for being "culturally, historically, or aesthetically significant". Phoebe Dinsmore: [giving Lina diction lessons] Repeat after me - Tah, Tey, Tee, Toe, Too. [14] Some of the songs, such as "Broadway Rhythm," "Should I?," and especially "Singin' in the Rain" itself, have been featured in numerous films. "Singin' in the Rain" was remixed in 2005 by Mint Royale.It was released as a single in August 2005 after being featured in an advert for the VW Golf GTI, peaking at No. "[44], On review aggregator Rotten Tomatoes, the film has a perfect 100% approval rating based on 60 reviews, with an average rating of 9.27/10. Lina Lamont: You and who else, you big lummox? Stage adaptationThe Broadway musical Singin' in the Rain was adapted from the motion picture, and the plot of the stage version closely adheres to the original. Rita Moreno was originally to have sung the lead in "I've Got a Feelin' You're Foolin'" with other showgirls, but this ended up as part of the "Beautiful Girl Montage" without her. [16], Because many of the songs had originally been written during the time when silent films were giving way to "talkies", and musicals were popular with audiences, Comden and Green came up with the idea that the story should be set during that transitional period in Hollywood, an era they were intimately familiar with. reluctantly agrees as a clause in Lina's contract states that the studio is responsible for her positive media coverage. Her father was a Dutch immigrant. I mean... You-you were kissing him! Arthur Freed, the head of the "Freed Unit" at MGM responsible for the studio's glossy and glamorous musicals, conceived the idea of a movie based on the back catalog of songs written by himself and Nacio Herb Brown, and called in Betty Comden and Adolph Green from New York to come up with a story to tie the songs together and to write the script. The production is beset with difficulties, including Lina's grating voice and strong New York accent. Don Lockwood: [while filming a love scene] Why, you rattlesnake! Singin’ in the Rain - Musical. The website's critical consensus reads: "Clever, incisive, and funny, Singin' In The Rain is a masterpiece of the classical Hollywood musical. The number was originally conceived as Kelly singing a medley of other songs to her as they romped around various studio back lot sets. Its position in 1982 was at number 4 on the critics list; on the 2002 critics' list, it was listed as number 10, and it tied for 19 on the directors' list. Suggested Audition Pieces Auditioning for Lina Lamont? Singin' in the Rain was originally conceived by MGM producer Arthur Freed, the head of the "Freed Unit" responsible for turning out MGM's lavish musicals, as a vehicle for his catalog of songs written with Nacio Herb Brown for previous MGM musical films of the 1929–39 period. Mugs. I am a - "a shimmering, glowing star in the cinema firmament.". While filming a romantic scene, a jealous Lina reveals that her influence is behind Kathy's loss of work and subsequent disappearance. Shot 7 is relatively long compared to its preceding shots, lasting 12 seconds with Lena lip syncing to Cathy singing “Singin’ in the Rain.” With the spotlight on Lena and the music playing, this shot is longer since it acts as her “time to shine.” The next shot is a long-shot of the audience from On the studio lot, Cosmo finally finds Kathy quietly working in another Monumental Pictures production ("Beautiful Girl") and gets Don. intends to give Kathy a screen credit and a big publicity buildup afterward. It offers a lighthearted depiction of Hollywood in the late 1920s, with the three stars portraying performers caught up in the transition from silent films to "talkies". decides he has no choice but to convert the next Lockwood and Lamont film, The Dueling Cavalier, into a talkie. Dumb or something? Singin' in the Rain No one even bothers to argue about it any more--by any standard and international consensus, this is the best movie musical of them all. [30] Another myth is that the rain was mixed with milk in order for the drops to show up better on camera; but the desired visual effect was produced, albeit with difficulty, through backlighting. I ain't "people." An exasperated diction coach tries to teach her how to speak properly, but to no avail. $9.09 $13.99 'Singing in the Rain' Mug. approves but tells them not to inform Lina that Kathy is doing the dubbing ("Broadway Melody"). TCM commentary, "Singing in the Rain. R.F. Believe me, I don't like her half as much as I hate you, you reptile. Jean Shirley Verhagen (later shortened to Hagen) was born in Chicago, Illinois on August 3, 1923. Based on his/her attributes, we recommend you consider these audition pieces! [25] Kelly apparently insulted her for her lack of dance experience, upsetting her. 2-BBtee-1 Mugs. ", Susman, Gary (March 29, 2012; updated December 6, 2017). Singin' in the Rain is a 1952 American musical romantic comedy film directed and choreographed by Gene Kelly and Stanley Donen, starring Kelly, Donald O'Connor, and Debbie Reynolds and featuring Jean Hagen, Millard Mitchell and Cyd Charisse. Patrick Perry, "ON TOUR WITH DEBBIE REYNOLDS: Feisty and Fit Actress Speaks Out About An All-Too-Common Problem - Overactive Bladder", Golden Globe Award for Best Actor – Motion Picture Musical or Comedy, Academy Award for Best Supporting Actress, AFI's 100 Years...100 Movies (10th Anniversary Edition), Singin' in the Rain (song) § In popular culture, List of films with a 100% rating on Rotten Tomatoes, "ENTERTAINMENT: Film Registry Picks First 25 Movies", "The 50 Greatest Films of All Time | Sight & Sound", "'Singin' in the Rain' 60th Anniversary: 25 Things You Didn't Know About Hollywood's Greatest Musical", "The 50 greatest film soundtracks: 11. [31][32], Debbie Reynolds was not a dancer when she made Singin' in the Rain; her background was as a gymnast. A Blu-ray Ultimate Collector's Edition was released in July 2012. To movie audiences, Jean Hagen will forever be Lina Lamont, the shrill-voiced silent movie star who Debbie Reynolds has to dub in Singin’ in the Rain (1952). [47][48], Betty Comden and Adolph Green report that when they met François Truffaut at a party in Paris, Truffaut was very excited to meet the authors of Chantons sous la pluie. In Sight & Sound magazine's 2012 list of the 50 greatest films of all time, Singin' in the Rain placed 20th.[4]. $8.44 $12.99. For her role as Lina Lamont, Jean Hagen was nominated for the Academy Award for Best Supporting Actress. After a two-week hold-out, their new agent, Irving "Swifty" Lazar, having looked over the contract, told them that the clause had been entirely an invention of their previous agent, and that there was no such language in the contract. Lina flees in humiliation, and a distressed Kathy tries to run away as well, but Don proudly announces to the audience that she's "the real star" of the film ("You Are My Lucky Star"). Why, I make more money than Calvin Coolidge! Kelly and Donen responded enthusiastically, and immediately become involved in re-writes and adjustments to the script. Lina Lamont: What do they think I am? When Lina barges in on a dubbing session and learns the truth ("Would You"), she is infuriated. Rosco: Everybody used to wear them, Lina. Jean Hagen, Actress: Singin' in the Rain. Lowly, she began to sing, “I’m singing in the rain, just singing in the rain. Put together! Lina Lamont: Gee, this wig weighs a ton! While most items were sold to private collectors, Donald O'Connor's green check "Fit As a Fiddle" suit and shoes were purchased by Costume World, Inc. Afterward ("Good Morning"), Don, Kathy, and Cosmo come up with the idea to turn The Dueling Cavalier into a musical called The Dancing Cavalier, complete with a modern musical number and backstory. [50], Singin' in the Rain has appeared twice on Sight & Sound's list of the ten best films of all time, in 1982 and 2002. Lina Lamont is the main antagonist in the 1952 musical filmSingin' in the Rain. Still, Cosmo, inspired by a scene in The Dueling Cavalier where Lina's voice was out of sync, suggests that they dub Lina's voice with Kathy's ("Singin' In the Rain"). Don barely tolerates his vain, cunning, conniving, and shallow leading lady, Lina Lamont (Jean Hagen), though their studio, Monumental Pictures, links them romantically to increase their popularity. Don't you *dare* call him Don! Mayer. Besides the Freed-Brown songs, Comden and Green contributed the lyrics to "Moses Supposes", which was set to music by Roger Edens. Later, Kathy and Don kiss in front of a billboard for their new film, Singin' in the Rain. To escape from his fans after the premiere, Don jumps into a passing car driven by Kathy Selden (Debbie Reynolds). Network. Donald O'Connor won the Golden Globe Award for Best Actor – Motion Picture Musical or Comedy for his portrayal of Cosmo Brown. Don Lockwood: You've seen them once, you've seen them all. It’s a film that has spawned a stage show – the title song has even been covered by Asia’s No 1 girl band! 1. Pin. [41] Richard L. Coe of The Washington Post called it "yet another fresh and breezy, colorful and funny musical" from Gene Kelly, adding, "Of the players there's not a dud in the lot, from Kelly's facile performing to the brief but electric dance appearance by Cyd Charisse, a swell partner for him. For the song sung in this film, see, 1952 American musical-romantic comedy film, This scene pays homage to the original 1921 DeForest, Osborne, Robert. Lina threatens to sue R.F. He told them that he had seen the film so many times that he knew it frame by frame, and that he and fellow director and screenwriter Alain Resnais, among others, went to see it regularly at a small Parisian movie theatre where it sometimes ran for months at a time.[43]. "[40] Harrison's Reports called it "top-notch entertainment in every department – music, dancing, singing, staging and story." its such a cute homage to the film", "The internet can't cope with BTS' new video for 'Boy With Luv, Intolerance: Love's Struggle Throughout the Ages, Dr. Strangelove or: How I Learned to Stop Worrying and Love the Bomb, https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Singin%27_in_the_Rain&oldid=992355819, Films featuring a Best Musical or Comedy Actor Golden Globe winning performance, United States National Film Registry films, Films with screenplays by Betty Comden and Adolph Green, Articles with unsourced statements from February 2019, Short description is different from Wikidata, All Wikipedia articles written in American English, Articles with unsourced statements from September 2012, Articles with French-language sources (fr), Wikipedia articles with MusicBrainz release group identifiers, Wikipedia articles with MusicBrainz work identifiers, Wikipedia articles with WorldCat-VIAF identifiers, Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License, In addition, although the film revolves around the idea that Kathy has to dub for Lina's piercing voice, in the scene where Kathy is portrayed recording a line of Lina's dialogue ("Nothing can keep us apart, our love will last 'til the stars turn cold"), Jean Hagen's normal voice is used, because Hagen's deep, rich voice was preferred over Reynold's somewhat thin and youthful one. "[43] Roger Ebert placed Singin' in the Rain on his Great Movies list, calling the film "a transcendent experience, and no one who loves movies can afford to miss it. In 1989, Singin' in the Rain was among the first 25 films chosen for the newly established National Film Registry for films that are deemed "culturally, historically or aesthetically significant" by the United States Library of Congress and selected for preservation. "Beautiful Girl Montage" comprising "I've Got a Feelin' You're Foolin'" from, "Broadway Melody" composed of "The Broadway Melody" from, In an early draft of the script, the musical number "Singin' in the Rain" was to be sung by Reynolds, O'Connor, and Kelly, emerging from a restaurant after the flop preview of. It’s also a history lesson about Hollywood in the late 1920s, when silent pictures were giving way to talkies. After shooting the "Good Morning" routine, which had taken from 8:00 a.m. until 11:00 p.m. to shoot,[33] Reynolds' feet were bleeding. His words are humorously contradicted by flashbacks showing him alongside his best friend Cosmo Brown (Donald O'Connor) ("Fit as a Fiddle"). Hearing what had happened, Astaire volunteered to help her with her dancing. Singing in the Rain Mug. It was a tour de force performance that earned Hagen an Academy Award nomination for Best Supporting Actress and cemented her position in, as Lina would say, “the cinema firmamint.” No!". Kelly later admitted that he had not been kind to Reynolds and was surprised that she was still willing to talk to him afterwards. The film was also nominated for Best Original Music Score for Lennie Hayton. unless he makes sure no one ever hears of Kathy and that she keeps dubbing for the rest of her career. What dope'd wear a thing like this? Singin' in the Rain is a 1952 American musical romantic comedy film directed and choreographed by Gene Kelly and Stanley Donen, starring Kelly, Donald O'Connor, and Debbie Reynolds and featuring Jean Hagen, Millard Mitchell and Cyd Charisse. Directed by Stanley Donen, Gene Kelly. Essays for Singin’ in the Rain. Miss Dinsmore. Scene 1 Dora, the One-Woman E! I was calling him Don before you were born! Yes!" Singin' in the Rain essays are academic essays for citation. Reynolds’ Character’s Solo Song, ‘You Are My Lucky Star,’ Didn’t Make the Final Cut. [30][35], Most of the costumes from this film were eventually acquired by Debbie Reynolds and held in her massive collection of original film costumes, sets, and props. [27][28] The water used in the scene caused Kelly's wool suit to shrink during filming. Directed by (2) Writing credits (2) Cast (173) Produced by (2) Music by (1) Cinematography by (1) Film Editing by (1) Art Direction by (2) Set Decoration by (3) Costume Design by (1) Makeup Department (8) Production Management (2) tell her to lip sync into a microphone while Kathy, concealed behind the curtain, sings into a second one. Despite this, the film was digitally restored for its DVD release. Lina Lamont: That's not all I'm gonna do if I ever get my hands on her. Send. The Dueling Cavalier's preview screening is a disaster; the actors are barely audible thanks to the awkward placing of the microphones, Don repeats the line "I love you" to Lina over and over, to the audience's derisive laughter,[b] and in the middle of the film, the sound goes out of synchronization, with hilarious results as Lina shakes her head while the villain's deep voice says, "Yes! The premiere of The Dancing Cavalier is a tremendous success. After hearing this, Comden and Green began working on the story and script. Lina is played by the actress Jean Hagen. "[45] On Metacritic, the film has a weighted average score of 99 out of 100, based on 17 critics, indicating "universal acclaim". Singin’ in the Rain - Musical. Rosco: Everybody used to wear them, Lina. "[39] Variety was also positive, writing: "Arthur Freed has produced another surefire grosser for Metro in Singin' in the Rain. Phoebe Dinsmore: No, no, no Miss Lamont, Round tones, round tones. In the movie, Lina plays a famous silent-movie star in the 1920's. Kelly singing "You Were Meant For Me" to Reynolds on an empty sound stage was not included in that draft. Singin’ in the Rain emerged as a classic, considered by many to be the greatest Hollywood musical ever made. Don Lockwood (Gene Kelly) is a popular silent film star with humble roots as a hoofer and stuntman. Hagen and her family moved to Elkhart, Indiana when she was twelve; she subsequently graduated from Elkhart High School. Singin’ in the Rain, American musical comedy film, released in 1952, that was a reunion project for the American in Paris directorial team of Stanley Donen and Gene Kelly, who was also the films’ star. Directed and choreographed by post-modern choreographer Twyla Tharp, the opening night cast starred Don Correia as Don Lockwood, Mary D'Arcy as Kathy Selden, Richard Fancy as Roscoe Dexter, Faye Grant as Lina Lamont, and Peter Slutsker as Cosmo Brown. The internet is clogged with myths about her late husband Gene Kelly’s iconic movie Singin’ in the Rain… and very few of them are true. It topped the AFI's Greatest Movie Musicals list and is ranked as the fifth-greatest American motion picture of all time in its updated list of the greatest American films in 2007. Now, let me hear you read your line. Lina is convinced that they are in love, despite Don's protestations otherwise. [citation needed], According to MGM records, during the film's initial theatrical release, it made $3,263,000 in the US and Canada and $2,367,000 internationally, earning the studio a profit of $666,000. Share. Later, at an after-party, the head of Don's studio, R.F. The Basics: Was There Really Milk in Singin’ in the Rain? At the premiere of his latest film, The Royal Rascal, Don tells the gathered crowd a sarcastic, hyperbolic version of his life story, including his motto: "Dignity, always dignity." [37][38], Bosley Crowther of The New York Times wrote: "Compounded generously of music, dance, color spectacle and a riotous abundance of Gene Kelly, Jean Hagen and Donald O'Connor on the screen, all elements in this rainbow program are carefully contrived and guaranteed to lift the dolors of winter and put you in a buttercup mood.