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Hi, my name's Renee, and I'm good at plenty of things. For instance, I'm good at making myself smell good most of the time. But I'm really bad at movies, like terrible at them. That's why I asked my friends to challenge me to watch their favorite movies so I can build up my repertoire and stop looking like an idiot. Sometimes I like the movie and sometimes I don't, but either way, my friend and I are going to talk about it. So on today's show, I have my friend Ellen Michalak. She's a very special friend of mine. We do a web series together and she's on a fantastic improv team called Caleb. And we are going to talk about the movie Singing in the Rain. That's right, guys. So I've never seen this movie before, but just based on the title alone.
I'm guessing it's the first apocalypse movie that was ever made. It's set in California. We're in the middle of the longest drought on record. Everyone is freaking out. Like, what are we going to do? All our plants are dying and everything. And so then this hippie girl shows up named Rain, and she's like, I can help. And she starts dancing around and, like, chanting, and then all of a sudden a raindrop falls. Then another. Then another. And then suddenly it's raining again. Everyone is happy. They're playing around in it, having fun. But then it doesn't stop raining.
It starts to flood, and it causes terrible damage. They beg rain to make it stop, but she doesn't know how. So in the end, she makes the ultimate sacrifice. She says, kill me. And in a real true act of heroism, heroism, heroism, they kill her. And the rain stops. And California's back to being all dry and whatever again. The end! Now enjoy my special podcast with Ellen Michalak. And now, the plot of Singing in the Rain in under one minute.
Oh, look, all the stars have arrived here at our movie premiere. Oh, look, it's the star of the movie, Don Lockwood. Hi, I'm Don Lockwood. Let me tell you about my past. I'm lying about everything. Wrong, wrong, wrong, wrong. But everyone loves me anyway. Oh, look, it's Lena. Hey, I'm mine. Shut up, you sound crazy. Good thing these movies are silent. Bad news, guys, we have to make movies with sound. Lena, you sound awful. Oh, no, I'm going to work harder. I'm not stupid. Oh, good thing I found this girl that I jumped in a car and she sounds really good. Let's just have her do all the voices, not tell Lena. Hello, la, la, la, la, la. Oh, Lena, you sound great. Oh, thank you. Wait a minute, that's not your voice at all.
Drama! Tap dance, tap dance, tap dance. Tappity, tappity, tappity. Extended dance sequence. Extended dance sequence. Extended dance sequence. What was this movie about? The end.
Hello Ellen. Hi Renee. Thanks for having me. Thanks for coming on and talking about Singing in the Rain with me. Oh, I'm so glad that you asked me and I'm glad that you enjoyed it because it's one of my favorites. Yeah, so tell me about it. Why did you choose this movie? Oh my goodness, because it's beautiful and it's colorful and it's one of the most iconic movies, right? Like how can you not be happy after seeing Singing in the Rain? Yeah, I loved it. I thought it was really sweet. I mean, I just noticed that it was like watching a musical on film. Like I love watching musicals and...
Basically, it was just like watching one on my screen. Yeah, and it's not like the crappy movie musicals of nowadays, like Friends, which they totally butchered, I feel like. But this was like, it's beautiful because I think, I mean, I know for a fact that Gene Kelly was kind of a stickler and he wanted to showcase actual dance instead of making all the cuts, right? So he wanted people to actually see their full bodies moving and show the beauty and fluidity of dancing, which I think is, I mean, I think that's kind of what separates it. Yeah, I mean, I definitely loved...
everything about any of the dance sequences. And there were a lot. But I think I was going to ask you, did you ever take dance classes growing up? Oh, no. I like when I was three, I was scared of my teacher. I thought she was like the Wicked Witch of the West. And so I was in a community center ballet class and I ran out of the room screaming and crying because I was terrified of the teacher. So that ended my dance education. But I like to think actually someone asked me yesterday if I had taken ballet because I was spinning around on a rooftop acting like I knew what I was doing. So I think like half of dancing is selling it. Yeah, definitely. It's like definitely selling it.
I had a similar experience where I quit dancing when I was in seventh grade. Okay. Because I also had a really scary dance instructor who was like, she took it so much more seriously than I ever did. She owned the dance studio that I went to and I took tap, jazz, ballet, tumbling, everything. And she used to basically tell us, I'm thinking about for Thanksgiving, she said, now girls, you can eat turkey, but don't have gravy or mashed potatoes or anything. Just eat lean meats. We're like...
12 years old and she's telling us that shit. It sounds like it's a good thing you got out of there because otherwise, well, maybe not. You could have been Maggie Ziegler and starring in the Sea of Videos. Right. You had, like, followed the instructions. You could have been, like, naked dancing with Shia LaBeouf. Oh, man. So think about that, Renee. I was never that good, but you know what? I could have had a very lustrous career, but I was like, fuck you. I'm going to eat whatever the fuck I want. I mean, because turkey is some good shit. Yeah, right? So, like, why not?
Okay, I have something that I want to talk about that's not, it's movie related, but it is like very superficially movie related. How great are Gene Kelly's teeth? He does have great teeth. He has a really beautiful smile. Doesn't he? Yeah. So this got me thinking when I was watching it, you know, for like the 12th time. When did they invent braces? Like the movie was made in 1952. So like when did, when was it like acceptable to wear metal in your mouth? Because I don't think, I've never seen pictures from like the 1950s of people wearing braces. Like I feel like it's like an invention of like the 70s or 80s. Oh, I don't know. That's a good question. I really have no idea.
I wonder if those are his real teeth. Maybe they're dentures. I mean, because he's a stone-cold fox, right? Like, watching it, I'm like, ooh, I'm getting all hot and bothered watching Gene Kelly, who's 40 in that movie. That's crazy. And Debbie is... Debbie Reynolds, right? Reynolds, yeah. She's 19 when it's filmed. Really? Yeah. That's crazy. But, like, I mean, do we want to get, like, all feministy here and talk about, like, you know... Well, why not? You're my first female guest. Let's get into it. So, like, for real, let's talk, you know, perpetuating the horrible stereotypes starting in the 1950s. Like, Gene Kelly's 40, Debbie Reynolds 19. That's, like...
perverted yeah oh okay there's a song in the movie and i can't remember what it's called but it's a guy singing it and she's like in the chorus line and he's like she's my sweet little baby and she's over 16 see it's like why does i don't think that's okay and we wonder why like maggie gyllenhaal is being told at 37 she's too old yeah to be a 55 year old man's leading lady that's so fucked up yeah it's fucked up i'm not i'm not a fan but i mean like still i'm like still like when they like kiss and stuff i'm like it's so romantic it is sweet i still i mean i feel like maybe Maybe she was right for the part because she's so young, but they just made an exception for him because he's a really talented dancer. They're like, it's okay that you're 41. She didn't know how to dance, actually. Really? He was such a stickler. I read something that she was really picking on her, and she went and hid under a piano sobbing, and then Fred Astaire came in and offered to train her. Multiple times throughout the course of the video, especially when they're filming Good Morning, Good Morning sequence, she would have to be carried.
off the set because her feet were bloody from, like, 18 hours of dancing. Oh, my God. Yeah, and Donald O'Connor, like, first of all, let's talk about how, like, okay, like, Gene Kelly's beautiful, but this is, like, Ellen's persona. I, like, I'm in love with Donald O'Connor because he's the funny one, right? Yeah. Gene Kelly's handsome, but I love Donald O'Connor because he makes, make him laugh. Yeah. Right? He makes silly faces. Yeah, he does make silly faces, but he, Donald O'Connor, was a four-pack-a-day cigarette smoker. Really? So he actually, too, after the make him laugh sequence, had to be, like, put on bed rest for a week. Oh, my God. Isn't that crazy? That is crazy. Yeah. Wow. That's intense, man. Yeah.
I mean, I know. I certainly know that I'm not, like, a workout guru. I would probably be also passed on. Yeah. Oh, my God. That's so ridiculous. So, like, they basically cast her into the movie, and they're like, you're going to have to dance a lot, but it's fine. Like, if you don't really know how to dance, it's cool. Because you're cute. Yeah, I think they cast her because she could sing well. Yeah. But actually, I read something somewhere that she was dubbed in one of, like, the talking part at the end. They had another person dub her, which is, like, ironic. Yeah, that's so funny. I found the movie to be kind of, like, kind of meta.
I feel like, you know, they were talking about, well, first of all, I had Dee come on and we were talking about silent movies. And he said Buster Keaton, the star of one of the silent movies that we watched, The General, couldn't really get work once the talkies started coming out because he had a voice like this. And then we watched this movie and it was the same kind of thing with Lena Lamont. I can't stand him. And I can't.
I can't stand him. I can't stand him. I feel like I said. I was like, coming on this podcast, that's all we're going to do is just sit here and be like, do Lena Lamont voices. Yeah. Oh, man. It's so funny. I mean, it's so goofy that, like, I just love the big characters. You don't really see that too much now. You know, like, it was very theatrical. And, I mean, the big scenes that they would do with these huge, huge sets. Like, um.
Towards the end of the movie, whenever they had, I guess it was like the big dream sequence, and they had that dancer who, I have no idea who she was or what the context of her being in the movie was. Yeah, her name's Sid Sharice, and she is like a famous dancer, and she blew up after this. But yeah, I don't know what it is either. I don't actually know what the point of that number is. It seems misplaced, right? Right, yeah. Well, because, I don't know, I mean, hopefully people have seen the movie who are listening to this podcast, but it's like, you know, they basically try and rework this movie that stars Lena Lamont and Don, what's his name? Lockwood. Lockwood. They try and rework it all into a musical, and he...
He's trying to explain. the whole opening sequence of the movie being incorporated into a musical. And it doesn't involve Lino Lamont at all. It doesn't really have anything to do with the French Revolution bit of the movie. And then when they show, like, after this 17-minute-long sequence of them dancing and singing, which was great, by the way, they just go back and show the film premiere, and, like, none of that's in the film, or at least what they show. It just didn't make any sense to me. But I really didn't care, because it was all kind of like, ooh, pretty colors and people dancing and singing. Hey, Ontario, come on down to BetMGM Casino and see what our newest exclusive, the Price is Right Fortune pick, has to offer. Don't miss out. Play exciting casino games based on the app.
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531-2600 to speak to an advisor free of charge. BetMGM operates pursuant to an operating agreement with iGaming Ontario. a large benefit of musicals, and that's why some people don't like them, because it's a total suspension of belief. Yeah. Right? You have to kind of subscribe to the fact that people are going to, like, break out in song and dance, and that's just how it is. Right. But did you also know that only two of the songs are originals? No. The rest of them are all recycled. Yeah. Like, Good Morning, which is my favorite sequence in the entire thing, is from Babes in Arms, which is a musical from 1935. Do you like all the studying I did for this podcast? Yes, I'm impressed. I'm impressed by you. By my wealth of knowledge? You did good. You did good. Do you want me to rattle off some other facts? Yes, please. So Gene Kelly had a 103 degree fever when he filmed this.
singing in the rain sequence really wow three degree fever can you believe that that's crazy there's also a heated internet debate over whether or not they put milk in the rain for that scene and like people who they claim people who like don't really know they're singing in the rain trivia think that there was milk but the true movie buffs know for a fact that it was backlit and it wasn't milk it was just the rain was backlit Oh, so it's because it looks like milk in the film? Like, it doesn't... Why would they pour milk on it? I don't know why it's such a big deal. Like, I guess maybe you would be kind of, like, rank smelling if you, like, smell like sour milk. Yeah. And are having 103 degree fever, so his skin's probably boiling the milk. I don't know. Gross. I'm just joking. I'm making that up, you guys. But they were saying that they, like, put milk in it so it would show up better on film. Oh. But that's wrong. They didn't do that, apparently. That seems like a health code violation to me. But then again, it was the 50s, so who gives a fuck? It was 1952, and Donald O'Connor was smoking four packs of six a day. Yeah, that's crazy. But he lived to, like, you know, age 83 or something. Really?
What the funk? Yeah. What the funk? Some people just have all the luck. I really would have liked it. I wrote this down early in the movie. Updated movie idea would be that Don and Cosmo are lovers.
I just felt like their whole, well, I love the whole beginning sequence of like the dignity, always dignity part. And they showed like over Don Lockwood talking about like his rise to fame and going to all these prestigious schools. And then them over him talking about that, them showing him like working in a saloon and like, you know, being on a vaudeville stage with his friend. And, you know, obviously he's just lying about his whole background. But every scene that they showed with them, just the two of them dancing together. I was like, this is fun. Oh, yeah. Moses supposes and Moses and Moses supposes. That one is the, that and Make Him Laugh are the two original songs. Oh, I get it. Okay, cool.
Yeah, I liked any scene with just the two of them together because they seemed to have great chemistry. Oh, yeah. And I know, like, not even just romantic chemistry, just, like, friends. And they were just goofy together. And then, you know, they'd bring in, what's her face? I just forgot her name. Kathy? Kathy, yeah. Kathy. And then, like, not saying, you know, it wasn't fun, but there was definitely an energy between the two guys. And then they brought her in and they were, like, goofing off together and being silly. But, you know. Oh, yeah. But do you ever notice when watching those scenes that it's one take? Yeah. So, like, they can't mess up at all. Yeah. Like, think about that. Like, think about, you know, so for people who are listening, Renee and I film a web series together. And I'm like.
A lot of the times we have our lines memorized, but sometimes not so much. And so we can cut and redo certain parts, but, like, they film everything straight through. Yeah, I can't imagine that. And, like, Donald O'Connor, that make-em-laugh sequence where he's being so physical, like, based on his vaudeville training, it's almost like clowning. Yeah. He did that scene and, like, then had it be, like, bed exhaustion or whatever for a week. Yeah. And then somehow there was, like...
a mishap with the film that it got destroyed. Oh no. So he had to do it again. Oh my God. He had to do it again. I know. That scene, that was one of my favorite scenes in the movie. He's like doing flips over like pieces of scenery and then that face work he did, like he ran into a brick wall and then kept like moving his face back and forth. I was like, Jesus Christ, who is this guy? He's silly putty. Yeah. I would have been just like you if I had seen this movie when I was younger. I'd have been like, I like him because he's funny. Oh yeah. We're not like your normal girls, right? We're like, ooh, look at that dreamboat with a perfect smile. We're like, oh, look at the kind of like less, the slightly less or significant.
less attractive man who can make you laugh. Be like, sign me up for that one. I love it. Oh, okay, so let me tell you my favorite scene of the movie because this is, um... Well, okay, I'll just tell you. It was the one where, I can't even remember what part it is, but, oh, I think it was during that song with the guy talking about how he loves a girl and he's so happy she's over 18, I mean, over 16. So, like, the whole back wall opens up and there are all these girls in between columns and they're all dressed up in different outfits. Like, they're modeling different outfits. And then they just panned each one and say, like, for a day of tennis. And it's a girl dressed up with her little racket. And then, like, black is a great color to wear in court. You'll sure fool the jury when you're wearing this outfit. And, you know, it was just, like, every little, like, weird outfit. But that's my favorite thing in movies is, like.
It sounds so silly, but just, like, modeling really cool clothes. So, like, are you a big Clueless fan? Yeah. Do you love when they, like, did the closet rotation? That was my dream. I thought by the time I turned 20 that that would be a reality, and I'm really upset it's not. I'm sorry that your dreams were broken, right? Well, so that scene reminded me of one of my favorite movies is How to Marry a Millionaire with Marilyn Monroe and Katherine Hepburn, and I can't remember the other actress's name. But one of the scenes in the movie is they're all models. Like, the three women in the movie are all models. And for some reason, I forgot the whole context, but this guy comes in and says, like, I want to see these women all model clothes.
I'm trying to buy something for a lady. And I guess that's how they did it back in the day. They would just have women come in and show off the clothes and then you'd be like, oh, she looks good and that, I'll buy it. How do I get that job? I know, right?
How do I get that off? But it was, like, some of the outfits. And, yeah, they all come out. It's, like, 15 women who all come out. And this guy kind of narrates what they're wearing. And, like, oh, look, we're going to a Mexican cantina. And it's this woman in this very, like, broad straw hat with, like, pom-poms hanging along the side. And she's, like, holding a little chihuahua. It's just all so ridiculous. But I was, like, just in awe of all the outfits. And that was, I'm such a lady. It's like, oh, I just want to see girls dressed up really pretty. I know. Wait, so I just noticed that you did the 1920s, like, news talky voice. Yeah. I read an article about that the other day. I think, sorry, Michael Delaney, I'm shouting out to you. Because I think someone posted on his wall because he always talks like this. He
Hello. And it was, like, we, the article was something about how, like, that dialect was, like, invented originally because, like, people wanted to, like, sound classier like British people. Oh, yeah. Like the diction code in the movie. Like, can't. Say the word can't. Can't. Can't. Can't. Can't. I can't see him. I'm getting a little sidetracked. But apparently they were saying that that's actually, like, really easy to replicate. So, like, poor people could easily, like, pretend like they were, like, wealthier. So then it ended up, like, eventually dying out and going away. Oh. It started as a thing that was supposed to be, like,
I'm American and I'm civilized and I'm sitting here and I'm eating my small cakes and I'm drinking my cup of tea. But like, I mean, that's like a spot on impression. Right. I'm like a middle class. I just, I looked at you and I was like, wow, she must be rich. I just, I was like, where are her diamonds? Why is she hiding them from me? Yeah, it's like, why is she wearing sneakers and shorts that she's owned? She's obviously in hiding as a princess.
Oh, boy. Oh, boy. That's so funny, though. Yeah. Yeah, that accent is just so ridiculous. But, yeah, they did do it in the movie. And it did kind of remind me of Michael Delaney when the diction coach came in. It was like, roses round the rubber. And roses and Moses and Moses supposes. On his toes. Except I'm not sure that I could actually ever say that tongue twister. Yeah. Like, Tom Rockwood did such a good job. Yeah, and they even sang it and, like, danced to it, too. That's three. Three in one. Triple threat. It's like, what? How are some people so talented? I don't know. How did the cards get stacked in their favor?
I don't know. So I think, I don't know if it actually is right now, but I know, I mean, I know they do sing it in the rain, the musical live on stage. Now I just want to see that because I just kept imagining how they'd actually put it out on stage. It doesn't seem like they'd have to even change that much of it, but I don't know. I just, I'd love to see it live if that's even an option. I love that too. Do you think that there's actually rain that falls on the stage? Or is it milk? Good point. It might be milk. Then like, I mean, that theater has to smell pretty rank. Right. I mean, go figure. Go figure.
What did you say? You said your favorite scene in the movie. Was it Good Morning? Yeah, it's Good Morning. I love Good Morning. I just think it's so cute. And I like that Kathy's the one that helps them solve the problem. Yeah. I'm like, girl power. Yeah. She helps them. Well, I guess it's more Donald O'Connor. It's like, ooh, let me.
Kathy, stand behind me and sing. But it still is, like, the woman comes and saves the day in this movie. Even though there are, like, a ton of, like, traditional gender stereotypes. Like, Lena Lamont, I'm like, of course she has to be blonde. This is, like, the stereotype of why everyone thinks I'm so dumb. Because, like, this was, like, something that was instilled in people's brains from a long time ago. But, like, I do think that that's, like, a good part. Because Kathy saves the day. Yeah. I like that, too. I think, um, I don't know. I thought she was just so sweet and likable in the movie. She seems like a nice person. She's still alive. Yeah. Debbie Reynolds. She was on RuPaul's Drag Race.
Renee's watching some really high-class films in her spare time. That's why I'm not watching any movies because I'm too busy watching RuPaul's Drag Race. Oh, God. Another one. I mean, that's all just about the outfits, too. That's probably why I like it so much because they all dress up in these crazy costumes, and I love it. Oh, yeah. I love that. I've never seen it, but I imagine that I would be a fan. Well, we're going to host a sub-podcast, which is just me making you watch episodes of RuPaul's Drag Race. Ooh, sign me up right now. Sign me up right now. Can we watch them in real time and be like, comments on what's going on? If anybody would listen to that, that would be pretty great. That sounds like a dream come true for me. I feel like we could get Pete to listen to it.
Probably. Honestly, he used to watch Project Runway with his parents. Pete's her biggest boyfriend for all those who are eagerly listening. Allegedly. I'm assuming that you all know that already. Allegedly. No, I'm just kidding. Of course, he is my boyfriend. We watched the movie last night. We watched Singing in the Rain, and I enjoyed it way more than we did. I was going to say, what was Pete's opinion? He thought the dream sequence was way too long. He's like, when is this going to be over? Okay, so actually, I feel like that speaks to attention spans, right? I'm not saying, oh, Pete is so ADT. I just mean attention spans of generations, right? Like the movie.
The sequence, you would never see a 17-minute one-cut dance sequence in a movie now. They'd be like, get out of town. Like, no one's going to sit through this. People are going to walk out of the theater. We need, like, some Transformers exploding action. You know? Like, that just would never happen. Yeah, but I'm sure. It is 17 minutes long. I looked that up, too. It is. I mean, it is a little long, I will admit. But I liked it because I just love dancing and the whole theatrics of it. But, you know, for him, it's like...
That's not as important to him. He was kind of just like, where is this going? What does this have to do with the movie? And I was just like, shut up and enjoy it. It's a beautiful Technicolor sequence, Pete. Be grateful. He did. He was commenting on how big, like we were both saying how big the studio must have been. Like they're filming the whole thing with, we were talking about it earlier, the dancer who was all in white with a big long sash flowing behind her. And it was just like, they must have been in this huge studio space with a huge fan that was just blowing this scarf out into the wind and they're all dancing together. It was beautiful.
I mean, yeah, it just didn't make any sense to the movie, but I don't care because it was enjoyable and it stuck out in my brain. So, whatever. So, stuff it, Pete. Just kidding. I love you. You know that. Whatever. I hope you're listening. Hilarious. I'm trying to think. What else? I feel like I looked up a lot of trivia, but it's... You know how, like...
this is going to be a really strange comparison, but, like, Kennedy's affair with Marilyn Monroe, there's, like, not that much about it because, like, the behind-the-scenes stuff was kept hush-hush. I feel like it was similar with this movie because I tried to, like, Google all these, like, tidbits and, like, that's pretty much all I got for you. Interesting. Like, put in a three-degree fever. Gene Kelly did marry someone. His third wife was, like, way younger than him. He was 77 and she was, like, 30 or something. Oh, boy. So, but I mean, like, if you're going to look like Gene Kelly. Right. And I'm sure he was in, like, he danced up until then, so I'm sure he was, like, had a rockin' bod. Probably. Probably. No dad bods. No dad bods then. I'm into dad bod. Oh, I'm into dad bods, too. I was thinking about this
I would, I'm like super into the dad bod because I don't want someone to have like a much better body than me. That would just make me feel super subconscious. Yeah. I totally get that. Also, I like people who like to have a little fun, eat a little pizza, drink a little beer. Same here. Well, and I've kind of got a mom bod, so it's a perfect fit if I can find a dad bod. Don't say that about yourself. I do. Don't say that. I look like I have two kids already. No, you do not. That is not true at all. I'm rocking it. Well, yeah, I mean.
Like, duh, because you're a beautiful lady. Thanks. You're welcome. Thank you. That's all I was looking for. You're so beautiful, Renee. I love how off-topic we've gotten. But I want to bring up something that's also off-topic. But it is kind of about Gene Kelly with the younger wife. Because this morning I watched a music video where it was Dick Van Dyke, who's like 90 years old.
And it's him and his wife who, when I was first watching the video, he's, you know, it's like him and he's dancing around. He's very agile. He still looks like super healthy and very happy. And he's like dancing in the kitchen and trying to get his wife's attention. But when I started watching the video, I was like, is this his daughter? And then I kind of realized like, oh, no, they're married, but she looks significantly younger than him, too. But it's like, you know, I guess guys can get away with that. I just hope, you know, I would like to think that if I was 90 years old and still like very active that I could swing like.
Well, I guess like a 50-year-old or 60-year-old man. I think you could do that, Renee. Make it your dreams. Like, now that you don't have the clueless closet one to live by anymore. Maybe by the time I'm 90, that'll be a reality. Maybe. Maybe. That's hilarious. I actually, funny you brought up Dick Van Dyke, though, because when I started watching Sing in the Rain this last time for this podcast, I just kept staring at Gene Kelly and going, my God, he looks so much like Dick Van Dyke. Like, I think sometimes when he's like, it's like a further shot, he looks almost identical to Dick Van Dyke. And then, you know, you've seen Dick Van Dyke do the Mary Poppins. Oh, yeah. All of that jazz, so.
I love that movie. I know I've seen it a million times, but I would watch that again. Oh, so Mary Poppins' stage version, they actually, the Dick Van Dyke character, I don't know what his name is right now, but they have him dance around the proscenium. So, like, upside down. Whoa! So, like, as he's doing that thing, they have him, like, walk up the proscenium, walk across the top, and walk down on the bottom. How in the world did they do that? That's crazy. I think it's in the chimney scene where he's tap dancing. I'm pretty sure it's that, but I have no idea how they do it. Ooh, okay, another one to add on to the list. So, yeah, the tap dance around the proscenium. Pretty cool stuff. That's awesome. Yeah. I love that. Yeah. Ooh! I know. That's so fun. I know. I know.
I'm sweating a little bit. I want to talk about what was your favorite outfit that anybody wore during the whole thing? Oh, gosh. Because I know mine off the top of my head. Oh, gosh. I mean, it has to be Sid Charisse's beautiful white dress, right? Yeah. I think it has to be. I think that's the showstopper. Yeah. But also, I don't know. I love Lena Lamont. Real quick, I'm going to take a side detour and then we can get back to this. Sure. Jean Hagen was pretty famous before they cast her. And then after she did this, she got...
Like, no movies. Really? Which is strange to me, but I think it's, obviously, because she's, like, typecast. Yeah. Whereas Cid Cherise, who was just that dancer, she was, like, relatively unknown, like, blew up afterwards. Yeah. Isn't that crazy? That is kind of nuts. I wonder if people just assumed, like, from the character that she was just, like, an awful person. Yeah, I don't know. And her voice sounded like that. I mean, she was putting on that voice, right? Yeah, she doesn't actually sound like that. No, no, no. That'd be unfortunate. So what's your favorite outfit? Okay, it would have to be Gene Kelly and O'Connell when they're...
in the vaudeville thing and they're both playing the fiddle and they have those like green and white checkered suits on with like bright pink ties and it's just so outrageous looking and they both look so cheesy but it's really cute and funny to me I like it I was blown away by the color and the precision of the color again this time I was watching it because it's 1952 I think and you don't like think that the film quality I'm sure they've like digitally remastered it and everything but it's the colors are so vivid yeah like yeah like i just could be like joseph an amazing technicolor dream thing that like honestly it was just beautiful and so colorful yeah i just miss that that's kind of a thing now you know like all the set pieces on there were like larger than life really colorful crazy saturated colors and everybody's kind of acting over the top and you don't really see that anymore on film right or like even really on tv that kind of campy attitude and I mean, you see it in musicals still sometimes that are set in, like, the 50s or that originated in the 50s. But they're not making new content that's like that unless it's, like, a kid show, which is not really my cup of tea. So, like, why don't we make another just bright, crazy acid trip of a film and I go see it? You want to know what I think was like that? But I don't know if you've seen it since you're bad at movies. Yeah, what? Have you ever seen the Beatles musical across the universe? No. Okay, so it's, like, a musical based on all Beatles songs, and it's very colorful and very trippy. I don't think the reviews on it were that good, but I definitely, like, rushed to see it in theaters. And it was, I mean, you should see it. It's colorful if you like the Beatles music.
I do love Beatles music. Who doesn't? I mean, true. Wait, so speaking of songs, which one was your favorite? Ooh. I would have to say...
I really love to make him laugh. Yeah. Just because of the whole dance sequence and everything to me was just, it was really great. I love Good Morning, too. Yeah. That's a song, once it started, I remember it everywhere. I actually was running around my house this morning going, good morning, good morning. We talked the whole night through good morning. Good morning to you. And I was like, I have a temporary roommate. I don't know if you knew this. Oh, no, I didn't know that. She's just living with me for June, and she was like, what are you doing? I was like, I'm going to film. The podcast is singing in the rain. And she's like, it's like 10 a.m., Ellen. It's a Sunday. Get out of here. You're too bright and cheery for her. Yeah, she's very sweet. She didn't really say that, but I know she was thinking it. She's like, shut the fuck up.
She's like, get out of here. I'm trying to sleep. Bad morning. But it's just, I mean, how can you not be in a good mood after seeing Singin' in the Rain? Right. It's just so happy and sweet and cute. It is. I love it. But yeah, good morning. I mean, it's a good one. But then, like, it's, I think, okay, so actually, the studio's basically, I might be, my facts might be wrong, so you might want to fact check me, everyone. But, like, basically, the studio's like, we're going to create a musical called Singin' in the Rain. And, like, you're going to use these songs, and that's what it is. And so the writers had to, like, write around what they already, like, existed. That's what it seems like. Yeah, because I saw in the credits in the beginning, it said something like, screenplay, bye, and it said their names, and it said, like
uh something like inspired by the song singing in the rain or it was something that was basically it made it sound like exactly what you said like they gave them the song singing in the rain and said like just write a music like write something for this and that's just such a weird way to think of it make a musical called singing in the rain and apparently there's like an earlier version where debbie reynolds sang the singing in the rain song uh was like a first iteration of the script but then they ended up giving it to gene kelly yeah hmm i'm just thinking now about have you been to disney world right so like there's the ride the great movie ride that they have uh at mgm studios or whatever they call it now and um that's like before i saw singing in the rain. I remember you go through and they show Gene Kelly in the rain, like on the pole. That's like, you know, the really quintessential shot of the film. And then they show at the end of the ride, they show, you basically are in a room and they have a big screen and they just show clips of like classic movies. And when the, they had the gotta dance part in the film. Cause I remember I didn't know where to place it. And then when I watched the movie last night, I was like, oh, that's where it's from. But you know, it's like one of those weird memories. Gotta dance. Gotta dance. And then everybody just runs out. But I didn't know.
You know where you have a memory of something, you don't know what it's from, and then you place it, and it's like your mind is blown? That's what happened to me last night when I watched it. I was like, holy shit, I remember this, but I didn't know where from, and now it's like... I haven't. That's funny. So actually, I only saw Singing in the Rain when I was in college. And that's when I was like, oh my God, this is amazing. I obviously knew what it was because from like the ages of like seven to like 14 or 15, my family used to go every year for spring break to this all-inclusive resort in Mexico called the Ibero Star. And every night they would have like a show. The people at the resort who were like performers would put on a show and one of them was like movies. And they would just do iconic dance numbers from like movies. So they did like Dick Tracy from like the Madonna Dick Tracy movie. And one of them was Singing in the Rain. So like I obviously knew what Singing in the Rain was.
the rain was but it was always hilarious because it wasn't English speakers like it was just like I mean, like so campy, but I remember just being like, Mom, Dad, this is what I want to do when I grow up. They're like, you want to work at a hotel as like a performer? And I'm like, yes, this just looks like the most fun because they like, you know, run volleyball all day and run like the shots with all the people. And then they'd go and do the show and then they'd go out to the discotheque afterwards and dance with all the people at the hotel, which I'm sure is like a very grueling job. But to me, I'm like, that job's amazing. You just get to party for a living and perform. It's like two of my favorite things. Oh, I totally get it. I remember being jealous when I went to like a French immersion camp and all the counselors got to like.
like just do sketches that they would practice and then perform. And they were like the rock stars of the camp. In French? Yeah, in French. All of it was in French. It was like five weeks of you not being able to listen to any American music or speak English to anybody. Did you agree with Rebel? Did you speak English? Oh, yeah. No, I listened to American music and somebody caught me and gave me a warning. Wow. Yeah.
So when I studied abroad, we had that same rule, but we were always like, okay, yeah, what are you going to do if you catch us talking English? They would kind of slap us on the wrist, but I did it all the time anyway. But you actually didn't speak English the whole time? Yeah, yeah. I mean, it was a really cool learning experience because you'd be surprised how quickly you pick up on it. Like, I knew a little bit of French. I certainly wasn't fluent when I went in there. Say something in French to me now. Excusez-moi, je paie-té.
What does that mean? Excuse me, I farted. Very romantic. It sounded beautiful still, everyone, didn't it? I think so. I've always spoken Spanish, but I just find French so much more beautiful. Oh, yeah. I mean, it's less useful than Spanish for sure. I'm like, hola, como estas? And I'm like, I don't know what that means. It means, hi, how are you? Oh, great. It was less cool than your farting joke.
Guys, it's a Sunday morning. It's a little early. Not on that comedy ball game. Oh, boy. We've really gone off track here, but I love it. This is pretty much how any of our conversations go out. Yeah, I know. But we've talked about the movie a lot. Of course, yeah. I mean, I feel like we always bring it back. So do you have any more hard-hitting questions for me, Investigator Renee?
No. I really don't. I really wrote very few notes for this movie just because I was enjoying it thoroughly and not writing notes. You know what I mean? Yeah, that's awesome. It's like with other movies I could critique it and be like, what the hell were they thinking? But I just genuinely was interested in enjoying the film and taking it for what it was. That's so good. I'm so glad you didn't come in here and be like, I can't stand it. But I can't stand it. I can't stand it. I can't stand it. You can't stand it. Can't. We should just put on our own Sing It in the Rain musical for our friends.
Yeah, I think so. Who do you want to be? Well, you can be Debbie Reynolds, and I'll be the dumb blonde. Okay. The dumb redhead. We're not going to typecast this one. No. Good morning. Good morning. We talked all night through the morning. Good morning to you and you and you. So yesterday we had Caleb rehearsal, actually, and I'd been watching Singing in the Rain all week and, like, studying for this podcast, so I had interesting things to say. And, like, we started doing scenes, and our coach stops and he goes.
Stop for a second. Why does Ellen think she's in a 1950s musical in every scene she's doing today? I was like, David, I've been watching Sing in the Rain all week. But he called me out on it. He's like, everything you're doing is like jazz hands. Oh my goodness. Don't die. And it was just like hilarious. Which is great for like really grounded scenes and improv to be like, what? No, don't. Oh no. And I'm like, don't die. You can't die. Don't go.
I love it. It was hilarious. It was really fun. Oh, man. All right. Well, maybe we should leave it there. Yeah, I think that's good. What's up next on this podcast, Renee? I don't know. Oh, I really, well, I haven't even talked to her yet, but the Jaws anniversary is coming up. And Julie had suggested that I watch it. And so I think I've never seen Jaws. I was terrified of it as a kid. So I think that's going to be probably the next one that we tackle.
I'm excited about it because, yeah, I mean, I think I'm at an appropriate age now to not be afraid of sharks. Cool. And I have one more question for you. Sure. I don't know if you're able to say this, if it's like picking your favorite children, but what has been your favorite one so far? You don't have to say me. I've only done four, Ellen. But you don't have to. I love them all. I love all my children equally. I knew it. I knew she was going to say that.
Renee, always so politically correct. You know me. So, Ellen, let's plug some of your stuff. Well, first of all, I'll say on behalf of Ellen and I, we have our web series together, WTMI News. That's on the IO Comedy Network on YouTube. So if you're not watching it, you should because it's gotten really crazy interesting. I will tell you that I actually was drooling on myself and had mascara streaming on my face for a scene in an upcoming episode. So if you want to see what it looks like when I go completely insane, tune in because it's really attractive. Ellen spit some Tic Tacs on me. Yeah, I choked on Tic Tacs, spit them all over my apartment.
I still find them sometimes. But I'm basically talking to all you men out there. You should definitely tune in and watch that because you're probably going to want to date me after you see it. It's really beautiful. If you can see that and still be like, yeah, then you're a keeper. I know. I know. And then my improv group, Caleb, which I just mentioned. Caleb is hilarious. Yeah, it's an all-female group, five of us. We just got into the Crossword Comedy Festival, which is in Indianapolis in October. No way. Congratulations. So that's very cool. Yeah, so we feel really good about that. And we're having at CIC, Chicago Improv Theater, we're having a benefit that's going to...
Benefit St. Jude. It's called Caleb Cares. It's July 25th. It's a three-hour show with a cocktail reception. And Farrell Walsh and his team is going to help us out, too. That's great. I'll definitely be there for that. That sounds very fun. So those are some exciting things on the horizon. How about you, Renee? Anything else you want to plug?
No. Well, I have my group Moonroof. You can just like us on Facebook. And most importantly, like Bad at Movies on Facebook because that's where you'll find all of the links to the podcast if you're not going on Second Wind Collective. And you can also find it there and find some of our other great podcasts there. Cool. So there you go. Those are my plugs. Yeah. Now let's go tap dance our way out of this bitch.
Thank you guys so much for listening to another episode of Bad At Movies. I'd just like to give a special thanks to my guest, Ellen Michalak. And also thank you to Sarah's Winkless and the Second Wind Collective producers, Bridget Brown, Stephanie Kaufman, and Dan Schiffmacher. Thank you guys so much. To close out our show, we're going to have another special, special movie critique by our favorite couple, Morty and Ava Rosenblum. Take it away.
Hello? Internet, are you listening? It's me, Ava, and my husband, Morty Rosenblum. The favorite of the two Rosenblums. I don't know who told you that, Morty. Uh, the internet told me. Okay, well, whatever. I've read the comments on our podcast. Oh, God. Don't listen to that. You're going to get a bigger head than you already have, Morty. It's already pretty heavy. Oh, Jesus. So, Singing in the Rain. What a film. I remember when it came out. We went to go see it on a date. Yes, you know, I never really wanted to see this movie, but I wanted to impress you, and so we went and saw it on a date. What? I hate musicals, and I hate dancing. You've been lying to me all this time?
What, about liking singing in the rain? Yes. I suppose so. It's a fairly simple white lie. How romantic, Mordy. If that's the height of romance for you, I don't know how we've been married for this long. Mordy, has anyone ever told you that your voice is annoying and grating and they wish you couldn't talk? Yes, yes, yes. She's right here. You tell me that on a daily basis. Well, luckily, there's no man that could replace my voice. If someone could, I would pick old Frankie Blue Eyes, Mr. Sinatra. Ah, yes. Old, dead Frank Sinatra. You're out of luck. Oh, dear. You know who I wish would speak for you? Who? A brick wall. What? Silence is golden, my dear.
Well, because the words distract me from your beauty. Oh, Mordy is so sweet. Oh, yes, close call, huh, Eva? You know what? Nothing. Anyway, I liked this movie, but you know what? Honestly, Mordy, there was almost too much dancing and tapping and singing around. I would say they should just take out some of the dancing and replace it with a sword fight.
Ava, there was a sword fight in this movie. No, there wasn't. Yes, there was. You remember when Don Lockwood was in his Renaissance Castle movie, he fought many men with a sword and they were falling off the staircase. What? I don't remember any of that, Mordy. Mordy Rosenblum paid more attention to singing in the rain than Ava, huh? What? Oh, it is a sweet day, my dear, that I am a better recapper of this film. Oh, no, Mordy, I failed. I failed the internet. It's fine. No, it's not fine. I'm retiring from the movie critique. Ava, relax. You're already retiring. This is what we do in retirement. No, I can't.
I'm not even good at this anymore, Morty. I can't even make us breakfast anymore. I can't knit a good scarf for you anymore. Now I can't even review a goddamn movie. I quit. I don't know why you keep saying the word anymore like there was a point where you made a good breakfast. Fine, I'll just be a brick wall again like you always wanted. You know what brick walls are good for? Charlie Brown. He feels better when he touches the brick wall. Touch me, Morty. Here's my brick wall. There, there. Good morning. Good morning.
Okay, that's just about enough of you. Why do you review this movie? I've got a sweet voice and you know it, Moody. It's passable. You know what I give this movie? What? Two and a half microphones. Two and a half microphones out of how many? Out of three, because that's... That's a pretty good score. Gene Kelly is quite a looker, and even though I fell asleep, I still like the movie. Sometimes I worry that you're hiding an oversized microphone in your bosom as well, trying to catch me in a lie. Is that why you check my bosom so often? Let's go with that. What do you give the movie, Moody? I give the movie two and a half bosoms.
Out of? Two and a half bosoms. Oh, he liked it. I did. I was just lying to you. I love this movie. It's a classic. Too long, though. Too long. Too long, that's it. Time for another nap.