Musical Relations

While the selected musical examples from An American in Paris (Vincente Minnelli, 1951) and Singin’ in the Rain (Gene Kelly and Stanley Donen, 1952) are artistic highlights and can function as a non-verbal means of expression and a visual manifestation of the characters’ psychological intent, there are several other contributing factors expressed through these actions. Even though An American in Paris and Singin’ in the Rain are unique in their musical treatment, there are several aspects which simultaneously tie and contrast them. The elements which can be examined further are: (i) the interpretation of the relationship between music and film, (ii) exploration of a private space through movement, (iii) gaze and perception of the camera, and (iv) cultural references. Yet, the timing and nature of these elements can be traced to the treatment and structure of the music.

The Interpretation of the Relationship between Music and Film

Although music is a significant factor in both An American in Paris and Singin’ in the Rain, the two films express and treat the culmination between music and film very differently.

In order to interpret and better understand this point, it is necessary to consider the unique style of each of the directors; the stylized, artistic eye of Vincente Minnelli for An American in Paris, and co-directors Gene Kelly and Stanley Donen’s attention to showcase the musical numbers in Singin’ in the Rain.

In the case of Minnelli and An American in Paris, it is perhaps his eye as a Broadway art director which contributes to the visual perception and interpretation of the dual-fantasy

An American in Paris ballet. Here, the changes in the fumata backdrop of the “blues”

section of the ballet act as visual cues to note changes in the music. In turn, as these

changes occur just before or after a cut, it is the music which gives the illusion of a smoother, subtle, and more natural transition. As a result, while the music is a non-verbal expression of Jerry and Lise’s romance, the music is not noticed for the music itself. According to film composer David Raksin, film music should not be noted for itself, and that ‘[i]ts great

usefulness is the way in which it performs its role without intervening conscious act of perception. It is most telling when the music registers upon us in a quiet way, where we don’t know it’s actually happening.’¹²⁴

In the case of Singin’ in the Rain, it is very clear that music and dance can be crucial elements to the structure and development of the narrative. Through the musical numbers, the elements of music and dance meld to for ‘a perfect medium to represent the subliminal self, festivity, and performance since it is coalescent movement, a harmony of disparate energies, directions, and contours, a movement that is elevated and extraordinary as these spheres of being are.’¹²⁵ Here, the timing of the music, its structure, and expansion are essential to the camera angles and editing. As a result, the movement and angle of the camera is limited to the movement of the characters, whose movements are limited to an applicable visual interpretation of the music. Even minute visual cues and character actions can be seen as being determined by the structure of the musical verse; when Don waves his hand in “Singin’ in the Rain”, he bisects the verse. Yet, the verses in “Singin’ in the Rain”

determine a significant amount of the action; the very first line is “I’m singin’ in the rain,”

which makes it essential for the scene to take place in the rain.

124 Burt, The Art of Film Music, 5.

125 Dunne, American Film Musical Themes and Forms, 85.

Psychological Expression and Exploration of a Private Space

In both An American in Paris and Singin’ in the Rain, the psychological expression of the protagonists occurs via exploration of a private space. In the case of An American in Paris, Jerry and Lise’s private space is centered around the banks of the Seine after their

“Love is Here to Stay” number, and most intently in the An American in Paris fantasy ballet during the “blues” sequence. As musically different as these two numbers are; “Love is Here to Stay” being a popular piece and the An American in Paris ballet adapted from the tone poem of the same name, they share a similar pattern of movement. In both cases, the line of the dance is circular; a metaphor for the way Jerry and Lise need to circle their relationship around their other commitments (Milo for Jerry and Henri for Lise) whom they feel indebted to for very different reasons. This circular revolution is suggested in the painting motange sequence; the “Love is Here to Stay” theme weaves around the orchestral “Tra-La-La,” and is only heard when Jerry works on his portrait of Lise. On a larger scale, the “Love is Here to Stay” theme and Jerry and Lise’s “blues” theme from the ballet weave in and out from the dramatic score, and after their second farewell, it is their ballet theme which not only reunites them, but transcends the ballet to reality so that it can really be interpreted as a condensed version of the film.

Even though it is possible to deduce the circular movement on the fountain for practical reasons, most notably the circular shape of the fountain, there is something else which acts as a boundary for Jerry and Lise’s movements in both musical examples. In “Love is Here to Stay”, Jerry and Lise have to move in a circular pattern, because their limits are the

wall/stairway and the riverbank. It is possible that to add depth and to maximize the use of

their private space by the Seine that a circular line of dance is used. In the case of the fountain dance in the ballet, the water is also a boundary; however Jerry and Lise dance in it versus next to it.

While the movement in the selected musical examples from An American in Paris takes on a circular pattern, the movement in the musical examples from Singin’ in the Rain is linear.

Yet, each musical number has its own limits; the ladder and area of the sound stage in “You Were Meant for Me,” and the sidewalk in “Singin’ in the Rain”.

In the musical number “You Were Meant for Me,” which establishes Don and Kathy’s relationship, the only time Don sings is when he and Kathy are on or in proximity of the ladder. In addition, the only circular movements of the camera occur around the ladder; when Don climbs and descends it so that it captures Kathy’s perspective, and while the couple circle around the ladder as Don woos Kathy lyrically. When they dance though, their linear movement and their exploration of private space occurs in front of the ladder. In addition, it is only away from the ladder that the line of dance is linear. Once Don and Kathy’s dance takes them back towards the ladder, Don lifts Kathy and spins her; a circular, not a lateral movement.

Like the predominant line of linear movement in “You Were Meant for Me,” Don’s solo,

“Singin’ in the Rain” follows a linear line as well. While the line of the sidewalk is one reason for this, it is necessary to recall the turn around the corner early before Don’s jump on the lamppost. The turn is a metaphor for the new direction in Don’s life in Hollywood; he is now about to become what Kathy dubs “a big singing star”¹²⁶ to save the doomed The

Duelling Cavalier talkie. When the dance sequence begins, while Don’s actions are a kinesthetic interpretation of the music, his line of direction appears to be limited by the shape and space around the sidewalk.

126 Singin’ in the Rain, DVD, Chapter 25, 2002.

The cue for the momentary departure from the linear line of movement is noted when Don stands under the downspout, and dances counterclockwise through the street to establish and explore his space. This movement is not only the sole instance in which Don moves liberally within the space, but the only time the space in which he dances is established.

The minute Don gets to the sidewalk, he reverts back to a horizontal line of motion until he jumps and splashes around in the puddle at the end.

Like “You Were Meant for Me,” it is only in this private location which the audience is allowed access to Don’s psychological expression. On the other hand, Don’s public does not see his musical side until he sings to Kathy in public at the successful premiere of The Dancing Cavallier. It is only when Don’s musical side is exposed to the public through a film that he can musically address Kathy in public.

Gaze and Perception of the Camera

Critical to visual enhancement and perception is the gaze and projection of the camera.

Yet, this can be traced to its relationship with and treatment of the musical structure. The meticulous attention to this structural element between music and film is essential, which not only aids to bring out the emotional aspect of the narrative, but gets the audience to pay attention to and participate with the characters. However, the perspective given is a subjective one. Unlike theater, where the audience is allowed some liberty on where and what they choose to look at, these parameters are altered in film to what the director feels is important and what aspect should be the intent of the gaze of the camera.

In Jerry and Lise’s popular music number, “Love is Here to Stay,” in An American in Paris, the camera forces the audience to first view the number from a blend of Lise’s

perspective and her reaction to Jerry’s lyrics. It is only after the audience sees Lise’s smile that the gaze of the camera changes to view the number from Jerry’s perspective, unaware

that he has won Lise’s undivided attention. When the couple dances, the gaze of the camera changes so that not only is the dance showcased, but the camera dances with Jerry and Lise.

Throughout the “blues” sequence from the An American in Paris ballet, the camera continues to focus on Jerry and Lise, but the perspective is more intimate than the “Love is Here to Stay” number set on the banks of the Seine. In addition, there is an added element of depth, suggested by the use of concert music and the fumata quality of the background.

In contrast to Jerry and Lise’s musical number by the Seine, which firmly established their relationship, their fantasy ballet theme reflects the depth and growth of their relationship not only musically and visually, but through the gaze of the camera as well. Unlike the “Love is Here to Stay” number, no establishing shot of the fountain or the Place de la Concorde is revealed through their duet.

In both musical examples from Singin’ in the Rain, “You Were Meant for Me” and

“Singin’ in the Rain,” there is the clear intent between the gaze of the camera and its relation to the musical structure to showcase and draw attention to movement: At the start of the dance sequence in “You Were Meant for Me,” the camera follows Don as he leads Kathy into a dance. In “Sinigin’ in the Rain,” the camera moves with Don as he dances up and down the sidewalk. While part of this stems from the link between the languages of music and film, the background of the co-directors also needs to be taken into account. Before their arrival in Hollywood, both of the co-directors spent some time on Broadway; Donen was a chorus boy and Kelly danced and starred in several productions. It is naturally fitting that their camerawork focuses on the musical numbers to showcase the visual and kinesthetic interpretation of the music. Here, the attention is on the action over the depth of visuals as per An American in Paris, but perhaps the relative simplicity is what makes the musical numbers in Singin’ in the Rain, notably Kelly’s solo number memorable and appeal to audiences nearly sixty years later.

Cultural References

Even though pre-existing music is arranged and adapted to fit the narratives in An American in Paris and Singin’ in the Rain, it is through the music and its treatment which alludes to two different cultural references; highbrow art in An American in Paris and the lowbrow vaudevillian in Singin’ in the Rain. This is not to suggest that the music from An American in Paris should be taken more seriously than that in Singin’ in the Rain; both musicals are highly influenced by popular song catalogues from the early-mid twentieth century. Rather, it is the way in which the music is treated that suggests a different means of appreciation for it. Recall An American in Paris musical arranger Saul Chaplin’s

comment about how he regards Gershwin with the same sacredness that he has for Beethoven.

This is perhaps why he had the trepidations that he did about adapting the Gershwin catalogue for the film; most particularly the adaptation of the An American in Paris tone poem for the dual-fantasy ballet finale.

Another reference to a highly cultured society is the costumed Art Students Ball.

Recall that Jerry told Milo “…everyone in Paris will be there.”¹²⁷ The “everyone” is a reference to the cultured sect of Paris and a society which more than likely has an affinity for and can afford to patronize the arts and the beneficiaries of this sponsorship. After the scenes at the costume ball, the next major musical spectacle is the An American in Paris ballet; an adaptation of a concert piece for a seventeen-minute dual-fantasy ballet finale, which not only condenses the narrative into a highly artistic spectacle, but the “blues” theme;

a popular music theme and the “American” in An American in Paris transcends the dual-fantasy into the narrative’s reality when Jerry and Lise are reunited. Moreover, the

127 An American in Paris, DVD, Chapter 27, 1999.

walking theme from the concert piece opened the narrative and introduced Paris, and it is fitting that Jerry and Lise’s “blues” theme not only reunites them, but brings the narrative to a musical close.

In contrast to the elusions of highbrow culture via musical treatment in An American in Paris, the music and its treatment in Singin’ in the Rain is the lowbrow music of the

vaudevillians and their rise to make it in show business. This is clearly depicted in the kaleidoscope-like “Beautiful Girl” montage, which can be interpreted as an hommage to some of the earliest film footage: popular vaudeville acts. Likewise, the impetus behind the heightened Broadway Ballet finale is the rise of a young vaudevillian to stardom. In

addition to the vaudeville recollection, nearly the entire musical score consists of songs from the time of the earliest musicals.

While there is a premiere party in after The Royal Rascal (the silent film within Singin’

in the Rain), complete with well-dressed patrons and a house band, some of the guests are seen tango dancing. As a reflection of one of the popular dances from the late 1920s, the

“All I Do is Dream of You” musical number, performed by the Coconut Grove dancers, is structured around the charleston. When Don and Kathy dance to “You Were Meant for Me,” they use popular dance styles of the time as their means of kinesthetic expression; soft shoe, tap, and the quick-step.

Even though music can function as a non-verbal means to express the characters’

psychological intent, when combined with camera angles and editing, it can also effect the perception and projection of a scene or musical number. It is through the treatment and methods used to combine the languages of music and film which make the analysis of each musical example unique. While broad generalizations can be made about the various forms of music functionality, it is the visual and aural treatment which can make each scenario different. It is through music; its treatment and kinesthetic interpretation which can have an

influence on not only what the viewer perceives, but on what the musical number can project about the characters and the narrative as well.

Conclusion

Where the Good Songs Go

In hindsight, these two musicals discussed were made at a pivotal point which coincided with the creative zenith of the film musical. A culmination of what began with fantasy escapes in the 1930s, integrated musical numbers vital to the advancement of the plot throughout the 1940s, the musicals of the 1950s reached the creative and innovative zenith of the genre. Stereophonic sound, Cinemascope, and trick photography did what could not be done on television or in the theater.

The Dream Factory in Dreamland at its Zenith

A medley of the genre at its height reveals: Judy Garland’s discovery of home in The Wizard of Oz (Victor Fleming, 1939) and Meet Me in St. Louis (Vincente Minnelli, 1944), and ability to encourage everyone to “Get Happy” in Summer Stock (Charles Walters, 1950).

Fred Astaire is able to dance on the ceiling in Royal Wedding (Stanley Donen, 1951) and on air with Vera-Ellen in The Belle of New York (Charles Walters, 1952). An American in Paris (Vincente Minnelli, 1951) ends with a ballet which can only be described as one of MGM’s most artistic and creative masterpieces. Invitation to the Dance (Gene Kelly, 1957), while misunderstood at its release, fully utilizes music and dance as narrative devices without any dialogue and furthers the combination of live action and animation. Both Brigadoon (Vincente Minnelli, 1954) and It’s Always Fair Weather (Gene Kelly and Stanley Donen, 1955) utilize the quality of stereophonic sound and the advantages of Cinemascope to capture the scope of their musical numbers.¹²⁸

One of the many triumphs of the 1950s, Gigi (Vincente Minnelli, 1958), produced by Arthur Freed, won nine Oscars, including Best Director, Best Picture, Best Song, and Best

128 Fordin, MGM’s Greatest Musicals: The Arthur Freed Unit, 425.

Scoring of a Motion picture. To date, not other original Hollywood musical has done this.¹²⁹

Time to Grow Up?

While no single factor can contribute to the downfall of the glory days of the Golden Age and its musicals, several factors lead to the apparent end of the movie musical. Both society and Hollywood grew up, there was a change in public taste, and rock and roll played a role in alterations to the movie musical to direct it to a teen audience and not confine it to an adult fantasy. The final demise of the studio system and its monopolistic control over cinemas, which supported the big budgets required to produce multiple musicals a year and

While no single factor can contribute to the downfall of the glory days of the Golden Age and its musicals, several factors lead to the apparent end of the movie musical. Both society and Hollywood grew up, there was a change in public taste, and rock and roll played a role in alterations to the movie musical to direct it to a teen audience and not confine it to an adult fantasy. The final demise of the studio system and its monopolistic control over cinemas, which supported the big budgets required to produce multiple musicals a year and