Mostlydaydreaming

“Singin’ in the Rain” (1952)

Don (Gene Kelly) drops quick to avoid Kathy’s (Debbie Reynolds) wrath…

Singin’ in the Rain (1952)

Gene Kelly, Debbie Reynolds, and Donald O’Connor

Gene Kelly & Debbie Reynolds in Singin’ in the Rain (1952)

Debbie Reynolds. & Gene Kelly in Singin’ in the Rain (1952)☔️

“You Were Meant for Me”

Gene Kelly & Debbie Reynolds - Singin’ in the Rain (1952)

Singin’ in the Rain (1952) - Gene Kelly , Debbie Reynolds & Donald O’ Conner

Singin’ in the Rain (1952)☔️

Gene Kelly, Donald O’Connor, Debbie Reynolds

Gene Kelly & Debbie Reynolds Part Two:

The Kiss

The “adult” kiss was another matter. She often talked about how he surprised her with an adult “French” kiss during the filming of a scene. She ran off afterwards, grabbing a coke to rinse her mouth out and came back after he apologized and promised not to do it again. I’m pretty sure the kiss in question was the one in the final scene since that was the most “tight-lipped” of the bunch.

There were several ones filmed before that which were much more relaxed, including the one before his Singin’ in the Rain number.

I think Gene was wanting to do a “big kiss” in the final scene similar to what he’d done with Rita Hayworth at the end of Cover Girl and other stars like Judy Garland. I don’t think open mouthed kisses on camera were new to him even though they were forbidden by the Hayes Code. She was the first and only one to complain to my knowledge, but also the most sheltered.

Her only experience kissing at all, was with another actor who was recruited to teach her how to kiss on camera, in much the same way Judy “taught” Gene during FMAMG.

The other actor obviously didn’t “teach” her that one, but did Gene know? Did he receive a little extra “teaching” from Judy that new actors didn’t ordinarily receive? He admitted he was surprised when she taught him how to kiss onscreen, how it was like a “real lovers kiss.” Did he know they all didn’t get taught like this? And if he didn’t know, he wasn’t going to admit he was “taught” differently by the 19 year old Judy.

Gene had never been accused of being inappropriate by other women with whom he’d worked, even if, like Esther Williams, they didn’t even like him. I don’t think he was suddenly overtaken by lust just by working with a pretty young woman. He’d worked with them his whole life, going back to his dance studios in Pittsburgh. I think he just wanted a big passionate kiss for the finale but was unaware that after they’d procured a “trainer,” she still hadn’t experienced one. Or he probably thought at least she would have experienced enough to not be freaked out by it. But he certainly wasn’t going to defend himself by saying “well that’s the way me and Judy did it.”😆

My thoughts on Debbie Reynolds & Gene Kelly

Ok most people who follow my blog, like Gene Kelly. And if you do, you’ve probably heard the stories about Gene & Debbie on the set of Singin’ in the Rain. So here’s my take.

LB Meyer saw Debbie as an up-and-coming star and wanted her in the role of Kathy Seldon. How much Gene Kelly agreed to it is debatable. He wanted someone with dancing experience for the part. His last two leading ladies were Vera Ellen & Leslie Caron, both gifted dancers. He likely already had some ideas on what kinds of numbers he wanted to do and knew they would be difficult for a novice to learn in a short amount of time.

He did have quite a bit of experience teaching novices, you know.

Complicating matters, they did not have Donald O’Conner forever, he was borrowed for a limited number of weeks, meaning they didn’t have forever for her to learn. Gene had considered making Donald part of the Broadway Melody number but that idea got nixed when he had to leave for another project. So her novice status did affect the film.

Gene tested her with a basic time step and Maxi Ford which she did not know. LB insisted she’d learn it, removing any question over who would be cast as Kathy.

I think Gene bristled over LB’s order. As a side note Gene acted badly over another LB order years earlier. When Gene first got to Hollywood he’d gone to a big party put on by Meyer (which he hated). Guests included Vivian Leigh who was going thru a difficult time and drinking heavily at the party. LB told Gene to go dance with her to cheer her up, saying she’d always wanted to dance with him. Gene hated being ordered to do something he didn’t want to do.

Now Gene loved Vivian but hated dancing at parties because as soon as he hit the floor all eyes turned to him. People expected a show. After they started dancing he could tell she was too drunk, it would be awkward. So he asked if they could just sit this one out. Then he saw the look of disappointment and shame on her face as she dragged him back to her table. He said he wanted to kill himself after he said it, because he didn’t mean to hurt her but it was LB’s demand that put him in such a foul mood.

I think it was much of the same with Debbie. He knew how hard it would be, but LB acted like dancing was no big deal, as if anyone could do it. I think at that point Gene had it set in his mind that he wasn’t going to simplify the routines for a her, so LB said she could do it, ok let’s see her do it. Debbie got caught in between. She did it tho, and she always talked about it with pride later, like a soldier remembering her drill sergeant from boot camp.

She did enjoy recounting the stories about him for her shows. This one, the kiss, and the one where she left gum on the ladder (why she took it out before the scene and stick it on there I’ll never know), and when he leaned against it his toupee came off. He never responded to any of it but she made sure she and others got a good laugh at his expense.

Gene did recognize his poor behavior later and apologized. It certainly doesn’t excuse it but it makes more sense taken within the context of the LB-Gene rivalry. Of course, Gene didn’t admit to all this. He didn’t get into media feuds. He did later say she was perfect for the part, “strong as an ox,” and couldn’t believe she was still speaking to him. Years later, he even caused her to tear up when he went backstage at her Broadway show and told her how proud he was of her.

“Singin’ in the Rain” (1952) LP

Gene Kelly, Debbie Reynolds, and Donald O’Conner in “Singin’ in the Rain”

Singin’ in the Rain☔️

“Singin’ in the Rain”☔️

Gene Kelly & Debbie Reynolds