Tom Spearing’s review published on Letterboxd:
Funny, cleverly choreographed, and far goofier than I was expecting—this was a real joy to watch. Every frame is just so artfully composed. It’s easy to get distracted by the film’s titular rain-drenched musical number, which is understandably the most iconic moment, but the rest of the film is equally memorable. The supporting performances are particularly good, the two standouts being Jean Hagen as the squeakily voiced, conniving, yet endearingly dim-witted Lina Lamont, and Donald O’Connor, who moves so fluidly and performs some sublime slapstick—particularly in the ‘Make ‘em Laugh’ sketch, which is a delight.
The one part that broke the flow of this for me was the ‘Broadway Melody’ sequence, which diverts away from the main narrative for nearly fifteen minutes, but that dream segment with the woman dressed in the long trailing tail of fabric is so beautifully put together, I can forgive the indulgence.
I used to think that musicals weren’t for me, but even this sceptic can’t deny that he was won over by this one. The charm that emanates from this is just too infectious.
