Don Lockwood Singin In The Rain

Singin’ in the Rain is story about a film company making the transition to sound in the late 1920’s United States and an actor trying to prove himself in the midst of the transition.
Cohan’s article on ‘Singin’ in the Rain’ discusses how the films and its meanings have undergone changes throughout the years. It could be considered a film about Hollywood as its narrative aspects conform to classic Hollywood narrative conventions such as it having a love story (Don and Kathy) and a story about the public/work sphere (the transition from silent films to talkies). It could be considered the first ‘camp film’, a film which contradicts itself by dubbing the actress Debbie Reynolds in a movie about audio dubbing, or a movie in which the male leads define the women, their position and their representation.

However, Cohan (2000) wants the audience to take a closer look at it and discover its meaning with what we

While the musical number is the most crucial part of the scene it would fail if the soundscape was not there at all. As an audience we believe Don Lockwood is ‘singin’ in the rain’ because of the diegetic sounds of the rain pouring and splashing on the ground. We see the appropriate sound being used when Don splashes into the water, when it pours on his face and when he tap dances in it. Without these sound effects added in, the joyful and gleeful nature of the scene would be lost. It would be somewhat awkward to watch without having these elements in. It would be distracting If you close your eyes and listen to the sounds in the scene, the audience can understand what is happening just by the sound. The audience understands it is raining because the sound of the rain so when Don says he singin’ in the rain we believe him. It is element the audience would only notice if it was not there but because it was the scene