Summer Stock: The antecedent to Singin’ in the Rain
Directed by Charles Walters
“We’re trying to tell a story with music, and song, and dance. Well, not just with words. For instance, if the boy tells the girl that he loves her, he just doesn’t say it, he sings it.”
Joe Ross
Summer Stock is a quintessential 1950s Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer (MGM) musical film with elements of comedy, detailed choreography, and vibrant technicolor. Released nearly two years prior to the commercial launch of its fraternal film Singin’ in the Rain (1952), Summer Stock possesses exploratory elements to the complete one seen in the latter. It is directed by Charles Walters, with stars Gene Kelly and Judy Garland – seen on screen for the third time together since For Me in My Gal (1942) and The Pirate (1948). The story follows Jane Falbury, the owner of her family’s farm, that happens to come upon tough times. She is deserted by their only two farm hands because of a financial deficit and must find another means of help. She ends up going to her fiancé Orville Wingait and his father, who runs a local store, to loan a tractor for extra assistance. Both agree, and she is able to get the tractor on certain conditions. Amidst all this, her younger sister Abigail returns to the farm with a musical group. Spearheaded by the director Joe Ross, the group was reliant on Abigail’s promise that they could host their summer stock production in the barn. Jane, blindsided by this agreement, disapproves. Though, she is eventually persuaded by the tantrum her sister throws at the rejection and allows them to continue the play. However, things start to complicate as she begins to develop feelings for the director.
This film follows a simple plot line where the unlikely character blossoms into a metaphorical savior. The musical sequences choreographed by Nick Castle and Gene Kelly proved to be colorful, detailed numbers that complement the themes within the film. A few of my favorites being the Barn Dance1, the Newspaper Dance2, and the “Get Happy”3 number. Upon closer review, the song and setting in “You Wonderful You”4 between Kelly and Garland, bears rudimentary facets of a more polished version of “You were Meant for Me”5 in Singin’ in the Rain. The “Get Happy” number is one of the most referenced in pop culture today. Notably, Michael Jackson’s “Dangerous” 1993 and 1995 performances appear to pay homage to the classic number through its choreography. With Cinematography completed by Robert Planck, whose filmography includes credit for his work on Anchors Aweigh (1945), the film is beautifully done.
There are charming performances given by both Garland and Kelly. It is widely known that Garland had personal troubles during the film, but it is delightful to see her perseverance amidst that. Her performances were nothing short of stellar thanks to the support of a long-time friend in Kelly, she would have had a helping hand during this tumultuous time. Unfortunately, this would have been the final film she would have with MGM and Kelly subsequently. Gene Kelly remained a classic, leading man with an electric on-screen presence. The supporting cast – consisting of Marjorie Main, Eddie Bracken, Gloria DeHaven, Phil Silvers, and Ray Collins – does a decent job with the script. Though Phil Silver’s acting did seem a bit overdone at times.
Summer Stock is a musical film that precursors the major commercial triumph of Singin’ in the Rain. On its own, it has many elements that has made it such a stand-alone success. Whether it be the cinematography, the musical numbers, choreography or the chemistry between the leads – this film will always be a favorite of mine.
Citations:
- “Barn Dance | Summer Stock | Warner Archive.” YouTube, uploaded by Warner Bros. Classic, 27.04.2017, http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mEVS7opoyI4. ↩︎
- “Gene Kelly Solo Dance | Summer Stock | Warner Archive.” YouTube, uploaded by Warner Bros. Classic, 27.04.2017, http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Y0tnHNYpRG8. ↩︎
- “Get Happy – Judy Garland | Summer Stock | Warner Archive.” YouTube, uploaded by Warner Bros. Classic, 27.04.2017, http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=q7d0NRewzW4. ↩︎
- “You Wonderful You – Judy Garland & Gene Kelly” YouTube, uploaded by TheJudyRoomVideos, 13.02.2015, http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zC9flOXYYu8. ↩︎
- “Singin’ in The Rain (You Were Meant for Me)” YouTube, uploaded by bcclonedaphy, 28.11.2011, http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TUql3hgHpMU. ↩︎
The Island Cinephile 
