Persuasion 167 | Podcastin’ in the Rain, with Gina Dalfonzo

Show Summary

When La La Land released in 2016, connections were made to the 1952 classic musical, Singin’ in the Rain. Both featured a brilliant case, lively song and dance numbers, and love interests that first meet in the midst of Hollywood traffic. But Singin’ in the Rain has a decidedly saccharine tone absent from La La Land. It depicts both love and career as gloriously positive and hopeful. And it has the happily-ever-after ending that La La Land lacks (but needed). Singin’ in the Rain remains at the top of most all-time beloved movies that everyone should watch—which is why it’s this week’s pick for our Never Seen series.

In this episode of Persuasion, Erin Straza and Hannah Anderson discuss Singin’ in the Rain after watching it for the first time ever. To help with the analysis, classic movie enthusiast and Christ and Pop Culture staff writer Gina Dalfonzo joins the conversation. If this movie is on your Never Seen List, you’ll be convicted to watch it just from Gina’s summary alone! Her passion for the film is stirring and her knowledge of the genre as a whole is a tremendous help in understanding this classic. After sharing gut reactions and favorite scenes, the trio discusses the role of happy film in light of the world’s woes as well as the shifting perception of masculinity over the years. What does the tone of this film tell us about the 1950s—or about the perception that 1950s’ Hollywood had of 1920s’ Hollywood? Why were song and dance performers so much more prominently featured in the 1950s? What makes this film so special?

Listen in for dialogue on questions like these, then continue the conversation on Twitter @PersuasionCAPC or in the CAPC members-only community on Facebook.