January 29, 2017

The death of Debbie Reynolds, on December 28, 2916, led the TVs to reprogram this masterpiece of the musical: "Singing in the Rain" with Gene Kelly, Donald O'Connor, Jean Hagen, Cyd Charisse ...
The story of Don Lockwood (Gene Kelly) and Lina Lamont (Jean Hagen) stars of the silent film making their first film "The Dueling Cavalier", whose action takes place at the court of France under Louis XVI. Only Lina Lamont has a rattling voice. The film is grotesque. The projection tests a catastrophe.
What to do ? Don Lockwood and Cosmo Brown (Donald O'Connor) his friend, a musician on stage, succeeded in convincing Mr. Simpson the boss of the Studio (Millard Mitchell) to transform the production into a singing film, doubling the main actress with a real one Singer (Debbie Reynolds) ... We spare you the details and twists ...

Seeing the sequences of the beginning of "Singing in the Rain", one can not help thinking of "Monsieur Beaucaire". A Paramount film shot in 1924 and directed by Sidney Olcott with Rudoph Valentino in the dual role of Beaucaire, a barber and the Duke of Chartres, an aristocrat of the court of the King of France, Louis XV, and with Bebe Daniels in that of Princesse Henriette... A super production with a plethoric casting, many imposing sets and sumptuous costumes.

There is no doubt that Stanley Donen and Gene Kelly who co-direct the film have seen "Mr. Beaucaire" as the correspondences are obvious as seen below. I am looking for more details.

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