Depth of Field in Singin' In The Rain: Theater on Screen
Through the medium of cinema, the grandeur of musical theater is difficult to capture. The bold, dramatic nature of a staged production and the intimate storytelling that a film can accomplish seem to be in opposition. However, in Stanley Donen’s and Gene Kelly’s Singin’ In The Rain, musical theater and cinema come together in what is widely considered to be one of the best Hollywood musicals ever made. Depth of field plays a large role in the film’s magnificence; variations in this element of cinematography allow for the parallel progression of both the exuberant musical plot and the emotional romance between Don Lockwood and Kathy Selden. Two scenes in particular exemplify these differences: “Good Morning” and “You Were Meant For Me.” During these two songs, differing depths of field shift the audience’s focus from grand, theatrical entertainment to an intimate, endearing romance.
Initially, the film’s use of deep focus is the most prominent iteration of depth of field as a cinematographic technique. During the film’s elaborate musical numbers, such as “Good Morning,” great depth of field allows for the entire environment to be taken in by the audience. The clarity and wide capture of the background are reminiscent of a stage production’s setting and the audience’s vantage point; the viewer can take in the entire scene as they would during a live, theatrical performance. In the scene preceding the song “Good Morning,” Don Lockwood, Kathy Selden, and Cosmo Brown come up with the pivotal idea to turn their new film into a musical. The subsequent song is one of joy, triumph, and friendship. As the characters sing and dance, the beautiful architecture of Lockwood’s home is clearly visible behind them. They travel through the setting as the camera follows them, revealing more of the impressive scenery with each step. With such a deep focus, “Good Morning” makes an impact as a stunning musical number treasured by film and theater enthusiasts alike. The depth of field’s impact in this scene, while effective in its own right, is largely due to the mise-en-scène that it reveals.
In creating its fantastical musical numbers, Singin’ In The Rain employs mise-en-scène to build an elaborate, captivating world for the audience’s enjoyment. With a great depth of field, the setting, costumes, colors, props, and other design elements make their full effect as representatives of the film’s theatrical style; the intricate touches involved in each set are comparable to stagecraft. Especially in boisterous musical numbers, these elements are of great importance and remain in full focus throughout the majority of the songs. Songs like “Good Morning,” “Broadway Melody,” and the titular “Singin’ In The Rain” show off the film’s mise-en-scène and use it to their advantage as immersive musical numbers.
As a practical filmmaking tool, the application of great depth of field brings the joy of musical theater to the screen while preserving the integrity of film as a medium. However, in addition to its technical usage, depth of field can be used for more artistic, expressive purposes. An in-focus background is, in many of the film’s sumptuous scenes, a key representative of the glamor and excitement of Hollywood. It immerses the characters in a world of wealth, fame, fashion, and other aspects of Hollywood culture. This result of a great depth of field is a more subliminal one, affecting the audience's understanding of the story from an artistic perspective. Furthermore, depth of field contributes to the film in a thematic sense. Because Singin’ In The Rain is somewhat self-referential in its representation of the film industry, there exists a theme of reality in opposition to what is seen on film. The use of depth of field implies that the film’s more histrionic moments are, in some ways, simply for show; the development of a musical as a narrative line within the film forces the audience to evaluate Singin’ In The Rain as a film in its entirety rather than simply as an entertaining narrative. Because the film is set in Hollywood, the Hollywood that produced Singin’ In The Rain is under scrutiny along with the film itself. Additionally, narrower depth of field places emphasis on true humanity and deflects the assumptions and pressures that a Hollywood musical might apply. The presence of this theme is corroborated by the use of narrow depth of field elsewhere in the film.
During Singin’ In The Rain’s more intimate moments, a narrow depth of field is used to place focus on the characters rather than on their environment. Most notably, a blurred background is often present in scenes featuring Don Lockwood and Kathy Selden. Their emerging romance is one of the film’s main focuses and it juxtaposes the picturesque, status-oriented idea of Hollywood that the film presents; Lockwood and Selden introduce perfectly manicured versions of themselves to their fans but share their true selves with each other. Through the use of narrow depth of field and selective focus, the viewer’s attention is directed towards Lockwood and Selden during their flirtatious interactions rather than whatever their surroundings may be. In these moments, their romance is the only thing that matters. In the song “You Were Meant For Me,” Don Lockwood finally confesses his loving feelings to Kathy Seldon in an empty soundstage. “I’m such a ham,” he says. “I’m not able to [say what I feel] without the proper setting.” In this moment, although it contains beautiful color and lighting, the grandeur of the film’s musical magnitude is de-escalated and the emotional romance is permitted to take precedence; in comparison to the preceding musical number, “Make ‘Em Laugh,” this song is far less exuberant. A particularly notable moment is a close-up of Selden’s face that features blurred stage lights in the background. This shot, utilizing narrow depth of field, emphasizes Selden above all else and depicts her in an idealized, desirable state. Shots like this one are not present in the more upbeat, splendid musical numbers that often define the film.
Although much of “You Were Meant For Me” has a greater depth of field than other romantic moments, the large, nearly empty soundstage that the characters inhabit emphasizes their relationship over the glitz and glamor of Hollywood. The background is in clear focus, but there is not much in the setting to draw attention away from the main couple. In this intimate song, greater depth of field emphasizes not the intricacies of the setting, but the bareness of the characters’ surroundings. This choice places emphasis on their relationship in a way different from selective focus but equally as effective.
The balance between Singin’ In The Rain’s lavish musical numbers and its presentation of an enchanting interpersonal relationship between its main characters is what allows it to be such an effective piece of cinema; the characters’ humanity and their surreal, exciting world unfold in tandem. The dual narrative, a budding romance and the production of a musical film, is separated in part by depth of field. Deeper focus allows for the appreciation of mise-en-scène while selective focus draws the audience’s attention to Kathy Seldon and Don Lockwood, deeply human characters in a place defined by wealth, power, and glamor. Directors Stanley Donen and Gene Kelly, along with cinematographer Harold Rosson, bring this juxtaposition to life in Singin’ In The Rain, a film that combines the joys of musical theater with the intimate storytelling of cinema.
