
BOONE, N.C. – There could only be one film at the top of the American Film Institute (AFI) list of “The Greatest Movie Musicals” of all time, but the choice by a jury of over 1,000 leaders in the creative industry was obvious: “Singin’ in the Rain.” It was so named as part of AFI’s “100 Year… Series” celebrating the first century of American cinema. As a centennial celebration of cinematic milestones, the AFI series intended to inspire discussion and public interest in classical Hollywood cinema.
The Appalachian Theatre of the High Country will screen the beloved film on Tuesday, September 20 at its historic landmark on King Street in downtown Boone. Curtain is at 7 p.m. with a general admission ticket price of just $5. It is part of the theatre’s Cinema Classics Series and is generously sponsored by Nancy and Neil Schaffel.
“Singin’ in the Rain” is a 1952 romantic comedy film directed and choreographed by Gene Kelly and Stanley Donen, starring Kelly, Donald O’Connor, and 19-year-old Debbie Reynolds, and featuring Jean Hagen, Millard Mitchell, and Cyd Charisse. The musical offers a lighthearted depiction of Hollywood in the late 1920s, with the three stars portraying performers caught up in the transition from silent films to “talkies.”
The movie contains a film score of over a dozen songs that have become standards in the canon of musical showtunes. In addition to the ingeniously-staged title number performed by Kelly, popular songs include “Good Morning,” “Broadway Rhythm,” “Fit as a Fiddle (And Ready for Love),” “All I Do Is Dream of You,” “Make ‘Em Laugh,” “You Were Meant for Me,” “You Are My Lucky Star,” and the tongue-twister, “Moses Supposes,” among others.

“Singin’ in the Rain” was only a modest hit when it was first released. O’Connor won the Golden Globe Award for Best Actor, and Betty Comden and Adolph Green won the Writers Guild of America Award for their screenplay, while Jean Hagen was nominated for the Academy Award for Best Supporting Actress. However, it has since been accorded legendary status by contemporary film critics.

In 1989, “Singin’ in the Rain” was one of the first 25 films selected by the United States Library of Congress for preservation in the National Film Registry for being “culturally, historically, or aesthetically significant.” While the App Theatre’s online ticketing system is accessible 24/7, customers can avoid the online service fees by visiting the lobby box office between 11 a.m. and 3 p.m. from Tuesday through Friday, or one hour prior to showtime for each film. For a complete performance schedule of all upcoming events, or to sign up for the theatre’s e-blast distribution list, visit the organization’s website at www.apptheatre.org
Courtesy of The Appalachian Theatre of the High Country

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