Umpteenth in a series of elephant goes to the Movies.

Good mornin’, Good Mornin’

(my all-time favorite song to play while cooking up eggs and brewing coffee)

I grew up on musicals—my mom was a big fan, having been raised herself in LA, her mom the personal secretary to Ginger Rogers (you know, Fred Astaire and Ginger Rogers), and on my father’s side, Alan Jay Lerner is a relatively close relation. And so it is that I learned to love a host of musicals, mostly those starring the afore-mentioned duo, or Gene Kelly.

Musicals, these days, have a rather effeminate reputation. That’s all well and good, but, historically, it’s not accurate. Gene Kelly brought an atheticism, masculinity, humor and magnetism to the bright screen and happy, emotive worlds of musicals that may seem surprising to a modern audience. His movies—particularly Singin’ in the Rain and American in Paris…are among my favorites.

Rent it. If you haven’t seen a great musical in a long time, or ever, you won’t likely be disappointed.