However one I find most fascinating is looking at the film as a social commentary of sorts or in other words viewing the film as a social history. The musical was produced in the early s yet the narrative takes place in the late s.
The film sheds some light on how people in the fifties viewed life in the late twenties. Yes, it is a typical Hollywood Golden Age film, with a good guy bad guy conflict and happy ending resolution where the protagonist wins. That being said I think beneath the elaborate dance scenes and lighthearted love story is a comment about society in in the eyes of the people living in The film begins with a crowd screaming and cheering for a celebrity couple they have no legitimate relationship with.
The fact that the crowd has no personal connection with the couple is further displayed when one of the protagonists takes on the role as narrator. The story he reveals to his adoring fans is not the story we viewers are seeing on screen or what can be inferred as the truth.
Don Lockwood paints an ideal image of a young couple falling in love in the midst of gaining stardom. Yet what the viewer sees is a rude starlet, the antagonist, Lina Lamont, who could careless about humble up and coming star Mr. The adoring fans are so overwhelmed by this charming love story, one even faints.
Although moments before when honest Cosmo steps out of the car the fans are disappointed and uninterested in what he has to say. What this scene highlights is the idea that people in the late twenties responded better to a false glamorous reality than a less than picture perfect truth. They mockingly laughed when the original film with her voice was premiered. Throughout the whole film the goal of the studio is to manipulate the truth. The narrative of the film creates layers of false realities.
