Gene-ius

Whether he's splashing in puddles or swooning over subway posters (will he ever find you, Miss Turnstiles?!), practicing plies or parlez-ing francais in the streets of Paris, Gene Kelly is a genius.

Oh. Did I mention he was devastatingly handsome, too?

Yes, Turner Classic Movies has done it again with an entire 31 days devoted to divine dancer, singer, actor, director, and choreographer Gene Kelly, a man with incredible vision who infused his film legacy with seemingly-unattainable perfection in nearly every facet of his most popular films. Gifted in many areas of acting and ruthless in his pursuit of excellence, Kelly often commandeered many aspects of film-making in his two most impressive decades at MGM, the 1940s and '50s: from casting for his leading ladies (he launched the careers of relative unknowns Leslie Caron and Debbie Reynolds in roles opposite him, in 1951 and 1952, respectively) to rewriting the scripts he was given, Kelly clambered over the heads of studio execs to leave his indelible mark on Hollywood. Bruised egos aside, I do believe Tinseltown is all the better for his aspirations.

So here's to you, Gene-o - fifty-five years and we're still dancing, and singin, in the rain.

Don't forget to tune in Monday nights for fabulous Kelly fare - everything from barely-known dramas like Black Hand and glorious Techincolors like Cover Girl to unprecedented classics like Singin' in the Rain and An American in Paris. Are you a new fan of Gene's? I highly recommend the above-mentioned four films, along with 1945's Anchors Aweigh, 1949's Take Me Out to the Ball Game, and 1950's Summer Stock. You'll be in love in no time at all!