Give it plenty of hoke

Singin' in the Rain

(1952)

A first: I watched this with my 4-year-old granddaughter Veronica, and while we did have to interrupt the screening, it was only because she had to go to preschool; otherwise, I think she would have watched it straight through, rapt.

She had seen the musical numbers before, and I think those are still her favorite parts (duh!), especially "Make 'Em Laugh" (double duh!), but like the rest of us, she also appreciates the quality of the direction and acting and color that hold the thinly constructed plot together. And did I mention that she loves the musical numbers?