As a duo, Gene Kelly and Stanley Donen made a formidable pair, with their collaborations bringing us several incredibly musical comedies that almost entirely defined the genre and made it a cultural sensation during its peak. Together they co-directed four films together (with several other collaborations, whether Donen serving as a choreographer on a few of Kelly’s starring vehicles, or Kelly taking on minor roles in some of his friend’s earlier directorial outings), one of them being arguably the greatest musical film of all time, Singin’ in the Rain. The success of that film led them to become inextricably connected as artists, which was clearly not something either of them was very fond of, both deciding to pursue individual careers, but constantly being asked about the status of their next collaboration. They did indeed work together again one last time on It’s Always Fair Weather, the film that would ultimately bring an end to their professional partnership, as well as their long and committed friendship. Considering the subject matter of the film, this seems to be one of the great ironies of the Golden Age of Hollywood, since a film centred almost entirely on friends drifting apart after realizing they have been leading entirely different lives and pursuing opportunities that don’t quite match with the ambitions of the other is certainly reflected in the backstage situation that came about as a result of this film’s creation. However, it’s important to separate reality from the final product, because despite the troubled production, It’s Always Fair Weather is an absolute masterpiece, a shimmering musical comedy with an unexpected amount of depth, with Kelly and Donen once again proving their incredible ability to juggle an endless array of themes and conventions, forming them into an unforgettable testament to the human spirit.

It’s Always Fair Weather is not necessarily an obscure film, but it is one that isn’t as well-known as the classics that occurred around it. This could be for a number of reasons – the slightly downbeat narrative was not as enticing a prospect as some other musicals, especially not for those who went in expecting another shimmering, exuberant musical comedy along the lines of Kelly and Donen’s previous efforts. It could also be a result of the fact that the film doesn’t promise anything particularly bold, functioning as a very simple story of friendship, told in the form of a bold and exciting musical. The reality is, It’s Always Fair Weather has continuously been clouded by the other climate-themed film in the directors’ oeuvre, meaning that time has weathered the impact of the later film, and caused audiences to cool on it quite considerably, especially in an era where musicals were becoming much more ambitious in both scope and narrative. Making excuses for this film not being well-known is a fool’s errand, since it’s just as good (if not better) than many of the more famous musicals from this era – it’s funny, insightful and honest, and exudes the unique energy that came about through the enchanting collaboration between Donen and Kelly, making their partnership in previous years one that was simply irresistible, even if both artists had radically different ambitions for their careers. Having made the gold standard for musical comedy, it’s difficult to imagine how they could’ve possibly have followed it up – but defying the odds, they managed to turn some ambigious ideas into one of the most beautiful and poignant musicals of its era, a rousing and exciting tale of overcoming various challenges, particularly those ingrained in our psyche, and using it as the platform for an effervescent exploration of the nature of friendship, and the importance of maintaining connections.

Kelly is one of the rare instances of an actor directing his own star vehicles without giving off the feeling that he was making a vanity project. His films may place him front-and-centre as the most prominent star, but they never feel as if they’re the work of someone who just enjoyed being the face of his films. This is most likely because Kelly knew his talents, but was wise enough to use them in new and exciting ways. One of the two obvious choices for finest dancers in the medium of film (the other being Fred Astaire, whose friendly rivalry with Kelly remains a contentious topic to this very day, with audiences being divided on which of the two came out on top when all is said and done). The honest truth is that Kelly mastered his craft like very few performers – seeing him dance is a revelatory experience, since his ability to tell stories with movement and expression remains unprecedented. He was so invested in the art of dance, he frequently worked to explore it as a legitimate cinematic art form in itself, such as in Invitation to Dance, which told three stories without a single line of dialogue. Whatever the project, Kelly was able to use his undeniable charisma to captivate us – and it’s not any different in It’s Always Fair Weather, a film that contains one of Kelly’s finest performances, as both an actor and a dancer. His portrayal of an ex-soldier who has spent the last decade since he returned home from war waiting to amount to something is heartbreaking, and affords him the chance to infuse some genuine complexity into the performance. Kelly’s quieter moments are contrasted by some deeply stunning dance sequences, such as “I Like Myself”, which can easily rival “Singin’ in the Rain” in terms of spellbinding examples of the human body in motion. When Kelly starts dancing (in this case, tap-dancing in roller-blades), we can’t avert our gaze, watching in nothing but in awe and wonder at how someone was able to make something so complex look so simple. It’s all part of the mystique that surrounds Kelly as a performer, and why he remains one of the true icons of his generation.

However, Kelly is only one in an ensemble of great performances, which contributes to the general idea that It’s Always Fair Weather is essentially a film about friendship and collaboration. Appearing alongside Kelly in the roles of Riley’s former G.I. Joe companions and good friends are Dailey and Michael Kidd, both of whom turn in exceptional performances. It would’ve been easy for the film to focus entirely on Kelly, with the other two simply being supporting characters used to supplement his story – but considering the amount of discussion It’s Always Fair Weather has in relation to exploring how Kelly’s character is fundamentally flawed, it was important that there were two equally strong performances supplementing him. Of the two, Dailey has the most to do, being given a solo performance that sees him showing off his own impeccable talents as both an actor and dancer, while Kidd (who is better known for his work as a choreographer, having previously worked with Donen, particularly in Seven Brides for Seven Brothers, a film that is almost entirely a classic due to its complex feats of human movement contained in the dance sequences) is still very good, albeit has slightly less to do, clearly to complement for his slight inexperience as an actor, as well as the fact that most of his time was being spent choreographing the increasingly complex dance numbers. The trio are all excellent, and they’re joined by another musical comedy legend in the form of Cyd Charisse, who plays the fiercely intelligent and hardworking love interest who can easily outsmart Kelly, who fashions himself as something of a lothario. It’s Always Fair Weather is very much a film that depends on the charms of its actors, and while this ultimately does become a film that is most known as a Kelly vehicle, the work being done by the supporting cast should not be ignored, especially when each of them showcases the artistic merits of the film, whether it be in the musical numbers, or the dramatic moments that occur between them.

The quality that makes Kelly and Donen’s films so enticing is that they’re not empty spectacles – these are not just films that exist to showcase the impressive musical numbers, but rather to carry a deep and honest message that comes across through the story itself. This is a rich and evocative experience that speaks as much to the glorious feats accomplished by dance as it does the more intimate recesses of the human mind. Despite some very lavish production numbers, It’s Always Fair Weather is a remarkably sombre film at times, since it looks at three men who previously couldn’t imagine a life without one another, growing apart and, even when they make an effort to reunite, find they have drifted too far from who they were in the past, and are no longer compatible. This is where the film is most effective – it may be stunning, but it’s the genuine, heartful exploration of a group of friends realizing how fragmented their relationship has become, and frantically trying to repair the damage a decade of growing apart has done to them. The film gradually dissects their various reasons for not staying as close as they were before – some of it has to do with the fact that they all ventured down different paths, while others were more the result of time creating distance. Not all friendships are made to last, which is a sobering concept that gradually proves to be the foundation for the premise of It’s Always Fair Weather, a film that becomes incredibly invested in its characters, but in a way that allows it to penetrate the surface of their struggling friendship by interrogating the various reasons for their lack of connection. It gives the film the opportunity to be extremely funny (especially in how it positions Kelly’s character as an eccentric sleazeball in contrast to the more principled, family-oriented people his friends have grown into), but also layers on an abundance of deep, achingly poignant commentary on the nature of life, and proof that some friends truly do only stay for a season.

It’s Always Fair Weather is a film driven by a few major principles, most prominent of them the value of entertainment. It’s almost undeniable that Kelly and Donen made an extremely enjoyable film, one that prioritizes increasingly captivating uses of filmmaking techniques to portray the splendour of the human body and its ability to tell stories through movement, all contained within musical numbers that are as indebted in their success to Kelly, Donen and Kidd as they are to composer Andre Previn, who manages to evoke the sense of sadness that contrasts sharply (but not inappropriately) with the exuberant entertainment that defines most of the film. There’s a sense of melancholy that accompanies every moment of It’s Always Fair Weather, with Kelly and Donen proving that this is not simply a mindless exercise in musical comedy, but something much deeper, being well-aware of their abilities as filmmakers to tell a story and evoke emotions from the most simple of material. It’s a stunning achievement, and while it may not be as well-regarded as some other popular musicals at the time, this film carries a much more profound meaning relating to how we perceive the world around us, and the importance of maintaining friendships that are meant to last, while bidding farewell to those that we realize have run their course. It’s an uplifting film, but one that gets there through gradually dismantling notions surrounding rugged masculinity (which Kelly often had very little issue with doing), the postwar mentality and the general conception of what it takes to be involved in a friendship. It’s an achingly beautiful film, the kind that is very likely to elicit both laughs and tears in equal measure, and any work of art that can accomplish that rare feat is immediately deserving of acclaim, which is the primary reason why we should start celebrating the immense achievement that is It’s Always Fair Weather, and the artists that were involved in its creation.