At first viewing, Cosmo Brown (Donald O’Connor) seems forever stuck in the role of slapstick sidekick to Don Lockwood (Gene Kelly) in Singin’ in the Rain. The two struggled for most of their careers in show business together, and it’s Don’s lucky break as a stuntman that propels his career forward with Cosmo riding on the coattails. Lockwood’s loyalty to Cosmo is admirable and shows he has retained a down-to-earth simplicity despite his stardom, but it is clear that he is partner 1A to Cosmo’s 1B. In fact, with the advent of “talkies” and rise of the new age of Hollywood cinema, Cosmo is the partner best suited for the new age, while Don is dependent on his innovation and insight.

The quick conversion of The Dueling Cavalier from silent film to talkie demonstrates how unprepared Don is for the new Hollywood reality, bringing home Kathy Seldon’s (Debbie Reynolds) critiques of his “acting.” When Dueling Cavalier is brought for a test screening the unsophisticated abrasiveness of Lina Lamont (Jean Hagen) steals the show, but Don is just as unskilled at the new type of filmmaking. His exaggerated motions and insistence on simplifying the script makes a mockery out of Don Lockwood as well. The solution, which Cosmo happens upon, is to convert Dueling to Dancing and utilize Don’s skill at song and dance.

This is all well and good, and The Dancing Cavalier becomes a smashing musical success (supposedly, we are left to presume). But where is Don Lockwood to go from here? If he is still dependent on singing and tap dancing to carry his acting, there will be limited Hollywood parts for him to fill. When Don fills in as director for the introductory sequence of Cavalier he quickly turns the film into a revue filled with song and dance- and as talented as he is, this is not the future of entertainment.

Cosmo, on the other hand, shows an easy flexibility and intelligence with the new technologies, as well as creative vision. He not only sees the potential for Cavalier to become a musical, but also comes up with the solution to Lina’s grating vocals. By dubbing Kathy’s voice over Lina’s he has proven himself valuable to the company, and (in the fictional world that Singin’ inhabits) created a new technology and method of filmmaking. Moreover, with the advent of talkies Cosmo is placed in the position of musical director for Monumental Pictures, a role where he can influence the future of film with far more security than Don.

Singin’ in the Rain leads us to believe that these two silent film stars, Don Lockwood and Lina Lamont, take two different paths with the advent of talking films. Don manages to navigate the new world, while Lina is crushed by her lack of vocal talent and mean-spirited personality. If we look a bit farther down the road, it may appear that Don only delayed his downfall as a film star. His skills are uniquely unsuited to the new world of cinema. His old partner Cosmo is in a position to rise in influence and power within the Monumental studio, and one can only hope that he is as loyal to Don as Don was to him.