If you had to choose a favorite number from Stanley Donen and Gene Kelly’s 1952 musical about silent film stars trying to make the rocky transition to sound pictures, Kelly’s silky rendition of the titular song is pretty swell. But my vote goes for Donald O’Connor’s antic “Make ’Em Laugh,” an eye-popping, gravity-defying comic masterpiece shot in one take that has O’Connor literally running up walls. It was so taxing, O’Connor said he couldn’t get out of bed for three days after. When he got back to set, Kelly pulled him aside and asked if he could go again – the DP had accidentally ruined the footage. So he did it all over again ... and to perfection. – Kimberley Jones
