The reason ‘A Clockwork Orange’ angered Gene Kelly: “He was really upset with Stanley Kubrick”
Gene Kelly’s jubilant performance in the movie Singin’ in the Rain is a universally recognised cinematic treasure, a movie which has captivated generations since its release in 1952. The infectious joy of his character tap-dancing through the rain-soaked streets of Hollywood has become synonymous with the glamour of show business and a defining title of the Golden Age of cinema. Yet this iconic tune was startlingly recontextualised in Stanley Kubrick’s seminal 1971 film A Clockwork Orange.
The song, far removed from its original joyous setting, was used to score a horrific act of “ultra-violence” committed by the film’s protagonist, Alex DeLarge. Unsurprisingly, this unexpected interpretation of the song, used to accompany a horrific scene of physical and sexual violence, did not sit well with Kelly.
Details of the incident came to light years later when actor Malcolm McDowell, who portrayed Alex DeLarge, discussed his interaction with Kelly in 2013 at the Monster Mania convention in Philadelphia. According to McDowell, he was eager to meet Kelly when an executive from Warner Bros, the studio behind A Clockwork Orange, informed him that Kelly was present. However, the meeting was far from cordial – in fact, it barely transpired at all.
“Gene, I would like you to meet Malcolm McDowell,” the executive had said, introducing the two. To McDowell’s surprise, Kelly had hardly glanced at him before abruptly walking off. “He cut me dead,” McDowell recalled to the live audience, but not before attempting to sympathise with the Hollywood legend. “Can you blame the poor man?” he said. “I took his wonderful moment – and completely fucked with it.” Though McDowell was not fazed, the studio executive was reportedly mortified by the incident.
The scene in Kubrick’s film, which has McDowell’s character chillingly crooning ‘Singin’ in the Rain’ during a profoundly disturbing rape sequence, was actually not part of the script, according to McDowell. Instead, he made a spontaneous decision on set, which Kubrick immediately embraced and worked into the finished film as an integral and definitive moment that is remembered decades later.
The root of Kelly’s anger towards A Clockwork Orange remained a mystery to McDowell until 40 years later. After sharing the story of his awkward encounter with Kelly at an Academy event, he was approached by a woman who introduced herself as Kelly’s widow. “Gene wasn’t upset with you, Malcolm,” she clarified, “He was really upset with Stanley Kubrick because he hadn’t been paid.”
While the belated revelation may not have completely healed old wounds, it at least let McDowell know that the snub by Kelly wasn’t personal. Upon hearing this, McDowell humorously responded, “My God, there’s quite a gang of us who haven’t been paid!” Despite his joking grievance about the film, McDowell still very much considers A Clockwork Orange to be a “phenomenon”.
