If you’re at all familiar with the classic 1952 musical “Singin’ in the Rain,” then the dream ballet from “Barbie” might bring back some memories. The classic Gene Kelly, Donald O’Connor, and Debbie Reynolds starring movie features a beautiful dream ballet smack in the middle as part of a sequence known as “Broadway Melody.” Performed by Kelly and Cyd Charisse, it’s a gorgeous cinematic moment that feels like an homage in and of itself to another movie that inspired “Barbie” — the 1948 dance drama “The Red Shoes.”
“I was like, if people could follow that in ‘Singing in the Rain,’ I think we’ll be fine,” Greta Gerwig told Jesse Armstrong at the festival. “I think people will know what this is. So that was the big reference point. Even though everything felt right to me and was giving me so much joy in the way we were doing it, it was also like, ‘Oh no, this could be just terrible, but now I’m committed.'”
Both Gerwig and Armstrong understand the importance of trusting their audiences, as well as the importance of giving them a little razzle-dazzle. Not only is “Barbie” absolutely stunning from a production perspective — with its creative team relying on practical sets over CGI, building the entirety of Barbie Land from scratch, and even causing a reported pink paint shortage — but the musical numbers in the film were a highlight for many. In fact, according to Film Updates on X (formerly known as Twitter), Warner Bros. officially submitted three “Barbie” songs as contenders for best original song at the Oscars. Besides “I’m Just Ken,” the studio put forth Billie Eilish’s emotional anthem “What Was I Made For?” and Dua Lipa’s absolute banger “Dance the Night.”
