Every cinephile waits for the inevitable question: “so what’s your favourite film?” David Stratton was wise enough to answer this question by pointing to the 1952 masterpiece Singin’ in the Rain.

Of course you’ve seen the film, and of course you’d like to see it again, with an audience full of people who, like you, David touched through his love of cinema. David’s love of the film stemmed not simply from the fact that it is full of astonishing singing, dancing and humour, not only from the way that it draws on the history of the medium and finally turns out to be a reflexive commentary on what movies can and should be, but David could also pin the film directly to personal memories. He talked about meetings with Gene Kelly, who he called the most rewarding filmmaker he had the pleasure of meeting. Donald O’Connor’s “Make ‘em Laugh,” Jean Hagen’s appallingly funny Hollywood star, Gene making magic with that lamppost, the astonishing ballet Gotta Dance – there is so much to love here. And the spirit of David Stratton won’t be too far away.