TotalTelly.co.uk

Devoted to Popular, Cult and Retro TV

Cover Girl [1944]


RRP: £9.99
Our Price: £1.59 (subject to change)

An Adorable Love Story Starring Rita Hayworth and Gene Kelly
Review date: 2007-10-15 Rating: 10 out of 10

This is one of the popular musicals of the war years (1944), starring Rita Hayworth and Gene Kelly. This love story is a comedy drama about a chorus girl named Rusty "Chicken" Parker (Rita Hayworth) working at McGuire's club owned by her boyfriend Danny McGuire (Gene Kelly). Columbia Studios made this a showcase for Rita Hayworth, but gave Gene Kelly control over the film, especially about dance routines, singing and choreography. The film has lavish costumes, great dance routines, and excellent music. Several dance routines performed by Danny and Rusty includes songs by Jerome Kern and Ira Gershwin. The classic song "Long Ago and Far Away" won the 1944 Academy Award for best musical scoring. Danny's dance with Rusty; "Put Me to the Test", or the joyful dance "Make Way for Tomorrow" (with Genius) is simply outstanding and very entertaining. Phil Silvers as Danny's sidekick "Genius" has performed brilliantly; although he is known for his comedy routines (as Sgt. Bilko in the TV series); he fits perfectly in dance and singing routines with Danny and Rusty.

Everything goes well at the McGuire's club until Rusty is offered to model for the popular magazine "Cover Girl," by a wealthy owner John Coudair (Otto Kruger). Soon it comes to light that he had loved Rusty's grandmother, and lost her in his bid to become her husband. This is an interesting twist in the story but nevertheless the flash backs are interesting, and Rita Hayworth looks adorable in 19th century costume. During this time Rusty is introduced to Broadway producer Noel Wheaton (Lee Bowman), who is attracted to Rusty; he proposes to her, and Rusty accepts his proposal. In the end she has a change of heart and realizes that she loves Danny. She goes in search of him who is now entertaining troops with Genius. At the end the two lovebirds get back together with some help from Genius. This is a classic love story in which Rita Hayworth is dazzling. The chemistry between Gene Kelly and Rita Hayworth is perfect. The story is well crafted to show the simple life of a chorus girl. When she hits the stardom and becomes famous; at the height of her success she finds something is missing in her life, the joys of simple life at McGuire's club. Lauren Bacall in her autobiography revealed that she was first offered the title role, but she tuned it down. The studios could not have made a better choice by offering this role to Hayworth. After this movie, she became a "pinup" girl fantasized by GIs during WW II, which was a huge publicity for the studios. In direct competition with Columbia Pictures, 20th Century Fox Studios discovered Betty Grable as a fantasy girl for GIs. This movie is the first successful work of director Charles Vidor, who went on to make such classics as Gilda (Rita Hayworth), A Song to Remember (Cornel Wilde), and Love Me or Leave Me (Doris Day). This movie is highly recommended to all fans of Rita Hayworth and Gene Kelly.



Similar Products

Reviews


Wonderful Rita Hayworth and some great Kern/Gershwin songs
Review date: 2007-08-13 Rating: 8 out of 10

This Columbia musical may be something of an artifact now, but it was designed to showcase Rita Hayworth. It does it so professionally that the movie is still a lot of fun to watch. The story is almost irrelevant to the movie. Rusty Parker (Hayworth) is a talented dancer working at a struggling dinner theater, Danny McGuire's Place, in Brooklyn. Danny (Gene Kelly) and Rusty love each other, and Danny is determined that one of these days his talents as a choreographer, dancer and showman will lead to the big time with Rusty. But Rusty gets noticed by John Coudair (Otto Kruger), a wealthy, high society publisher, and he makes Rusty the cover girl of one of his most popular magazines, Vanity. And the rest is history. Rusty becomes the hit of New York; a theater producer wants her for a show and wants to marry her. And Danny, seeing this happen, reluctantly decides he can't stand in her way. There's another story going on, too. Forty years ago Coudair had fallen hard for a showgirl, Maribelle Hicks. Despite Coudair's riches and position, Maribelle left him at the last minute to marry the poor piano player she really loved. Rusty doesn't know this story...and it turns out she was Maribelle's grand daughter. What will Rusty do? Well, watch the movie if you're in any doubt. The movie, however, is worth watching for several other reasons.

First, is the performance by Rita Hayworth. In fact, just the presence of Hayworth. She really was a beautiful creature with those long legs, red hair and a perfectly natural and friendly personality. She also was a first-rate dancer. Betty Grable once said Hayworth could dance rings around her. Many critics agree that Hayworth was the best dance partner Astaire ever had. Even when doing a fast tap routine, Hayworth could carry it off with great grace and look completely relaxed, as if she were having great fun. Check her out, for instance, in the Shorty George tap routine with Astaire from You Were Never Lovelier. She gives that same feeling of joy in dancing while working with Kelly.

Second, are the songs by Jerome Kern and Ira Gershwin. Long Ago and Far Away was the big hit, but the entire score is one classy song after another, including Make Way for Tomorrow, Cover Girl, Sure Thing and The Show Must Go On. Long Ago, in fact, was the biggest money earner for Gershwin, bringing in considerably more than any of the songs he wrote with his brother. He said several times that he didn't think the lyric was as good as it could have been. One of the songs, Put Me to the Test, has a lyric that Gershwin originally wrote for a song with his brother. It never went anywhere, so when he had some trouble with the idea he mentioned to Kern that he had a lyric that had already been set to music by George. He said he didn't know whether Kern would be offended, but Kern just laughed and asked to see the words.

Third, are some nice performances by the supporting players. Phil Silvers, as the best friend of both Rusty and Danny, plays comic relief and matchmaker. He does a nice job of it. Otto Kruger as usual plays a smoothie, but he has a few subtle double takes he handles skillfully. He also, of course, does the right thing by Rusty. He manages to show regret and affection. And it is always fun to see Eve Arden, once again as the sardonic, wise-cracking side kick, this time to Coudair. She was so type cast in granite that I always wonder how well she could have managed in a few really serious roles. I don't recall ever seeing her in one.

Fourth, is the glossy, professional, Technicolor sheen of the movie. Everything, the sets, the costumes, the lighting, the makeup is handled with the kind of Hollywood studio perfection that isn't seen anymore. Even when the showgirls are putting on their makeup, they're perfectly made up.

Kelly does a good job, especially with the alter ego dance he does with himself and which is often highlighted in specials about his career. But Cover Girl remains very much Rita Hayworth's movie.

The Dvd transfer is excellent; Technicolor never looked better. There are no extras.

Milestone in Gene Kelley's career but uneven musical.
Review date: 2006-10-04 Rating: 8 out of 10

For "Cover Girl" Columbia borrowed Gene Kelly from MGM and gave him creative control over his own section of the film, this included knocking down soundstage walls to build a complete street for dance sequences, and the presence of a fire hydrant is a forcible reminder of "Singing in the Rain".

It is fascinating to watch Kelly's creative talent mature as the film progresses; there are some really memorable dance and song sequences, the one where he dances with himself for example.

However for me this leads to a very uneven musical, especially as the story takes place in two different periods, the present and fifty years previously, and this somehow conflicts with Kelly's evolving techniques.

The Technicolor is highly saturated and does not flatter Rita, she looks far more glamorous in black and white with Fred Astaire in "You were never lovelier".

I am pleased to have seen this film but it is not one I want to return to often.


The most beautiful ever???
Review date: 2006-03-19 Rating: 10 out of 10

This is the third of Rita Hayworth's musicals. She is the star - boy is she the star. She dances sublimely - why oh why didnt she do more with Astaire? Her previous two, with Astaire, are wonderful but this is in colour and the director knows how to photograph her. I've been in love with Rita Hayworth since my teens (to long ago to admit) and seeing her again in this DVD rekindled that feeling. So, she is superb what about Kelly? Well early days. I prefer Astaire but acknowledge Kelly's brilliance and you can see the first flowering of it here. Scenes pointing towards the greats in 'Singing in the Rain', innovation in the 'duplicate' scene where he dances with himself. Overall an interesting and enjoyable film well transferred. If you want to look at a beautiful woman (the most?), beautifully dressed, and beautifully photographed go for this. It's also good news for anyone interested in Kelly's development. The score isnt that marvellous but there is 'Long Ago and Far Away'. And it has a happy ending - who could ask for more!

Product Details/Specifications


Actor(s):
Otto Kruger
Phil Silvers
Gene Kelly
Rita Hayworth
Lee Bowman

Creators:
Rita Hayworth (Primary Contributor)
Gene Kelly (Primary Contributor)

Director(s):

Recording label: Uca
Manufacturer: Uca
EAN: 5050582409413
Binding: DVD
Number of items: 1
Format: Full Screen, PAL,
Release date: 2006-02-06
Aspect ratio: 1.33:1
Audience rating: Universal, suitable for all
Region code: 2
Running time: 102 minutes
Theatrical release date: 1944
Language: English (Original Language)

Add to Cart

© 2006 Darren Hester, DesignsByDarren.com, Some Rights Reserved.
Valid XHTML 1.0 Transitional