COVER GIRL
US, 1944, 107 minutes, Colour.
Rita Hayworth, Gene Kelly, Phil Silvers, Lee Bowman, Jinx Falkenberg, Otto Kruger, Eve Arden.
Directed by Charles Vidor.
Cover Girl was designed as a Rita Hayworth vehicle, after her success in earlier films like Only Angels Have Wings and in musicals such as You Were Never Lovelier, You'll Never Get Rich with Fred Astaire. This is an attractive colour film, showing Rita Hayworth (in chocolate-box colour) to great advantage. She has intelligence, warmth and wit. Unfortunately, her singing voice is dubbed.
Her leading man was Gene Kelly on loan from M.G.M. He has a typical enough role, slightly heel, self-centred, yet in love with the heroine. He also has some excellent dance, routines - especially with his image self. There is comic support from Phil Silvers. However, Eve Arden, as always, almost steals the show.
The plot is familiar, corny - with a touch of patriotism with the war. There are some glamorous musical sequences and dances. The highlight of the musical score by Jerome Kern is the Oscar-nominated 'Long Ago and Far Away'. Charles Vidor was to direct Rita Hayworth in the next year as the memorable Gilda.
1. Entertaining musical comedy? Familiar plot and characters? Show business background? A vehicle for Rita Hayworth and Gene Kelly?
2. Colour photography of the '40s, Brooklyn nightclub, New York theatre. the Brooklyn background contrasting with New York affluence? The style of the film? The musical score by Jerome Kern? The breezy numbers% 'Long Ago And Far Away'?
3. The title and audience expectations for a Rita Hayworth vehicle film? The background of cover girls and the 50th anniversary of the magazine? The 'Cover Girl' song and its collage of girls and magazines? Competitions, interviews, the collage of glamour preparing Rusty for the photo? Success from being a cover girl? The response of New York. the press, society? The American glamour of the cover girl?
4. The familiarity of the plot: the small nightclub, the man organising the club and in love with the leading lady, the chorus girls and their bickering, the possibility of improvement, double-crossing, choices? The buddy trying to fix things? Misunderstandings, success and glamour, marriage, disappointments, the happy resolution and the happy ending?
5. Rita Hayworth's screen presence and style? Her beauty and glamour? In the numbers at Danny's? The flashbacks and her being her grandmother - songs, her response to John, the 'Poor John' number, running away at the wedding? Rusty and her relationship with Danny? In love with him? The Oyster Bar on Fridays? The hope for luck and the pearl? Maureen and the competition, her going, her being animated and losing? The invitation by the editor? Her going, success, being prepared for the photo, Danny and Genius's reactions? Their trying to persuade her not to go? Noel Wheaton and his attentions? Going to Broadway? The clash with Danny? Her going, success? The possibility of marriage? Return and Danny's absence, drinking? The wedding ceremony, the pearl, her leaving? The bright and breezy ending?
6. Gene Kelly as Danny, returned from the war, choreographing, the girls, in love with Rusty, friendly with Genius? Their happiness together, song and dance routines, the Oyster Bar? Not wanting Rusty to be a cover girl? His disappointment, trying to let her be free, going to the editor and discussing the situation, the grandmother? His going with the Army Entertainment Corps, their routine on the back of the truck? Discovering the marriage, the pearl, the happy ending?
7. Phil Silvers' comic style as Genius, the buddy, the fall guy, his stage routines, trying to rectify everything, self-deprecating dialogue? Interfering with Rusty? Supporting Danny? Taking the pearl to the editor?
8. Eve Arden's comic style and one-liners as Jackson: interviewing the cover girls, relationship with the editor, going to the theatre, being kissed by, and kissing, Genius? Her intervention at the wedding?
9. The editor and his memories, Rusty's grandmother, his being rejected, the 'Poor John' song? The marriage and her leaving? His wanting to do the best for Rusty, plans, cover girl? The pearl and telling her to go?
10. Noel Wheaton - the typical Broadway entrepreneur, with the show, in love with Rusty, taking her to the theatre, success, letting her go with the car, her drinking, the marriage, letting her go?
11. The chorus girls and their life, bickering, dancing, Maureen trying to one-up Rusty?
12. Popular ingredients of a '40s musical? Colour and style? Music and dancing? Romance? The perennial values?
