TONIGHT AND EVERY NIGHT

US, 1945, 91 minutes, Colour.
Rita Hayworth, Lee Bowman, Janet Blair, Marc Pratt, Florence Bates.
Directed by Victor Saville.

Tonight and Every Night is the title of the song which features in this film, as do several others from Jule Styne with lyrics by Sammy Cahn. The films comes from Columbia Studios, not noted for their spectacular musical musicals, But Rita Hayworth featured with Fred Astaire in You’ll Never Get Rich, You Were Never Lovelier and Cover Girl with Gene Kelly.
The story is slight, a wartime story, memories of the blitz, of the theatre that never shut, the morale boosting for British and American troops. The theatre is presided over by Florence Bates, bringing her usual severity with some charm. Lee Bowman is the hero, an Air Force officer who falls in love with Rita Hayworth. Janet Blair offers good support, in acting and singing, as Judy. Marc Platt shows himself a very versatile dancer (and was one of the seven brothers for the seven brides). There is an amusing interlude with old time vaudeville and the playing of a xylophone.
The film was directed by British Victor Saville who moved to United States with such films as The Green Years and Green Dolphin Street and directed a wide range of films.

1. The popularity of Rita Hayworth? Her musicals in the 1940s? A British war memoir, tribute to the British spirit during the Blitz? The American presence in England?
2. The slight story, the show must go on, plucky spirit in wartime? And a romance?
3. The colour photography, for the shows? Choreography? The range of songs and performance? Rita Hayworth singing and dancing, Janet Blair singing, Marc Pratt and the versatility of his dancing? The vaudeville act with the comedy and xylophone and Roz helping out? The London setting, glimpses of the bombardments, sheltering in the underground, fire and destruction? The spirit of England and people?
4. The opening, the performance, the journalist from Life Magazine, photos, stories?
5. Rosalind, from St. Louis, in the UK, dancing, performing, singing? Friendship with Mrs. Tolliver? With Judy? The role of the dances? The effect of the war, sheltering, the bombardments, continuing the show, living and working together?
6. Mrs. Tolliver, running the theatre, hard work, working the girls, Tommy’s audition, the advice from the cleaning ladies? Her rapport with the girls, with the soldiers?
7. Tommy, coming from Manchester, letter of recommendation, his dancing audition, improvising to the range of music? His place in the show? His love for Roz? Friendship with Judy? His reaction to Paul, saying to Roz that she could go to Canada? In the pub with Judy? Killed?
8. Paul, the Air Force, his friends, going to the theatre, attracted by Roz, courting her, the meal, the trick with the man from St. Louis and her hard reaction? Not responding to his phone calls? Performing for the Air Force, meeting Paul again, relenting? His being relied on, the secret mission? His absence for a fortnight, Ros and her reaction? His father coming to the theatre, a minister, the quotation from St. Paul to the Corinthians? The proposal? The father’s pride in Roz as a dancer, as contributing to the war effort?
9. Roz, falling in love, and responding to Paul, resenting, worried about his being missing in action? His return? The proposal, that she should go to Canada? Her not wanting to leave the troupe, especially after the death of Tommy and Judy? Her finally going?
10. The film in retrospect, the style of the forties, the look of the forties? Yet a memory of World War II?