Released - November, 1942 

Directed By - William A. Seiter

Starring – Fred Astaire (Robert ‘Bob’ Davis), Rita Hayworth (Maria Acuna), Adolphe Menjou (Eduardo Acuna), Isobel Elsom (Mrs. Maria Castro).

Description – American dancer Bob Davis is in Argentina both looking for work and gambling away his money. A bandleader friend invites him to perform at the wedding of a local nightclub owner’s daughter with the hope that this might lead to a job.

At the wedding Bob meets Maria another of the nightclub owner’s daughters. He is immediately attracted to her, but she brushes him off.

Maria then begins to receive a series of flowers and love notes from an unknown suitor who she believes to be Bob. It isn’t, so just who is the mysterious suitor and will Bob ever get a chance with Maria?

NOTABLE: This motion picture was nominated for three Academy Awards; Best Music, Original Song, Best Music, Scoring of a Motion Picture, and Best Sound, Rocording.

The beautiful music in the film was composed by Jerome Kern who was unhappy with the selection of Xavier Cugat and his orchestra. However, after production ended, Kern was so pleased with Cugat’s work that he presented him with a silver baton.

Rita Hayworth’s performance in the movie firmly established her as one of Fred Astaire’s premiere dance partners.

Rita Hayworth has stated that this film was her favorite.

You Were Never Lovelier

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Released – September, 1941 

Directed By - Sidney Lanfield

Starring – Fred Astaire (Robert Curtis), Rita Hayworth (Sheila Winthrop), Robert Benchley (Martin Cortlind).

Description – A musical comedy with a war time theme has stage star Robert Curtis finding himself drafted into the military just before his big show is to premiere. Not giving up, show producer Martin Cortlind bring the show to boot camp.

While trying to get his production completed, Cortilind’s wife discovers a diamond bracelet and thinks her husband is interested in beartiful showgirl Sheila Winthrop. In the mixup of events, Curtis finds himself right in the middle, trying to serve his country and romance the beautiful showgirl himself.

Music and lyrics by Cole Porter.

NOTABLE: This motion picture was nominated for two Academy Awards: Best Music, Original Song, and Best Music, Scoring of a Musical Picture.

This was Rita Hayworth’s first big-budet starring role for Columbia Pictures.

Tremendously successful at the box office, this film was a needed shot-in-the-arm for Fred Astaire who felt his career was suffering since breaking off with Ginger Rogers.

Personal Comment: While not one of the strongest musicals of the era, I’m such a fan of Fred Astaire that I believe just about anything that has him on the dance floor is worth viewing. Especially with the beautiful, graceful, and sensual Rita Hayworth as his dance partner.

You’ll Never Get Rich

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