Lew brown, ray henderson, jerome kern, ira gershwin, rita hayworth, phil silvers, gene kelly cover girl 1944 film good news 1947 film 2 on 1 music. Easily the best of rita hayworths musicals, cover girl seems to have become a forgotten film, but its one of the best nonmgm wartime musicals, with gorgeous technicolor, some good songs courtesy of george and ira gershwin and at least one standout number, the shadow dance, which still amazes with its technique as gene kelly dances with his. I hadnt seen the film before, but other than gene calling rita. Kelly made his film debut in 1942 in me and my gal, which costarred judy garland. Gene kelly was never very popular as a singer, even though he did cut records and was seen in movie roles in which he sang rather, it was his work onscreen as a dancer, choreographer, and director that allowed him to exert a key influence over the popularity of certain song catalogs in the mid20th century. Love is better than ever gene kelly cameo appearance at 21 restaurant 1952 its a big country.
Long ago and far away is a popular song with music by jerome kern, and lyrics by ira gershwin, about nostalgia from the 1944 technicolor film musical cover girl starring rita hayworth and gene kelly and released by columbia pictures. It was also during this time that she became a favourite pinup of american servicemen. Rusty parker rita hayworth is a dancer in danny macguires lowrent. The 36year gap between films, from 1944 to 1980, is the longest gap in film history for a movie character played in two separate films by the same actor. Frank sinatra, betty garrett, gene kelly and esther williams in take me out to the ball game 1949 duration. Nothing special at all, though a decent amount of charm, lush technicolour photography, and some clever choreography save it from mediocrity. He does very well with cover girl and singing in the rain.
He was known for his energetic and athletic dancing style, his good looks, and the likable characters that he played on screen. The memory comes from joe stewart, who was working as a hotel security officer in 1977 at the shoreham hotel in washington, d. Rita hayworth is definitely and deservedly the star of the film, but kelly more than holds his own with her. As tony thomas writes in the films of gene kelly, in the history of the hollywood musical cover girl marks a major turning point, a transitional point at which the longfamiliar concept of the film musical as a string of songs strung together by a skimpy plot gave way to a broader concept in which the musical sequences would form a part of the plot. Although initially intended to be a glamour showcase for columbias new star rita hayworth, the film made overnight stars of both hayworth and gene kelly.
Cover girl also became rita hayworths signature film for the gis and their pinup fantasies during world war ii. In cover girl, gene kelly s love interest is rita hayworth and in rain, its debbie reynolds. Arriving in hollywood from broadway in the 1940s, gene kelly seemed in many ways to be the opposite of the previous decades dance icon, fred astaire. The lavish technicolor extravaganza cover girl 1944 is a landmark in hollywood musical history. For cover girl 1944, columbia was looking for a singer and dancer to play rita hayworths love interest, and mgm lent gene kelly for the picture. Sung and danced by gene kelly, rita hayworth dubbed by martha mears. Clearly, this film meant a lot to gene through the years, and he. Thanks to its jerome kernira gershwinyip harburg score and the luminescence of stars rita hayworth and gene kelly, cover girl has taken on a legendary status in recent years. A 1944 musical film starring rita hayworth, gene kelly, and phil silvers. Great vintage promotional ad for the movie cover girl. Nightclub dancer rusty hayworth has a happy life performing at her boyfriend dannys kelly club in brooklyn, but her whole world changes once she wins a prestigious cover girl contest. A swell looking dame, rusty learns of a cover girl competition from a fellow dancer and decides to try her luck, hoping that winning it might accelerate her path to fame and fortune.
A publishing mogul, he decides to put the naive young beauty on the cover of his magazine. Why were there disclaimers at 2 points which said, i forget the exact wording, that the film has some stereotypical and of its time things plus the film was rated pg in its tv rating. Watched cover girl rita hayworthgene kelly musical last. Gene kelly reprised his role as danny mcguire in xanadu 1980, his last movie role. Cover girl, rita hayworth, gene kelly, full page vintage promotional ad. As far back as 1944s cover girl, kelly had been expanding the language of dance on film as a choreographer. Otto kruger, rita hayworth, gene kelly, lee bowman, phil silvers, jinx falkenburg, leslie brooks, eve arden, jess barker, anita colby, charles. The film was directed by charles vidor, and was one of the most popular musicals of the war years. One of the most lavish and successful hollywood musicals of the 1940s, charles vidor s cover girl is a breathtaking spectacle that established its stars rita hayworth gilda and the lady from shanghai and gene kelly singin in the rain, as the two most popular actors of their time. Kelly s movie career truly took off after his groundbreaking alter ego performance in columbia pictures cover girl 1944, in which he performed with himself thanks to the double exposure of the film. Cover girl is bright, vivid and an explosion of technicolor whimsy, especially with its bursts of colour. What really sets cover girl apart and what makes it a milestone film for gene kelly is the two numbers put me to the test and the alter ego number. While searching for cover girl images, i found this adorable photo of gene kelly and rita hayworth, circa 1979ish. Gene kelly ranked a list of 32 titles created 4 months ago see all related lists share this page.
Gene kelly 19121996 was an american dancer, actor, singer, director, producer and choreographer whose work in motion pictures spans from 1942 to 1996. Although he might lose her, rustys boyfriend, danny mcguire gene. Gene kelly had been a presence in films for a couple of years, but it wasnt until mgm loaned him out to columbia for cover girl that he first made his mark. It is easy to dismiss cover girl as manufactured, silly, and overproduced, yet it is a knockout of hollywood craftsmanship, and the invention and zest that went into it should not be disregarded. Cover girl stars rita hayworth as rusty parker, a chorus line dancer working in a modest brooklyn night club owned by her boyfriend danny mcguire gene kelly. Columbia pictures knew exactly how to use kelly in his next movie. Cover girl 1944 cast and crew credits, including actors, actresses, directors, writers and more. Gene kelly ranked a list of 32 titles created 4 months ago see all related lists. In trying to find out more about it, i came across an even more adorable story about their friendship around this time. Rita hayworth was, at the time, american gis favorite pinup, or at least a close second to betty grable. This picture marked gene kelly s first significant venture into film choreography.
I remember being excited when i first discovered the movie cover girl. This film was the beginning, xanadu the end, of a terrific run for a dancing genius. Put me to the test uncredited music by jerome kern lyrics by ira gershwin sung by gene kelly. It was the success of cover girl which enabled mgm to take gene kelly serious as a creative force, which resulted in them giving him the opportunity to choreograph his future films. He was able to deliver a song on key and with conviction.
Cover girl by charles vidor charles vidor, rita hayworth. Cover girl, with rita hayworth and gene kelly, at the. It is my understanding that he demurred against brigadoon because he realized it required semioperatic singing. Come for rita hayworth, stay for gene kelly dancing with his astral projectionsubconscious. In this story of the hayworth characters yearning to make it as a star on broadway, kelly danced and choreographed as well. He is probably best known today for his performances in musicals, notably an american in paris 1951 and singin in the rain 1952 kelly made his hollywood film debut in for me and my gal 1942, costarring with judy garland. Fleshy technicolor opening with a song by jerome kern and ira gershwin, featuring star rita hayworth and supporting player leslie brooks, from cover girl, 1944, also starring gene kelly. Cover girl, rita hayworth, gene kelly, full page vintage. The film tells the story of a chorus girl given a chance at stardom when she is offered an opportunity to be a highly paid cover girl.
Brittle around edges with some chippingsmall tears. Whereas singin in the rain is a classic american movie musical, cover girl is mediocrity incarnate. Cover girl, costarring rita hayworth in its first technicolor film. Especially in one wonderful shot of studioshot fantasy cover girl hints at the film it could be. The item youve selected was not added to your cart. Gene kelly, along with fred astaire, was never a vocalist. Eugene curran kelly august 23, 1912 february 2, 1996 was an americanirish dancer, actor of film, stage, and television, singer, film director, producer, screenwriter, comedian and choreographer. Further, cover girl marked the first time that costar gene kelly soon to be acknowledged as a great innovator in hollywood dance was given free reign to choreograph his own numbers, assisted by another young dancer fresh from broadway, future sterling director stanley donen.
Cover girl, with rita hayworth and gene kelly, at the music hall her primitve man is seen at loews state theatre. Thanks to its jerome kern ira gershwinyip harburg score and the luminescence of stars rita hayworth and gene kelly, cover girl has taken on a legendary status in recent years. Kelly s character in the 1980 xanadu, whose plot very loosely resembles that of cover girl with kelly taking on the coudair role also was named danny mcguire on kelly s request. Gene and ritas lasting friendship the vintage cameo. Gene kellys widow recalls magic of the film an american. Mayer had refused at mgm, to give kelly creative control of his own material. Cover girl is pleasant and likeable enough, but in comparison to the other great movie musicals of the time it just feels dated, even forgettable. Kelly plays the owner of a small nightclub in brooklyn where rita is a featured dancer and phil silvers the comic. I had long been a fan of gene kelly and rita hayworth. Watched cover girl rita hayworth gene kelly musical last night why the disclaimers.