Cover Girl
During the middle of shooting Rita Hayworth eloped with Orson Welles. Coincidentally the film's wedding scene was shot that day.,The guests at the 1904 wedding are the same people, wearing the same clothes and hairstyles, as the guests at the 1944 wedding. Of particular note are the young girl wearing a giant red flower as a hat, and the white-haired old lady with white boa feathers on the side of her head.,Genius: You know something? I love him too.
Danny McGuire: Yeah?
Genius: You know why?
Danny McGuire: Why?
Genius: Because he's dumber than me.
Danny McGuire: Dumber than I.,There is an Italian DVD edition of this movie, distributed by DNA Srl, entitled "Cover Girl". The movie was re-edited with the contribution of the film history scholar Riccardo Cusin. This dvd contains the movie with its original aspect ratio and a new version adapted in 1.78:1 anamorphic for 16:9 screens. This version is also available in streaming on some platforms. This DVD also contains another movie with Gene Kelly: " Du Barry Was a Lady" (1943).,Edited into American Masters: Gene Kelly: Anatomy of a Dancer (2002),The Show Must Go On
(uncredited)
Music by Jerome Kern
Lyrics by Ira Gershwin
Performed by Rita Hayworth (dubbed by Martha Mears), Leslie Brooks and Chorus,Two of these things are to be expected, the third is a complete surprise (that would be Phil Silvers dancing).

This is a delightful, if longer than it needs to be musical. A sub-plot with flashbacks and probably the worst Jerome Kern number ever written (Poor John), do not contribute enough to make them worthwhile. It's as if they wrote the movie, realized they didn't have enough material to produce a full-length picture, and added these other scenes to "fill it out". They don't work.

It's funny to see a 1940's musical with Gene Kelly (on loan from M-G-M)clearly taking a backseat to his leading lady. His second act number where he dances with himself is one highlight of the film. Other strong points are "Make Way For Tomorrow" and the lovely, "Long Ago And Far Away" (although I thought it odd that the latter number did not have a dance sequence attached to it). "Put Me To The Test", a number where Rita and Gene get to dance together, is a very good number, but the title song does nothing for me, although it is staged wonderfully.

Rita Hayworth is absolutely breath-taking. Her dancing is excellent, and this is clearly a role that suits her. Some of her hair pieces, however are awful. In a few scenes, the color of them do not match the color of her natural hair. Very distracting.

Phil Silvers is wonderful as Genius, Gene and Rita's friend and co-worker. Seeing him dance, especially as well as he did, was a wonderful surprise.

The major problem I had with this movie was that I never believed the relationship between the three leads. I didn't believe that Kelly and Hayworth were in love, or that Kelly and Silvers were real friends. Can't quite put my finger on it, but I didn't buy it.

Excellent supporting work by Eve Arden, Otto Kruger, Edward Brophy and Leslie Brooks.

6 out of 10,