FILM REVIEWS

“Cover Girl is an extremely enjoyable, lavishly produced as Technicolor entertainment.

Jerome Kern/Ira Gershwin/Yip Harburg score and the chemistry of the appealing stars, Rita Hayworth and Gene Kelly, made “Cover Girl” a popular, Oscar-nominated movie.

The gorgeous looking Hayworth plays Rusty Parker a chorus girl given a chance for stardom by a wealthy magazine editor (Otto Kruger), who years earlier had been in love with the girl’s mother.

Offered an opportunity to be a popular cover girl, she would faithfully remain with her tacky nightclub act if only the club manager Danny McGuire (Gene Kelly), whom she likes, would ask her. He loves her too, but doesn’t want to stand in her way, so he fakes an argument.

Phil Silvers as best friend, and Eve Arden s Kruger’s acid-tongued assistant, provide comic relief.

There are many good musical numbers, including “Long Ago and Far Away” and Kelly’s famous “Alter-ego” dance.

Kelly co-choreographed with Stanley Donen, and both artists went back to MGM after this picture.

“Cover Girl” is the film that skyrocketed both Rita Hayworth and Gene Kelly (who made his debute two years earlier) to superstardom.
Oscar Nominations: 5

Scoring (Musical): Carmen Dragon and Morris Stoloff

Cinematography (Color): Rudolph Mate and Allen M. Davey

Interior Decoration (Color): Lionel Banks and Cary Odell; Fay Babcock.

Sound Recording: John Livadary

Song: Long Ago and Far Away, music by Jerome Kern, lyrics by Ira Gershwin

Oscar Awards: 1

Scoring

Running time: 107 Minutes.

Directed by Charles Vidor.

Screenplay:Virginia Van Upp, Marion Parsonnet, Paul Gangelin.

Released: March 30, 1944.

DVD: August 19, 2003