Main Cast: Fred Astaire, Rita Hayworth, Robert Benchley, John Hubbard, Osa Massen
Release Year: 1941
Country: US
Run Time: 88 minutes
MPAA Rating: NR
Plot
You'll Never Get Rich was the first of two films made by Fred Astaire at Columbia, and also the first in which he was paired with his favorite female dancing partner--not Ginger Rogers or Cyd Charisse, but Rita Hayworth. Fred and Rita play a team of Broadway dancers whose partnership is abruptly rent asunder when Fred is drafted into the Army. Unable to adapt to military routine, Astaire frequently ends up in the guardhouse; during one of these visits, he and the Delta Rhythm Boys collaborate on the lively song-and-dance number "The A-starable Rag." Back to the plot: Rita shows up on the army base as the girl friend of captain John Hubbard. This leads to more fancy footwork, and, of course, a happy ending for our stars. Though the Cole Porter score yielded no hits, one of the songs, "Since I Kissed My Baby Goodbye", was nominated for an Academy Award. Robert Benchley provides comic relief, as he would in the subsequent Astaire vehicle The Sky's the Limit. You'll Never Get Rich was followed by the even better Astaire-Hayworth pairing You Were Never Lovelier. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
Review
You'll Never Get Rich is not the greatest film that either Fred Astaire or Rita Hayworth ever made, but it's an enjoyably silly flick that offers some interesting attractions. The stars are the main asset, of course. This was the first of their two onscreen pairings, and while the script doesn't develop their characters as much as one might hope, there's a definite chemistry at work between the two. This is especially clear during their musical numbers, naturally, when Hayworth's friendly sex goddess aura meshes beautifully with Astaire's air of sophistication. Hayworth is even a better dancer than Ginger Rogers, no mean feat, although she lacks a little of the fire that Rogers brought to the team. Not that Hayworth isn't capable of letting Astaire's character have it with both barrels when necessary; it's just that the anger somehow seems less personal to her. Astaire has a great time with his role, enjoying the chance to play someone less gentlemanly than usual, and he's in good vocal form as well. Cole Porter's score is serviceable, with "So Near and Yet So Far" considerably more than that. The script is a bit of a patchwork quilt -- some allegedly comedic sequences in particular don't hold up -- but as long as the stars (and co-star Robert Benchley) are around, Richis engaging entertainment. ~ Craig Butler, All Movie Guide
This was Hayworth's first starring role in a big budgeted film from her home studio Columbia Pictures. While the film was in production Life Magazine put her on its cover, and featured inside a photo of Hayworth kneeling on a bed in a nightgown, which soon became one of the most widely distributed pin-ups of all time. Hayworth, a talented and sensual dancer of astonishing natural grace and beauty, cooperated enthusiastically with Astaire's intense rehearsal habits, and was later to remark: "I guess the only jewels in my life are the pictures I made with Fred Astaire". The picture was very successful at the box office, turning Hayworth into a major star, and provided a welcome boost to Astaire who felt his career had flagged since breaking with Ginger Rogers.
One of the film's songs, Since I Kissed My Baby Goodbye, was nominated for an Academy Award for Best Song.
Key songs/dance routines
Dance director was Robert Alton, Astaire's second-most-frequent choreographic collaborator after Hermes Pan. As Astaire generally choreographed his own and his partner's routines, Alton concentrated on the choruses. The choreography explores a diverse range of musical rhythms some of which are artfully juxtaposed in Cole Porter's score.
Rehearsal Duet: Short but virtuosic tap number with Astaire and Hayworth dancing side by side.
"Boogie Barcarolle": Porter number which, not unlike Robert Russell Bennett's Waltz In Swing Time from Swing Time, overlays two very different musical rhythms. Astaire leads the chorus which includes Hayworth in an exhilarating and, for Astaire, unusual routine.
"Shootin' The Works For Uncle Sam": Song and dance number where Astaire and chorus march through a train station. The choreography expresses the notion that Broadway-style dance rehearsals and army camp drills have much in common. The music and dance contrast march and jazz rhythms.
"Since I Kissed My Baby Goodbye": Haunting and melancholy Porter standard introduced by the Four Tones - an African-American quartet (lead singer Lucius "Dusty" Brooks, Leon Buck, Rudolph Hunter, and John Porter) - followed by a short Astaire solo, and all executed in the unrealistic - for its time - setting of an unsegregated guard house. Astaire also made a successful recording of this number with Decca in September 1941, backed in this instance by the Delta Rhythm Boys.
"March Milastaire (A-Stairable Rag)": Another Porter number contrasting march and jazz rhythms, danced in a "tour de force" tap solo by Astaire, who expresses his sudden joy of being in love by using his taps to make as much noise as possible. This time the purely instrumental African-American backing group comprised the twenty-year-old Chico Hamilton on drums, Buddy Collette (clarinet), Red Mack (trumpet), Alfred Grant (guitar) and Joe Comfort (jug).
"So Near and Yet So Far": Porter's rumba melody is set to lyrics (sung by Astaire), which sum up the nature of Hayworth's irresistible allure. Astaire, clearly inspired by Hayworth's exceptional Latin dance pedigree, delivers his first on-screen synthesis of Latin-American and ballroom dance steps in a celebrated romantic partnering.
"The Wedding Cake Walk": Liltin' Martha Tilton's rendition of this cheerful song is followed by a routine involving Astaire, Hayworth and a large chorus, the former pair ending up dancing on a wedding cake in the shape of a tank.
