1h 47min | Comedy, Musical, Romance | 6 April 1944 | Color
Director: Charles Vidor
Stars: Rita Hayworth, Gene Kelly, Lee Bowman, Phil Silvers, Eve Arden, Otto Kruger.
Seymour Felix ... dance numbers staged by
Val Raset ... dance numbers staged by
Stanley Donen ... assistant choreographer (uncredited)
Seymour Felix ... choreographer (uncredited)
Fred Kelly ... additional choreographer (uncredited)
Gene Kelly ... choreographer (uncredited)
Val Raset ... choreographer (uncredited)
This has plenty of drama too. Not sure why that genre isn't included. I almost submitted a credit deletion for Val Raset's 2nd listing, but maybe "dance numbers staged by" is different than "choreographer"? (I don't think so.
In the Tap! Appendix for Rita Hayworth, Gene Kelly, Phil Silvers. PS really does keep up when the 3 dance together.
All songs (except Poor John) are written by Jerome Kern (music) and Ira Gershwin (lyrics, plus E.Y. Harburg on Make Way for Tomorrow); I bolded the impressive dances; 12 custom chapters:
ch1. THE SHOW MUST GO ON, Sung and Danced by RH (dubbed by Martha Mears), Leslie Brooks, and chorus
ch2. WHO'S COMPLAINING?, Sung by PS and danced with RH, Leslie Brooks and two chorus girls
ch3. SURE THING, Performed by RH (dubbed by MM)
ch4. MAKE WAY FOR TOMORROW, Sung and Danced by GK, RH (dubbed by MM); PS
ch6. PUT ME TO THE TEST, Sung by GK, Danced by GK with chorus and RH
ch6. LONG AGO AND FAR AWAY, Performed by GK and RH (dubbed by MM)
ch8. POOR JOHN!, Performed by RH (dubbed by MM) and danced with male chorus (uncredited)
ch9. MAKE WAY FOR TOMORROW, danced by RH briefly
ch9. ALTER-EGO DANCE, Danced by GK
ch10. COVER GIRL (THAT GIRL ON THE COVER), Sung by chorus; danced by RH with chorus
ch11. PUT ME TO THE TEST, Comedy reprise by GK and PS and male chorus on troop transport truck
The Alter-ego Dance is an impressive technical accomplishment, and a great dance number even if there were only one GK onscreen. I don't know where I have a detailed explanation of how they did it, but I remember Stanley Donen talking about it.
RH was a great dancer. I wish more had been incorporated in her films.
I wish they had cast someone more compelling than Lee Bowman as the romantic rival, to improve his scenes and make the rivalry more of a contest, like maybe Joel McCrea.
I'll save my 3rd wish for something more substantial.
ch2. WHO'S COMPLAINING?, Sung by PS and danced with RH, Leslie Brooks and two chorus girls
ch3. SURE THING, Performed by RH (dubbed by MM)
ch4. MAKE WAY FOR TOMORROW, Sung and Danced by GK, RH (dubbed by MM); PS
ch6. PUT ME TO THE TEST, Sung by GK, Danced by GK with chorus and RH
ch6. LONG AGO AND FAR AWAY, Performed by GK and RH (dubbed by MM)
ch8. POOR JOHN!, Performed by RH (dubbed by MM) and danced with male chorus (uncredited)
ch9. MAKE WAY FOR TOMORROW, danced by RH briefly
ch9. ALTER-EGO DANCE, Danced by GK
ch10. COVER GIRL (THAT GIRL ON THE COVER), Sung by chorus; danced by RH with chorus
ch11. PUT ME TO THE TEST, Comedy reprise by GK and PS and male chorus on troop transport truck
ch12. MAKE WAY FOR TOMORROW reprise sung & danced by GK, RH and PS.
RH was a great dancer. I wish more had been incorporated in her films.
I wish they had cast someone more compelling than Lee Bowman as the romantic rival, to improve his scenes and make the rivalry more of a contest, like maybe Joel McCrea.
I'll save my 3rd wish for something more substantial.
Columbia, dir. Vidor; 8
