Cover Girl

Rating:
Summary: Gene Kelly's pivotal role; Rita Hayworth's sweetest role.
Review: "CG's" importance lies not in it's originality as a book (it's the backstage Cinderella story extrordinaire), as much as it does in what happened to each of its stars. Gene Kelly was "loaned out" to do CG, when MGM boss L.B. Mayer didn't have much use for him at his own studio. His performance in this film, coupled with the ground-breaking 'Alter Ego' dance solo (duo?) was so successful that it made MGM take him seriously at last and allowed him to flourish with the yet-to-come hits of "On The Town," "An American In Paris," etc. (he was never loaned out again). Likewise for Rita Hayworth; Columbia had been grooming her for years, but she had done mostly B-level films (except for the occasional musical). "CG" showed her off as a lead in glorious Technicolor, and paved the way for GILDA, her signature role. And in GILDA she was much darker and sexier. Here she and Kelly make a sweet couple, and look their best in the "Long Ago..." duet. Another good number is the title tune, which pays tribute to all the well-known American magazines and their cover models. Hayworth is a siren in a gold dress, running down a curved runway, with her mane of burnt-orange red hair. Don't know if there's a DVD of this; there oughta be.

Rating:
Summary: VERY NICE LOOKING TRANSFER FROM COLUMBIA - HOW UNUSUAL!
Review: "Cover Girl" is a star vehicle for Rita Hayworth. Having stated the obvious, its quick paced and elegant good fun, bookended by Gene Kelly's superb dancing and Eve Arden's "hotter than fire" one-liners. Rita is cast as a nobody who gets her face plastered on one magazine and overnight becomes the toast of Broadway. Her duet with Kelly, "Long Ago and Far Away" is the real highlight in this nimble minded programmer that really took audiences by storm. - people used to be so easy to please!
TRANSFER: Well, what do you know? After a slew of bargain basement trasfers (though by no means was Columbia's pricing what this reviewer would consider a bargain) we at last get a transfer that's worthy of the digital format. Colors are vibrant and well balanced. Contrast and black levels are bang on. Film grain and age related artifacts are present but they don't terribly distract. There are no digital compression artifacts. The audio is MONO but nicely balanced.
EXTRAS: Forget it! Columbia remains on their penny-pinching kick, but hey - at least the film looks good.
BOTTOM LINE: This is not an outstanding example of the Hollywood musical. However, it is adept at poking fun at itself and having a good time doing it. For a night of light fluff that will put a smile on your face, I recommend "Cover Girl".

Rating:
Summary: VERY NICE LOOKING TRANSFER FROM COLUMBIA - HOW UNUSUAL!
Review: "Cover Girl" is a star vehicle for Rita Hayworth. Having stated the obvious, its quick paced and elegant good fun, bookended by Gene Kelly's superb dancing and Eve Arden's "hotter than fire" one-liners. Rita is cast as a nobody who gets her face plastered on one magazine and overnight becomes the toast of Broadway. Her duet with Kelly, "Long Ago and Far Away" is the real highlight in this nimble minded programmer that really took audiences by storm. - people used to be so easy to please!
TRANSFER: Well, what do you know? After a slew of bargain basement trasfers (though by no means was Columbia's pricing what this reviewer would consider a bargain) we at last get a transfer that's worthy of the digital format. Colors are vibrant and well balanced. Contrast and black levels are bang on. Film grain and age related artifacts are present but they don't terribly distract. There are no digital compression artifacts. The audio is MONO but nicely balanced.
EXTRAS: Forget it! Columbia remains on their penny-pinching kick, but hey - at least the film looks good.
BOTTOM LINE: This is not an outstanding example of the Hollywood musical. However, it is adept at poking fun at itself and having a good time doing it. For a night of light fluff that will put a smile on your face, I recommend "Cover Girl".

Rating:
Summary: Wonderful, charming, sweet story!
Review: I can't help but love this movie. Every time I feel blue, I can pop it in the VCR and feel wonderful by the time it's over. Rita Hayworth has never been more beautiful than in this picture. Her dancing talents are showcased beautifully, though as usual, not enough. Gene Kelly sparkles brilliantly as her nightclub-owner boyfriend who wants her to work hard to get to the top, not go the easy road as a "Cover Girl". Gene's "Alter-Ego" dance in this picture was at the time technically revolutionary.

Also featured is Phil Silvers is a crackup as Gene's wisecracking friend, and the always wonderful Eve Arden gets her witty two cents in as well with a big cast of colorful characters to back it all up. Also, it is said that a very young Shelley Winters can be seen as one of the chorines, though I haven't found her yet! :o)

Shakespeare it's not, but Cover Girl is what it is: a lighthearted, romantic musical and a really fun ride the whole way!!

Watch it and enjoy!

Rating:
Summary: GREAT MUSICAL WOTH THE MONEY
Review: I don't know what the other neg. reviewers are talking about. This is a great film. It's very entertaining and wonderful to look at. Your DVD collection is incomplete without this film.

Rating:
Summary: DVD heaven-glorious technicolor.
Review: I know I'll take all kinds of flak for saying so, but this is a dismally scripted, poorly choreographed Technicolor musical featuring Gene Kelly and Rita Hayworth, both at their most lackluster. Phil Silvers is also in here -- also to no great effect. In fact, Eve Arden seems to be the only actor who even seems to be trying on this one. The costumes are grotesque, the sets are minimal and even the score - a collaboration between Jerome Kern and Ira Gershwin -- is a dud. Why the movie guides like this one is a mystery to me. Only one good scene, when Kelly dances alongside his spectral reflection, other than that, you're really better off searching out stronger performances in "American In Paris" and other classics. This flick is strictly dullsville.

Rating:
Summary: Sorry, doesn't work for me...
Review: I know I'll take all kinds of flak for saying so, but this is a dismally scripted, poorly choreographed Technicolor musical featuring Gene Kelly and Rita Hayworth, both at their most lackluster. Phil Silvers is also in here -- also to no great effect. In fact, Eve Arden seems to be the only actor who even seems to be trying on this one. The costumes are grotesque, the sets are minimal and even the score - a collaboration between Jerome Kern and Ira Gershwin -- is a dud. Why the movie guides like this one is a mystery to me. Only one good scene, when Kelly dances alongside his spectral reflection, other than that, you're really better off searching out stronger performances in "American In Paris" and other classics. This flick is strictly dullsville.

Rating:
Summary: A very good film musical!
Review: I've seen this many times as well, and highly recommend it. The songs and dances are very good. Rita Hayworth and Gene Kelly
are great dance partners. It's a very intertaining film, good storyline as well.

Rating:
Summary: A very good film musical!
Review: I've seen this many times as well, and highly recommend it. The songs and dances are very good. Rita Hayworth and Gene Kelly
are great dance partners. It's a very intertaining film, good storyline as well.

Rating:
Summary: 4 stars if you're a Rita Hayworth fan
Review: If you are a Gene Kelly fan this one might be a little disappointing-it is more of a Rita Hayworth vehicle (I believe she was a much bigger star at the time than he). However, this one has some charming moments for Kelly, even though the story is hopelessly dated (Hayworth is caught between two club owners vying for control of her talents and affections). The high points for me were the exuberent street dance with Kelly, Hayworth and Phil Silvers, and, of course, the great "Alter-ego" dance with Kelly and Kelly. Not a great movie, but very enjoyable (I have watched it several times).