Cover Girl (film)

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Cover Girl (1944)

Cover Girl is a 1944 American musical romantic comedy directed by Charles Vidor and stars Rita Hayworth as Rusty and Gene Kelly as Danny McGuire. The film follows a Brooklyn chorus girl who gets a shot at stardom as a highly paid cover girl, blending romance, fashion, and song-and-dance numbers.

Plot
Rusty is a beautiful chorus girl at a Brooklyn nightclub run by her boyfriend Danny. A rival showgirl sabotages another contestant to hurt Rusty’s chances at a vanity magazine cover. Magazine editor John Coudair sees Rusty perform and, with impresario Noel Wheaton, offers her a Broadway opportunity. Danny fears losing her fame and affection, and a quarrel pushes Rusty to consider leaving him for the spotlight.

As her career grows, Rusty discovers a surprising family link: John once loved a showgirl named Maribelle Hicks, who Rusty resembles, and it turns out Maribelle is Rusty’s grandmother who has recently died. Rusty becomes a Broadway star while reconciling her love for Danny. In the end, she chooses true love over fame and leaves the wedding to reunite with Danny.

Music, dance, and production notes
- The film features eight dance routines for Hayworth and songs by Jerome Kern and Ira Gershwin, including Long Ago (and Far Away). It was the first collaboration of Kern and Gershwin.
- Cover Girl was Columbia Pictures’ first Technicolor musical. Hayworth’s singing voice was dubbed by Martha Mears.
- Gene Kelly had almost full control over the dancing, and he helped choreograph the film with Stanley Donen. Kelly even created the Alter-Ego Dance, using trick photography to appear alongside his own ghost-like double.
- Notable production facts include Kelly’s bold street-shot dance sequences and the removal of some soundstage walls to create continuous dance numbers.

Reception and legacy
- The film was a major hit and helped launch the careers of both Hayworth and Kelly. It influenced MGM to give Kelly more opportunities to choreograph.
- Columbia released Kelly to work on Anchors Aweigh (1945) after this film.
- Carmen Dragon and Morris Stoloff won the 1944 Academy Award for Best Music, Scoring of a Musical Picture.
- The song Long Ago (and Far Away) is recognized by the American Film Institute (AFI) as part of its 100 Years…100 Songs list (ranking 92nd).

Details
Running time: 107 minutes
Country: United States
Language: English
Release: 1944 (March 20 in Providence, Rhode Island; April 6 nationwide)

Cover Girl remains a landmark musical of the era, celebrated for its glamour, dance, and the dynamic pairing of Hayworth and Kelly.