You'll Never Get Rich (1941)

In order to cover up his philandering ways, a married Broadway producer sets one of his dancers up on a date with a chorus girl for whom he had bought a gift, but the two dancers fall in love for real.

Director:

Sidney Lanfield

Writers:

Michael Fessier (original screenplay), Ernest Pagano (original screenplay)

Stars:

Fred Astaire, Rita Hayworth, Robert Benchley

Nominated for 2 Oscars.

Cast

Complete credited cast:
Fred Astaire	...	Robert Curtis
Rita Hayworth	...	Sheila Winthrop
Robert Benchley	...	Martin Cortland
John Hubbard	...	Tom Barton
Osa Massen	...	Sonya
Frieda Inescort	...	Mrs. Julia Cortland
Guinn 'Big Boy' Williams	...	Kewpie Blain (as Guinn Williams)
Donald MacBride	...	Top Sergeant
Cliff Nazarro	...	Swivel Tongue
Marjorie Gateson	...	Aunt Louise
Ann Shoemaker	...	Mrs. Barton
Boyd Davis	...	Colonel Shiller

Storyline

After his wife discovers a telltale diamond bracelet, impresario Martin Cortland tries to show he's not chasing after showgirl Sheila Winthrop. Choreographer Robert Curtis gets caught in the middle of the boss's scheme. Army conscription offers Robert the perfect escape from his troubles- or does it?

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Plot Keywords:

guardhouse | new york city new york | bracelet | army | mousetrap | 

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Taglines:

Exciting loveliness and rhythm in a star-spangled army musical!

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Genres:

Comedy | Musical | Romance

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Certificate:

Approved

Details

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Release Date:

25 September 1941 (USA)

Also Known As:

He's My Uncle

Company Credits

Production Co:

Columbia Pictures Corporation

Technical Specs

Runtime:

88 min

Sound Mix:

Mono (Western Electric Mirrophonic Recording)

Color:

Black and White

Aspect Ratio:

1.37 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

Finnish censorship visa # 02367.

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Goofs

As Fred Astaire and Robert Benchley are discussing the upcoming show they pass several soldiers who are working with shovels. Though the soldiers are supposed to be breaking up clods and smoothing the dirt the shovels never come within six inches of the ground.

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Quotes

Martin Cortland: Julia is going to divorce me.
Robert Curtis: I'll be the first to congratulate her.
Martin Cortland: How can you say that! You know I don't want a divorce. I'm a happily married man. I love my wife!
Robert Curtis: And, besides, all this property is in her name.
Martin Cortland: She's going to strip me right down to my underwear, too.
Robert Curtis: You ought to think of that, before you go galloping after something you shouldn't have and can't catch!

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Crazy Credits

The opening credits are presented as a series of roadside advertising signs observed by one of the characters.

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Connections

Referenced in Hollywood Hist-o-Rama: Rita Hayworth (1962)

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Soundtracks

Frühlingslied (Spring Song) Op. 62 #6
(uncredited)
Music by Felix Mendelssohn-Bartholdy
Whistled by Robert Benchley

User Reviews

The first Astaire/Hayworth film, but worth a second look.

I initially thought this one was the lesser of the two pairings. But I have to admit this film- which puts its audience squarely into the start of World War II- is quite sharp, script-wise, and quite lyrical, music-wise. Astaire's dance director shows an early but distant attraction to chorus dancer Hayworth (and vice-versa), but is drafted into the Army (not to mention repeatedly banished to the guardhouse for various insubordination) before they can live happily ever after. They were a sweet coupling, despite their 19-year age difference, and Hayworth, as others have mentioned, was quite a revelation as a tap and ballroom dancer. All of their dances are performances only, not love scenes (which are the duets I have always preferred), but they are sensational. The requisite 'big number' is the finale, the "Wedding Cake Walk" (you'll do a double-take at the last image of the tank-shaped wedding cake), and there is an ensemble dance at the start of the film called "Boogie Barcarolle." But two numbers stand out: Astaire's solo dance in the guardhouse, sung by a black jazz chorus (uncredited, called the Delta Rhythm Boys) and entitled "Since I Kissed My Baby Goodbye." Elegant tapping by Astaire is blended with a rich bass vocal by Lucius Brooks. The other number is Astaire and Hayworth's dress rehearsal "So Near and Yet So Far," a stunning rumba which shows off Hayworth in a sheer black gown and expands into intricate layers of choreography. This is one of the last films to show Ms. Hayworth as a brunette; her hair is no longer black, but it is not yet red either, but shortly after this outing her tresses went completely red as she began doing doing Technicolor films. Their follow-up film, "You Were Never Lovelier," had more of the standard romantic shenanigans and more lyrical dance numbers, but this first one was more screwball comedy and, in a sense, more of a challenge to pull off.