Classic Film Guide

You'll Never Get Rich (1941) - full review!

After all but one of his films with Ginger Rogers, Fred Astaire was paired with new dance partner Rita Hayworth for this musical romantic comedy that features the Academy Award nominated Cole Porter song "Since I Kissed My Baby Goodbye"; Morris Stoloff's Score also received an Oscar nomination. Directed by Sidney Lanfield with an original screenplay by Michael Fessier and Ernest Pagano, the cast also features John Hubbard as the third member of a love triangle that includes Fred and Rita, Osa Massen as the second attractive gal (after Rita) that catches Benchley’s wandering eye, getting the married man in trouble with his wealthy wife, played by Frieda Inescort, Guinn 'Big Boy' Williams & swivel tongued Cliff Nazarro as Astaire's fellow Army recruits, Donald MacBride as their sergeant, Marjorie Gateson as Hayworth's Aunt Louise, Ann Shoemaker as Hubbard's mother, and Boyd Davis as Colonel Shiller.

To cover up the fact that he'd bought a diamond bracelet for a dancer in his show, producer Martin Cortland (Benchley) involves his choreographer Robert Curtis (Astaire) in scheme to convince his rich wife Julia (Inescort) that the bracelet engraved for Sheila Winthrop (Hayworth) is actually from his dance director Robert. Since Sheila had her eye on Robert, she is thrilled to receive the present until she learns the truth. Even though Robert was not initially attracted to Sheila, upon learning that she'd returned the bracelet, he becomes interested in her. But Sheila is practically engaged to Army Captain Tom Barton (Hubbard), something which pleases his mother (Shoemaker) and her Aunt Louise (Gateson). Meanwhile, Julia is rightfully skeptical about her husband's profession of innocence; later, she catches Martin lusting after another dancer named Sonya (Massen). To get away from Martin's schemes, Robert enlists in the army where he meets big Kewpie Blain (Williams) and a fast talking swivel tongue nicknamed 'Swiv' (Nazarro). The three recruits quickly become friends in part because of mutual troubles with their top sergeant (MacBride).

Of course, Sheila comes to visit Captain Barton, who naturally happens to be assigned to the same army facility where Robert and his friends are stationed. Though Sheila and Robert begin to form a mutual attraction, the misunderstanding between them that started because of Martin's gift (e.g. the engraved diamond bracelet) is renewed when Martin visits the camp. The producer asks the base's Colonel Shiller (Davis) if he can utilize his former dance director to put on a show, ostensibly to enhance the enlisted men's morale but really to provide Sonya with a leading role. In the end though, as one would expect, Fred and Rita's characters will end up together.

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