You Were Never Lovelier (1942)
Directed by William A. Seiter

Comedy / Musical / Romance

Film Review

Abstract picture representing You Were Never Lovelier (1942)
After their successful pairing in the hit musical comedy You'll Never Get Rich (1941), Fred Astaire and Rita Hayworth are reunited for another bout of high class schmaltz and frothy song and dance hijinks.  Whilst not the most obvious of dancing partners, Astaire and Hayworth complement each other perfectly and their dance routines in this film are among the most memorable in Astaire's repertoire.  Amazingly, they would never worth together again after this film.

Jerome Kern's uplifting music gives the film its smooth velvety charm, although it is a shame that Hayworth was not trusted to sing her own numbers (instead she was dubbed by Nan Wynn). Whilst the plot is all too predictable, there is plenty of fun to be had along the way, and the glamorous lead performers make it something special.  But who is Astaire kidding when he says Hayworth has a personality like the inside of a refrigerator?
© James Travers 2009
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Film Synopsis

Robert Davis, an American dancer stranded in Buenos Aires without a peso to his name, is desperate to find work.  His friend, bandleader Xavier Cugat, suggests that he should try to impress hotel owner Eduardo Acuña by performing at his eldest daughter's wedding.  At the wedding reception, Robert is taken with Acuña's second eldest daughter, Maria, but she has idealistic notions when it comes to love and he doesn't impress her.  Acuña is determined to marry off Maria, partly because his two youngest daughters are themselves desperate to get married.  To make Maria more predisposed to marriage, Acuña invents a fantasy lover, by sending her love letters and flowers himself.  When Robert mistakenly delivers one of the letters, Maria jumps to the conclusion that he is her mystery admirer and falls head over heels in love with him, much to her father's annoyance.  Robert is most definitely not Acuña's idea of a son-in-law...
© James Travers
The above content is owned by filmsdefrance.com and must not be copied.


Film Credits

  • Director: William A. Seiter
  • Script: Michael Fessier, Ernest Pagano, Delmer Daves, Carlos A. Olivari (story), Sixto Pondal Ríos (story)
  • Cinematographer: Ted Tetzlaff
  • Music: Leigh Harline
  • Cast: Fred Astaire (Robert Davis), Rita Hayworth (Maria Acuña), Adolphe Menjou (Eduardo Acuña), Isobel Elsom (Mrs. Maria Castro), Leslie Brooks (Cecy Acuña), Adele Mara (Lita Acuña), Gus Schilling (Fernando), Barbara Brown (Mrs. Delfina Acuña), Douglas Leavitt (Juan Castro), Xavier Cugat and His Orchestra (Themselves), Kirk Alyn (Julia's Groom), Stanley Brown (Roddy, Cecy's Boyfriend), George Bunny (Flower Man), Catherine Craig (Julia Acuña, the Bride), Xavier Cugat (Himself), Mary Field (Louise the Acuña Maid), James Ford (One of Maria's Suitors), Kathleen Howard (Grandmother Acuña), Frank McClure (Wedding Guest), Edmund Mortimer (Wedding Guest Getting Drink from Eduardo)
  • Country: USA
  • Language: English
  • Support: Black and White
  • Runtime: 97 min

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