You'll Never Get Rich

You'll Never Get Rich (Columbia Pictures) is a 1941 Hollywood musical comedy film with a wartime theme starring Fred Astaire, Rita Hayworth, Robert Benchley, Cliff Nazarro, with music and lyrics by Cole Porter. The film was directed by Sidney Lanfield.

Key songs/dance routines:

Dance director was Robert Alton, Astaire's second-most-frequent choreographic collaborator after Hermes Pan. As Astaire generally choreographed his own and his partner's routines, Alton concentrated on the choruses.

Related Topics:
Robert Alton - Hermes Pan

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• Rehearsal Duet: Short tap number with Astaire and Hayworth.
• Boogie Barcarolle: Innovative Porter number which, not unlike Richard Russell Bennett's Waltz In Swing Time from Swing Time, overlays two very different musical rythms. Astaire leads the chorus which includes Hayworth in an exhilirating and, for Astaire, unusual routine.
• Shootin' The Works For Uncle Sam: Fascinating song and dance number where Astaire and chorus march through a train station. The choreography wittily expresses the notion that Broadway-style dance rehearsals and army camp drills have much in common. The music and dance contrast march and jazz rythms.
• Since I Kissed My Baby Goodbye: Haunting and melancholy Porter standard introduced by the Four Tones - an African-American quartet - followed by a short Astaire solo, and all executed in the unrealistic - for its time - setting of an unsegregated guard house.
• March Milastaire (A-Stairable Rag): Another clever Porter number contrasting march and jazz rythms, danced in a "tour de force" tap solo by Astaire, who expresses his sudden joy of being in love by using his taps to make as much noise as possible. The twenty-year-old Chico Hamilton appears on drums.
• So Near And Yet So Far: Porter's beautiful rumba melody is set to awkward lyrics (sung by Astaire), which nonetheless sum up the nature of Hayworth's irresistable allure. Astaire, clearly inspired by Hayworth's sensational Latin dance pedigree, delivers his first on-screen synthesis of Latin-American and Standard Ballroom dance steps in a sublime romantic partnering.
• The Wedding Cake Walk: Liltin' Martha Tilton's rendition of this cheerful song is followed by a forgettable marshmallow of a routine involving Astaire, Hayworth and a large chorus, the former pair ending up dancing on a wedding cake in the shape of a tank. As Mueller remarks: "Does this look like a country about to go to war?. And win?"