Product Details

• Actors: Rita Hayworth, Gene Kelly, Lee Bowman, Phil Silvers, Leslie Brooks
• Directors: Charles Vidor
• Writers: Erwin S. Gelsey, John H. Kafka, Marion Parsonnet, Paul Gangelin, Virginia Van Upp
• Producers: Arthur Schwartz
• Format: Color, NTSC
• Language: English
• Rating: NR (Not Rated)
• Number of tapes: 1
• Studio: Sony Pictures
• VHS Release Date: June 23, 1994
• Run Time: 107 minutes
• Average Customer Review: 4.2 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (30 customer reviews)
• ASIN: 6301587383
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #14,816 in Video (See Bestsellers in Video)

Editorial Reviews

Amazon.com essential

Cover Girl was one of the big hits of Rita Hayworth's run as movie queen (and World War II pinup girl), a splashy musical geared to the talents of its redheaded star. Be warned: this is the kind of movie in which a single magazine cover turns an unknown dancer into the toast of her own Broadway show, virtually overnight. The corn runs high, but so do the spirits; plus, Eve Arden is around to toss in her trademark one-liners. Gene Kelly, as Hayworth's sulky choreographer and part-time boyfriend, stops the movie cold with his brilliant dance alongside his own reflection. The Jerome Kern-Ira Gershwin songs are middling, except for the lovely "Long Ago and Far Away." One number presents a parade of magazine cover girls come to life (great snapshot of an era). And check out the movie's hats: a parade of insane creations, perched uncertainly on many beautiful women's heads. --Robert Horton

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

28 of 28 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars "Cover Girl" is a musical/comedy worth the watch!, February 8, 2002

By	Priscilla Stafford (Yokohama, Japan) - See all my reviews

This musical/comedy is the story about Rusty Parker (Rita Hayworth) who decides to take a chance at becoming a cover girl. But she knows that her boss and boyfriend, Danny McGuire (Gene Kelly) believes that the easy way to stardom is not the way to happiness. At first, Rusty goes to audition for being the cover girl but when a jealous friend and co-worker Maurine Martin (Leslie Brooks) tells her to act 'animated', she blows her chance in front of Cornelia 'Stonewall' Jackson (Eve Arden). So when Cornelia and her boss, John Coudair (Otto Kruger), go to 'McGuire's Nightclub' to see Maurine, Coudair immediately takes a fancy to Rusty instead! The reason is because she looks exactly like Coudair's someone long ago whom he loved, Maribelle Hicks (also played by Rita Hayworth). He finds out that Rusty is Maribelle's granddaughter then makes her his cover girl and she is suddenly flung into the world of stardom and fame! But Danny and great friend Genius (Phil Silvers) try to get Rusty back on her feet when she starts getting high and mighty ideas. On the other hand, Coudair and producer Noel Wheaton (Lee Bowman) want to give Rusty all that they think is happiness; money, fame, and stardom. But could Rusty ever be happy without the one most important thing she needs, love?

A truly dynamic movie with terrific dance numbers, hilarious humor, romantic romance, and dramatic drama. Who can't help but hum along when Kelly and Hayworth sing the lovely song, "Long Ago and Far Away", laugh when the three main stars do their 'come on pearls' bit, sigh in happiness whenever Kelly and Hayworth kiss, and be in agony at the part where Hayworth realizes her mistake? If you haven't seen this movie, I can only say that you're missing out on a lot!

My favorite dance/song numbers are:
"Long Ago and Far Away": The romantic dance number with superb Kelly and Rita Hayworth.
"Who's Complaining?": Phil Silvers is just totally hilarious!
"Alter Ego": Gene Kelly is the best! Want proof? Watch this number where he dances with himself!
"Put Me to the Test": Both versions are wonderful. One is with Kelly and Hayworth, the other one is a much funnier version with Kelly and Silvers.
"Tomorrow": And who can forget this number with all three main characters Danny, Rusty, and Genius?

Here are some of my other favorite musicals/comedies which I highly recommend. "Silk Stockings", "Take Me Out to the Ballgame", "Bandwagon", "Tea for Two", "Singin' in the Rain", "Seven Brides for Seven Brothers", "The Barkleys of Broadway", the three "That's Entertainment" videos, and "Guys and Dolls". Of course there's plenty more!

23 of 23 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars LOVELY RITA....., December 16, 2003

By	Mark Norvell (HOUSTON) - See all my reviews (TOP 1000 REVIEWER)    (REAL NAME)

This review is from: Cover Girl (DVD)

If you can get past the zany (and tiresome) antics of Phil Silvers and the corny, cliched script, there's a wonderful Technicolor musical here called "Cover Girl". Gorgeous Rita Hayworth is Rusty Parker, a nite club chorine who becomes the toast of Broadway overnite when she's chosen to be the cover girl of Vanity magazine---albeit to the chagrin of the club's owner Danny McGuire (Gene Kelly) who's her boyfriend and her catty co-workers. Hayworth is absolutely beautiful and dances with the most natural grace and elegance ever captured on screen as far as I'm concerned. Gene Kelly's acting is stiff but HIS dancing is what you're watching here as well. Boy, could he dance! He has a great solo number on an empty street where he dances with his reflection from an empty store window. Absolute artistry in motion. Eve Arden, as a talent scout, brings much needed relief to the tired script with her right-on-the-money delivery of brittle comebacks and one liners. She's also outfitted in the most outre' chic costumes and hats Hollywood ever laid out. All the costumes (by the great Travis Banton) are something to behold. But it's the Technicolor that brings things to life and Hayworth who brings the Technicolor to life. In her Broadway debut, she comes running down a seemingly endless elevated platform in a flowing gold gown like a goddess descending from the heavens---her long red hair cascading behind her. Then, after a dance number with chorus guys, she runs back up the platform through a downpour of shimmering sparkles and into a cloud of pink smoke. Sheer Technicolor movie magic. "Cover Girl" isn't the best musical ever made, but as a showcase for one of the most beautiful actresses ever photographed in Technicolor and a very nice song called "Long Ago and Far Away" it gets 5 stars from me. When you watch this, you can see there was only ONE Rita Hayworth and her grace, talent and beauty are captured in splendor on this DVD print.

21 of 21 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Cover Girl, March 17, 2008

By	Kelly "Reviewer for The Sinfully Sensuous" (Littleton, Colorado) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

This review is from: Cover Girl (DVD)

Probably one of Rita Hayworth's most memorable movies. This movie has it all, and was made to showcase Hayworth's multitude of talent. There is humor, amazing well-choreographed dance sequences, and the singing, ohhh the singing! It is hard to choose what is better. Gene Kelley gave a wonder performance as always, but Rita Hayworth shines. I never realized what a phenomenal dancer she was. It is a shame that she never received the recognition she deserved.