Cover Girl

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Moraldo Rubini
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Who said that?

Post by Moraldo Rubini »

sugarpuss wrote:I can't answer about Cover Girl but did Rita sing any of her own songs? I have a good studio version (as opposed to a version ripped from Gilda) of "Put the Blame on Mame" and I always thought it was Rita singing it. Now I feel silly for thinking that, especially when I know she was dubbed in all her movies.
I hope it doesn't ruin it for you, Sugarpuss, but Anita Ellis was the voice for "Put the Blame on Mame" in Gilda.
rainingviolets21
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Cover Girl

Post by rainingviolets21 »

All my research says Rita sang only once in another movie called Miss Sadie Thompson, but as far as Cover Girl it was Miss Mears, now as for Kelly's character Danny
I don't understand why he wouldn't want to see her get ahead, why was he so angry with her when she won the wedding cover contest? I love the beautiful Technicolor in this film and it was swell seeing Jinx Falkenberg
again...
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charliechaplinfan
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Post by charliechaplinfan »

Wow, this thread is really interesting regarding Cover Girl. I love the film, although I wouldn't put it as one of Kelly's best I like the cameraderie between Gene Kelly, Rita Hayworth and Phil Silvers.

I always have to rewind the musical number were Gene Kelly dances with his own reflection. He's just so exuberant.
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Ayres
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Post by Ayres »

What an utterly terrific writeup, Jack. I agree completely that there is a magical quality to this movie. Someone here said there was real rapport among the three pals who "Make Way for Tomorrow," and that it shows--I certainly agree with that, too.

I haven't seen Cover Girl for a while, but I can never forget one moment during Rusty's first session of being made-up for the photo shoots. She's wearing a bridal veil, I think, and turns her head just so... Rita Hayworth in color is a stupendous experience, even after one has often seen her in black and white. I so wish her films with Astaire had been in color (though as a matter of fact, she was not yet a redhead for the first one).

Although she was always dubbed, I count Rita Hayworth among the greatest lip-synchers of all time. She really could convince you that she was singing the song, especially "I'm Old-Fashioned" in You Were Never Lovelier.
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Moraldo Rubini
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Re: Cover Girl

Post by Moraldo Rubini »

Cover Girl played at Palo Alto, California's Stanford Theatre tonight. I took a friend who'd never seen it and regaled him with stories of its background (how it changed Gene Kelly's career, that it was such a diversion for Columbia Pictures, etc.). The house was full and the audience was enthusastic. Lots of fun chatter in the lobby and everyone reminisced about the treat before us. There was beautiful woman there who remember seeing the movie when it was first released and she was a teenager. She thought Gene Kelly was the most beautiful creature and assumed the world would be full of such men when she matured. "And of course it wasn't. It turned out there was only one Gene Kelly."

The movie had barely begun... we were in the dressing room backstage at Danny theatre -- when the image on the screen melted before us. The was a community moan of disappointment at the inconvenience and the shock that some frames of this technicolor treasure had just been destroyed before our eyes. I don't know now why, but I stood and looked up at the projection booth behind the balcony. To my horror, I saw that it was engulfed in flames. So many thoughts flashed through my head -- was the film of nitrate stock? was the projector one of those that uses an arc light? where was the projectionist!? I'm ashamed to say that I did what we've always been taught not to -- I yelled "FIRE!" in a full theatre. I didn't really mean it as "everyone run!", but rather "we have to act quickly to save this place". Luckily, no one panicked. Someone ran out to the lobby, calling for help and everyone else calmly filed out the many exits.

Though several fire trucks arrived, no ambulance ever did; so I'm assuming the projectionist is okay. Since projection booths are incendiary, surely there are stringent fire regulations about storing additional fire fighting equipment, right? I hope it wasn't a master print. David Packard owns the theatre and often gets rare prints. Lynn, are you there? Would the film have been nitrate? I'm assuming the second film -- Separate Tables was also lost in the fire. Ugh. I'm sick about this...
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knitwit45
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Re: Cover Girl

Post by knitwit45 »

How horrific for you! Please keep us informed as to the fate of the projectionist and of the films.
Nancy
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Ayres
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Re: Cover Girl

Post by Ayres »

Gosh, that's such a shock to read! I am glad everyone was OK.

My husband works at the Library of Congress and has had some communication about this with a colleague who hasn't firsthand knowledge about the fire, but is familiar with the Stanford Theater projection room. He indicated that it has a nitrate rated booth, and that you probably saw the brief flash of fire generated by the burning of the film that was exposed between the "feed" reel and the "take up" reel on the bottom. The fire was likely contained to the nitrate booth, and may not have destroyed everything in the room (we can hope).

More on this:
http://www.paloaltoonline.com/news/show ... p?id=11835
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Moraldo Rubini
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Re: Cover Girl

Post by Moraldo Rubini »

Thanks for the update, Ayresy. The theatre is still closed today. Hope they'll be able to fix everything soon. I imagine the water damage was as bad as the fire. I guess this proves that Rita Hayworth is still HOT today!
melwalton
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Re: Cover Girl

Post by melwalton »

MORALDO
In re: power of a song, I've watched some 90 minute movies that I didn't like just to hear / see one song or dance.
I've seen IN OLD CHICAGO several times A movie I thought boring but I liked the song, I'LL NEVER LET YOU CRY .
Others where one scene was the whole movie for me: the BOJANGLES number from SWINGTIME and DANCING IN THE DARK from THE BAND WAGON .
Sometimes , backgground music will contribute, tremendously to the effects of a movie.
ex: WHERE WAS I from 'TILL WE MEET AGAIN, or THE THIRD MAN. ... mel
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Lzcutter
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Re: Cover Girl

Post by Lzcutter »

Marco,

I was traveling today and just got home this evening. My moving image archive list was filled with emails about the fire at the Stanford.

The good news is that the safety measures in the booth worked exactly as they were supposed to so that damage, it seems at this point, was contained to the booth and not the rest of the theater.

It was a nitrate print that was being run and the Stanford Theater, when it was restored by the Packard Foundation , was authorized to run nitrate.

Only part of the reel on the projector is believed to have been lost. The safety gates on the projector as well as the safety measures in the booth were all said to have operated properly as well as the sprinkler system in the booth.

For those who fear this film has now been damaged permanently, rest assured that the the master elements as well as the elements used for the DVD master, are still in vaulted away properly.

While it is sad that part of this print was lost, the good news is that the damage was contained as much as it was. It had the potential to be much worse.
Lynn in Lake Balboa

"Film is history. With every foot of film lost, we lose a link to our culture, to the world around us, to each other and to ourselves."

"For me, John Wayne has only become more impressive over time." Marty Scorsese

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Moraldo Rubini
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Re: Cover Girl

Post by Moraldo Rubini »

Lzcutter wrote:I was traveling today and just got home this evening. My moving image archive list was filled with emails about the fire at the Stanford.
The good news is that the safety measures in the booth worked exactly as they were supposed to so that damage, it seems at this point, was contained to the booth and not the rest of the theater.
It was a nitrate print that was being run and the Stanford Theater, when it was restored by the Packard Foundation , was authorized to run nitrate.
Only part of the reel on the projector is believed to have been lost. The safety gates on the projector as well as the safety measures in the booth were all said to have operated properly as well as the sprinkler system in the booth.
For those who fear this film has now been damaged permanently, rest assured that the the master elements as well as the elements used for the DVD master, are still in vaulted away properly.
While it is sad that part of this print was lost, the good news is that the damage was contained as much as it was. It had the potential to be much worse.
Thanks Lynn. Much relief! Do you know what requirements are needed to authorize a projection booth for nitrate film? I'd never thought about this before, so am interested in what movie houses must do to ensure their safety.

For what it's worth, the reel they were playing didn't seem to be in very good shape. Jumpy, bad cuts which I assumed were the scars of previous breaks. Maybe a nice, new print will come out of this. Hope they bring it back soon!
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Re: Cover Girl

Post by Lzcutter »

Do you know what requirements are needed to authorize a projection booth for nitrate film? I'd never thought about this before, so am interested in what movie houses must do to ensure their safety.

M,

I'm not sure exactly what the requirements are these days. I will write to my archive list and see if I can get some info. I do know that there are only a handful of theaters across the nation authorized to run nitrate.

Besides the extra safety precautions required in the projection booths, there is liability insurance and fire insurance expenses that have to be factored in.

Any way you slice it, even if a theater is authorized to run nitrate, it not only has the potential for danger but the extra costs to ensure safety as well.

Here's hoping the Stanford is up and running again very soon.
Lynn in Lake Balboa

"Film is history. With every foot of film lost, we lose a link to our culture, to the world around us, to each other and to ourselves."

"For me, John Wayne has only become more impressive over time." Marty Scorsese

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Lzcutter
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Re: Cover Girl

Post by Lzcutter »

The fire was likely contained to the nitrate booth, and may not have destroyed everything in the room (we can hope).
Ayres,

It sounds (though it may be too early to tell for sure) as if the safety rollers on the projector worked as they were designed to and kept the entire reel from going up in flames.

The major damage (besides the projector) appears to be water damage to the booth at this point.

Hopefully, more details will emerge as the week goes on.
Lynn in Lake Balboa

"Film is history. With every foot of film lost, we lose a link to our culture, to the world around us, to each other and to ourselves."

"For me, John Wayne has only become more impressive over time." Marty Scorsese

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