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By
NICK ZEGARAC
After their resounding success in "You'll Never Get Rich" it remained kismet that Fred Astaire and Rita Hayworth would reunite for another glossy film musical. The project "You Were Never Lovelier" is a valiant successor to the aforementioned and, in truth, excels beyond the expectations of their previous venture.
Astaire plays a penniless hoofer from New York who, through a series of mishaps, comes to the attention of Senior Acuna (Adolph Menjou) while on a vacation in Buenos Aires. Acuna has just married off his oldest daughter and, as his family tradition dictates, the rest of his daughters must get married in sequential order. The two youngest daughters are already fixed with a pair of tennis beaux, but the eldest unmarried daughter, Maria (Hayworth) is not only an ice princess of the highest order, but refuses to marry under any circumstance. That is, until she begins receiving orchids from an unknown admirer. The score by Jerome Kern is magnificent; the poignant "Dearly Beloved," the jazzy "Shorty George" and the classy "I'm Old Fashion." The latter two songs are danced by Astaire and Hayworth with such polish and finesse that it is impossible not to marvel at their grace and style.
The transfer is outstanding. While "You'll Never Get Rich" suffered from an overall dated appearance, "You Were Never Lovelier" appears to have been the benefactor of a digital restoration at some point. Its black and white picture is stunning and smooth. There are brief and minor occasions where fine details slightly shimmer, but these do not distract from your visual pleasure. Fine detail is fully realized. There is a resounding absence of age related artifacts. Digital anomalies are not an issue. The audio is mono but exceptionally well balanced -- at times sounding very close to having a stereo spread.
Sorry, no extras!
"You Were Never Lovelier" has certainly never looked lovelier than in its DVD incarnation. An absolute must have for your library! |
