Zeus

You Were Never Lovelier (1942)

• Director
  • William A. Seiter
• Writers
  • Michael Fessier(screenplay)
  • Ernest Pagano(screenplay)
  • Delmer Daves(screenplay)
• Stars
  • Fred Astaire
  • Rita Hayworth
  • Adolphe Menjou

  The second and last of the Fred Astaire-Rita Hayworth vehicles, You Were Never Lovelier takes place in Argentina (courtesy of the Columbia Pictures art-direction department). Fred plays an American dancer whose fondness for betting on horse races has left him broke. Rita is the daughter of wealthy Argentinian nightclub owner Adolphe Menjou, who has vowed that his daughters will marry in the order of their ages-and since older sister Leslie Brooks is about to walk to the altar, Rita is next in line. To encourage his daughter to seek out an eligible husband, Menjou sends Rita unsigned love notes so that she'll think she has a secret admirer. Through a series of misunderstandings that could only happen in the movies, Rita becomes convinced that Fred is the man who's been plying her with notes and gifts. Menjou hires the impoverished Astaire as a potential son-in-law. Fred bridles at the thought of being a "bought spouse", but changes his mind when he falls in love with Rita on his own.