"You'll Never Get Rich" is a 1941 film starring Fred Astaire, Rita Hayworth, Robert Benchley, and a very large cast. Benchley plays Martin Cortland, a producer who chases around on his wife (Frieda Inescort) and sets his sights on Sheila (Hayworth), who is in his current show along with Robert Curtis (Astaire). When his wife suspects, Martin has Robert take Sheila out and present her with a diamond bracelet that Martin actually purchased for her but that his wife found in his pocket. Martin then pretends he bought it for Robert to give to Sheila. Sheila angrily refuses it, and when Robert goes to her place to explain, he comes face to face with her boyfriend, whom he thinks is her brother - whoever he is, he has a gun in his hand. Robert finds himself drafted and, desperate to get in and avoid Sheila's boyfriend, pads himself with the 5 extra pounds he needs to get into the service. He then spends just about the rest of the film in the guard house until the grand finale - and even then, he's returned to the guard house.
That's the story and admittedly, it's not much. There are some very good dance numbers, but the thing about the film that's special is the partnership of Astaire and Hayworth. They are marvelous together. Supposedly Rita was his favorite partner, and it's easy to see why. She doesn't dance; she floats, and she's so gloriously beautiful, you can't take your eyes off of her. Fred and Rita dance to the "Boogie Barcarole," "So Near Yet So Far," and "The Wedding Cake Walk," sung by Martha Tilton for Rita. Fred's solos include "Shootin' the Work for Uncle Sam," and "Since I Kissed My Baby Goodbye." It's hard to go wrong with stars like Fred Astaire and Rita Hayworth, and while this isn't the best film of either one of them, it's still enjoyable.
