Cover Girl

This would be the peak of sweetheart roles for Hayworth, before her shift into dangerous siren territory, and her sumptuous Technicolor candybox beauty was the apotheosis of her era's ideal. She never sang in her musicals--here she is dubbed by Martha Mears--but she danced in an expressive way more akin to acting than athletics. Her passive personality made her a partner equally at home with Astaire or Kelly. She was more of an actress than Cyd Charisse, more elegant in her sensuality, less a traditional tap and ballroom dancer than Ginger Rogers. The sense of longing and abandonment Hayworth brings to her character in COVER GIRL helps her to transcend the formulaic plot; when she dances, it's the only time she looks happy. The film also remains notable for ably incorporating its musical numbers into the storyline.