This movie was Rita's return after a 4-year absence. At age 32, she is clearly thicker in this movie, but her beauty and dancing skills are still there. She never regained the fame that she once had, and when asked later how she felt that her screen goddess image had been taken over by Marilyn Monroe, Ava Gardner, Kim Novak, and Grace Kelly, she remarked in good fashion: "well, it's good to know that it took four dames to replace me!"
Each of these super artists had their own style .. Rita was all American voluptuous blonde.. Marilyn unbelievably sex symbol .. Kim novak mystery maverick .. Grace Kelly prim n proper serious actress..
Yes, and the flowing-dress is all because of Rita's skills. She's using the dress as a prop, and she makes it move as elegantly as she does. Great performance.
A new direction for Rita and her choreography: barefoot, non-hollywood, anti-Gene Kelley/anti-Fred Astaire. The choreographer is a women named Valerie Bettis - a modern dancer fron NY. People criticised her for making Rita look less than her 1940s glamour days. It's called evolution.
