25/06/2022
Rita Hayworth ~ 1941
Rita The Brunette
Time again for one of, if not my favorite, true color photos of Rita. As I commented in my last post, Rita "The Brunette" from 1940 and 1941, is my favorite Rita. I so love this look. At this time, Rita's star was still on the rise, and rising fast it was. You see, Rita's rise to superstardom did not really begin until 1939 when Harry Cohn insisted that Howard Hawks give Rita a screen test for the part of "Judy MacPherson" in "Only Angels Have Wings", even though Hawks had already cast Dorothy Comingore in that role. But Rita's screen test resulted in Hawks recasting the role to Rita. Hawks had this to say about Rita.
"At her best Rita was slightly unreal. She belonged in some kind of fairy tale story – she had that kind of beauty." ~ Howard Hawks
As commented, as have always preferred Rita as a brunette. Don't get me wrong, I love, love Rita as a redhead. But I guess it could be that during the years of 1940 and 1941, Rita still had the look of innocence, excitement and hope for her future. Hollywood and Harry Cohn had not yet fully sank their claws into Rita. She still had that brightness in her eyes, and her smile, well it could light up a stadium. And that, not necessarily not her hair color, could be the reasoning that I prefer Rita's look in those years.
If you have not seen her performances in "Susan And God", "Angels Over Broadway" and "The Lady In Question", all from 1940, you owe it to yourself to see that whole other side of Rita. She is absolutely adorable in those films, and the quality her performances in those films is sadly overlooked. I would have added "Strawberry Blonde" to that list, but I think majority of you have seen Rita in that film. And yes, again she was the very definition of adorable in that film as well.
I would again like to thank all of you for your support of Rita's page, and it is much appreciated that you continue to share my posts. Just a little over a month ago we reached the milestone of 12,000 followers. Now we are just a few short of 13,000. And I feel by the end of this week, we will eclipse 13,000. You all are a very large part of the success of Rita's page. Please enjoy this true color photo of Rita from 1941.
© Rita Hayworth: Her Life In Pictures 6/13/2022