Rating summary

Movie		3.0
Video		4.5
Audio		4.0
Extras		2.0
Overall		3.5

You'll Never Get Rich Blu-ray Movie Review

"Do anything so long as you make my wife believe I was telling the truth when I was lying to her!"

Reviewed by Kenneth Brown January 4, 2025

You'll Never Get Rich isn't grand cinema. It's lesser Fred Astaire, indispensable as the renowned multi-talented performer's films can be. It's even the lesser of Astaire's screen pairings with Andy Dufresne's best gal, Rita Hayworth, though it did launch her to stardom. But never mind all that. Just watch him go. There's a magic to his dancing and singing that topples the walls of Swing Time, The Band Wagon and Funny Face and pushes into all his projects; the man was a wonder, that's for sure, and there've been few like him, before or since. Whether it ultimately succeeds or not, You'll Never Get Rich exudes that patented Astairian joy, bubbling over from one number to the next and spilling into your home theater with the exuberance and enthusiasm of his best work. Is this his best film? God no. But it ain't half-bad, as the kids of the day would've said.

"Oh, here comes the bride, no less! It's hot stuff, that fluffy dress. I must admit, though she's lit, she looks a bit sweet. No wonder her Romeo, begins shoutin' "Hi-De-Ho!" as his bride starts to stride to a boogie beat... When newlyweds in fancy carriages leave that reception gay, the Wedding Cakewalk sends them on their way. Pasty choirs in tasty churches, gives it all they've got. Prudish old preachers on their perches say, A-men, it's hot!"

Martin Cortland (Robert Benchley), a philandering Broadway producer, is caught by his wife buying a gift for a chorus dancer, Sheila Winthrop (Rita Hayworth). To save his marriage, Martin insists that dancer Bob Curtis (Fred Astaire) bought the gift and sets the two up on date. Soon after, Bob is drafted into World War II and sent to boot camp. When Sheila travels to the camp to perform for the troops and visit her real boyfriend, Tom (John Hubbard), she and Bob fall in love. Directed by Sidney Lanfield (My Favorite Blonde, Let's Face It, Where There's Life) and written by Michael Fessier and Ernest Pagano, the film also stars Osa Massen as Sonya, Frieda Inescort as Mrs. Julia Cortland, Guinn Williams as Kewpie Blain, Donald MacBride as Top Sergeant, Cliff Nazarro as Swivel Tongue "Swiv," Marjorie Gateson as Aunt Louise and Ann Shoemaker as Mrs. Barton.

Top Hat is the musical my mind goes to when chatting Fred Astaire, but even if you didn't know a thing about him, he'd jump out and catch you attention in You'll Never Get Rich. Moreso because without him, the film would just be another average, forgotten flick from the '40s with more ambition than brains. Hayworth might have never landed as a star and poor ol' Andy would still be sittin' in Shawshank. But Astaire is here, and brilliant as ever. It seems the more the script fails, the more the shrewd singer/dancer knows what's happening, and adjusts accordingly. It never quite elevates the plot, which is as rote and cliche as they come, but he certainly elevates the swing and swagger of the picture, infusing it with a kinetic energy that's too wondrous not to cheer and praise. Hayworth, to her great credit, is more than a pretty face too, dishing it as well as she can take it. She makes a mark for herself that's only enhanced by Astaire; she's a clear talent, whether he had come along or not, so it's simply a matter of whether people would've noticed without his star power in tow.

You'll Never Get Rich Blu-ray Movie, Video Quality 

"To a hungry man, a lamb chop is a tasty dish, but to the butcher it's just another hunk of meat."

Sony continues to stand as one of the best studios when it comes to honoring catalog film. You'll Never Get Rich boasts a gorgeous 1080p/AVC- encoded video presentation that could only be bested by a 4K edition. Contrast is dialed in to perfection, without any nagging crush, grain irregularities or oddball inconsistencies to spoil the fun. Black levels are rich and satisfying, while midtone grays are lovely and unimpeded. Whites pop too, as does detail, which is as crisp and clean as they come. Edges exhibit the tiniest bit of haloing (on rare but notable occasion), but never enough to suggest Sony utilized old-school artificial sharpening to bolster subpar shots. The entire endeavor actually looks about as filmic as conceivably possible. Textures are illuminating, delineation is excellent, and there isn't any banding, blocking or other encoding issues to speak of. Some optical softness creeps in (particularly in wide shots of dance numbers) but it doesn't dent the proceedings a lick.

You'll Never Get Rich Blu-ray Movie, Audio Quality 

"A new angle, old angle, this angle, that angle. I want to dance, and all you do is angle me."

Sony's DTS-HD Master Audio 2.0 Mono track is utterly faithful to the film's original sound design, and with almost no perceptible air hiss or noise floor of note. Dialogue is always intelligible, singing is clean and clear, prioritization is spot on, and the music sounds fantastic; bright, lively and dynamic. There isn't much to note otherwise -- it's not the best 1940s musical track out there -- but I was nevertheless quite taken with the audio.

You'll Never Get Rich Blu-ray Movie, Special Features and Extras 

"Twelve strange men. Twelve strange men? She's batty. What's twelve strange men got to do with this?"

• Audio Commentary - Film historian Steven C. Smith is becoming a staple among film historians who record audio commentaries for Sony, and he also happens to be one of my favorites. Informative, comprehensive, engaging and loaded with production anecdotes, he makes what might otherwise be a dull affair into a conversation with an expert. Give the track a listen and see if I'm wrong.

• Original Theatrical Trailer - (HD, 4 minutes)

You'll Never Get Rich Blu-ray Movie, Overall Score and Recommendation 

Robert: "Confidentially, Sheila, I'm delighted every time you make a mistake. It gives me the chance to dance with you."
Sheila: "Confidentially, I make mistakes for the same reason."

Pithy, isn't it? You'll Never Get Rich has some great quotes and solid musical numbers, but otherwise there's not much to it beyond its 1940s charms, Fred Astaire's dancing and Rita Hayworth's star-launching. Sony's Blu-ray, though, is worth discussing. With a striking video presentation, solid audio offering, and an engaging film historian commentary, there's enough here to warrant some attention. Maybe even to warrant a purchase, if you're one of Astaire's faithful.