Rita Hayworth Comes To Life In Trinidad

For the first time in three years, Rita Hayworth has something to take her mind off her romances—namely, work. And a good thing, too. For Rita’s love life, always chaotic, has been even more hectic than usual, what with divorce number four, attempts to reinterest husband number three (Aly Khan), and any number of brief, unhappy side-trips into romance with a variety of beaus. This sort of thing can leave a girl gloomy, not downright sullen, and Rita was no exception. But now, making a movie in sunny Trinidad, she has suddenly burst into smile and song. She hums happily under her breath when rehearsing with co-star Jack Lemmon on the hot, narrow streets, stretches out the famous legs to the South Sea sun in-between scenes, and scurries happily off on day-long excursions to neighboring paradises when work permits . . . which isn’t often. But the New Rita doesn’t mind that, either. She’s at the set on time, morning, noon and (when necessary) night, with her lines all learned and her dances well-rehearsed. She’s dieted cheerfully back into shape. She takes direction like a lamb. She loves to work!

Her favorite scene requires a black bathing suit (which made it popular with the rest of the cast) and a dip in the Golden Grove Lagoon at Tobago, which is why Rita goes through it cheeffully for re-take after re-take. She has even been suspected of “fluffin” deliberately and then asking in all innocence, “You mean I get to go swimming again?”

Every now and then Bob Mitchum (the third star of the film, Fire Down Below) finds Rita sunbathing—under a parasol, and stops to comment. But at night Rita (who used to claim she was a stay-at-home married to a succession of gad-abouts), comes out of the shadows to dance barefoot on the grass. At the “Friendship Party” hosted by A. R. Broccoli (part owner of Warwick Productions, which is making the film) she danced with every member of the cast and crew, leaving them raving happily about the “nicest star in—or out of—Hollywood.” For a girl who has spent the last few years dodging friends, relatives and newsmen alike, hiding behind dark glasses and nursing her hurts in private, this is more than a ball. It’s a brand-new life—with only one possible shadow on the horizon.

Daytimes, she and Jack Lemmon see the town together, chat with the natives and make friends with everybody—including each other. Since Jack has recently separated from his wife, naturally—rumors start. Now the question is: Does Rita leave Trinidad with a new—and difficult—romance?

 

It is a quote. MODERN SCREEN MAGAZINE OCTOBER 1956