15 Greatest Rita Hayworth Movies & Films Ranked
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Rita Hayworth’s early life, Rita Hayworth Best Movies, and her 1940s fashion
The gorgeous and talented red-haired beauty, Rita Hayworth, was one of the top silver screen stars of Old Hollywood.
She lit up the screen in a whopping 61 films!
Her versatile talent spanned film noirs, (our favorites!) musicals, dramas, romantic comedies, and historical films.
Not only did she star in some of the most iconic classics of the 1940s, but she was also a superb dancer, one of the top World War II pin up girls, and a fashion icon.
Before exploring her top movies and most iconic fashion looks of all time, who was the real Rita Hayworth and how did she rise to fame?
Behind the Curtain: Who was Rita Hayworth?
Rita Hayworth’s real name was Margarita Carmen Cansino. Her father was the Spanish-born dancer Eduardo Cansino and her mother was Volga Hayworth.
Her father’s financial failures turned into an obsession for him for his daughter to “make it.”
The young Rita had raven black hair and was curvier than the Rita Hayworth we’re familiar with. Her childhood was strict and required perfection.
“I didn’t like dancing very much, but I didn’t have the courage to tell my father. Rehearse, rehearse, rehearse. That was my girlhood.” – Rita Hayworth
Her father pulled her out of school at twelve to perform in nightclub dance acts. Wearing make-up and dressed in sexy clothes, she looked older than her age.
Behind the Curtain: Rita Hayworth’s Rise to Fame
After being spotted by a Fox film producer, she got cast in a number of bit parts as Rita Cansino.
These included Under the Pampas Moon (1935) and Dante’s Inferno (1935).
Another man, Edward Judson, realizing she had huge potential, became her manager, and married her.
At the advice of her first husband, she underwent a total make-over.
This included changing her name to Rita Hayworth, losing twenty pounds, undergoing painful electrolysis to raise her hairline, and dying her hair a luxurious auburn.
After her Cinderella transformation from Latina dancer to “America’s Love Goddess”, the rest, as they say, was history.
Contrary to her happily ever afters on screen, sadly, in real life, she experienced five failed marriages.
Her poor luck with husbands included marriages to the controlling Orson Welles, as well as to the notorious playboy Prince Aly Khan.
“She [Rita Hayworth] was just a tender, sensitive, beautiful human being. Very gentle.” — Kim Novak, her Pal Joey co-star
Off screen, Rita Hayworth was shy and gentle, trying to find love and meaning in life.
Her legacy includes a number of the most memorable and iconic films of classic Hollywood that continue to thrill and inspire, decades later.
Hopefully knowing a bit more of the woman behind the curtain will add a new dimension of meaning, as you enjoy some of her classic films.
Rita Hayworth fun fact
Did you know that a Rita Hayworth pin-up poster is central to Stephen King’s novella Rita Hayworth and Shawshank Redemption? In this story, and the classic escape film, the prisoner uses a Rita Hayworth poster to cover up the escape tunnel he is digging.
Rita Hayworth Best Movies: #1 – Gilda (1946)
A classic film noir directed by Charles Vidor, and co-starring Glenn Ford and George Macready
Story:
Tension and mystery reign supreme in this film noir set in Buenos Aires. The all star cast includes a gorgeous and irresistible femme fatale, her former lover, a handsome gambler, and the mysterious and cruel casino owner.
Fashion (1940s Style):
Get the inside scoop on how to create Rita Hayworth’s sizzling femme fatale style in our 16 Iconic Old Hollywood & Vintage Glam Costume Ideas post.
Fun Fact!
This one of the most famous 1940s film noirs. Also, one of our personal favorites!
Itching for more 1940s film noirs?
Killer 1940s Film Noirs – The Best 1940s Film Noirs by Year.
Top Rita Hayworth Movies List: #2 – The Lady from Shanghai (1947)
A mysterious film noir directed by Orson Welles, and co-starring Orson Welles and Everett Sloane
Story:
Falling under a the spell of a gorgeous femme fatale, a seaman joins a strange yachting cruise, and ends up embroiled in a complex murder plot.
Fashion (1940s Style):
Rita Hayworth famously cut and bleached her hair platinum blonde for this femme fatale role. Her incredible wardrobe is a vintage fashionistas dream, featuring multiple retro swimsuits (one and two piece styles), as well as chic polkadot day dresses, fashionable sailing outfits, and slinky evenings gowns.
Rita Hayworth Best Movies #3 – Pal Joey (1957)
A dramatic musical romance directed by George Sidney, and co-starring Frank Sinatra and Kim Novak
Story:
A successful nightclub singer and playboy must choose between a scheming wealthy socialite and a beautiful chorus girl.
Fashion (1950s Style):
It’s hard to say what sizzles more–the gorgeous 1950s fashion, in full color–or the comedic sexual tension.
Greatest Rita Hayworth Films: #4 – Cover Girl (1944)
A classic musical romance and comedy directed by Charles Vidor, and co-starring Gene Kelly and Lee Bowman
Story:
After wining a winning a beauty contest and becoming an overnight star, a cover girl’s new found success puts everything in jeopardy, including her romance.
Fashion (1940s Style):
In her rise from an unknown chorus girl to a high-profile model, Rita Hayworth’s “Cinderella transformation” is reflected in a fabulous wardrobe, ranging from over-the-top show stopping dance costumes to a stunning collection of classic couture outfits. Plus, as an added bonus, this film is in color.
Top Rita Hayworth Movies List: #5 – The Story on Page One (1959)
A courtroom drama directed by Clifford Odets, and co-starring Anthony Franciosa and Gig Young
Story:
A beautiful married woman and her lover are accused of murdering the outranged husband. Tension mounts in the search to discover who is the real murderer.
Fashion (1950s Style):
Rita Hayworth stuns in her 1950s style outfits, ranging from the seductive styles of the unfaithful wife, to the tastefully understated conservative outfits, proper for a courtroom defense.
Rita Hayworth Films Ranked: #6 – You Were Never Lovelier (1942)
A classic musical and romantic comedy directed by William A. Seiter, and co-starring Fred Astaire and Adolphe Menjou
Story:
A rich Argentine family adheres to an ancient tradition requiring each daughter to marry in birth order. Although the younger sisters have picked out suitors, they are stuck until their older sister, Maria marries. Complications ensure when a dashing American dancer starts performing at the family club, winning Maria’s heart, but not her father’s approval.
Fashion (1940s Style):
It’s a toss up whether Rita Hayworth stunning collection of glitzy evening gowns, or her chic saddle shoe outfits, steal the show!
Want to wear saddle shoes like Rita Hayworth?
Where to Buy Women’s Saddle Shoes & Oxfords – Your Vintage Shoe Guide.
Rita Hayworth Best Movies #7 – You’ll Never Get Rich (1941)
A romantic musical comedy directed by Sidney Lanfield, and co-starring Fred Astaire and Robert Benchley
Story:
Set against the backdrop of World War II, an enlisted Army officer gets entangled with a chorus girl in a romantic web of misunderstandings.
Fashion (1940s Style):
The costumes are fascinating, given their extreme contrast. The strict and proper World War II military uniforms provide the stark backdrop for the glittering over-the-top showgirl costumes and opulent dance numbers.
Top Rita Hayworth Movies List: #8 – Down to Earth (1947)
A fantasy musical comedy directed by Alexander Hall, and co-starring Larry Parks and Marc Platt
Story:
Enraged that a Broadway musical production is planning to mock Greek mythology, an angelic Greek goddess comes to earth to land a part in the show. The ensuing romance and havoc are hilarious.
Fashion (1940s Style):
In full glorious technicolor, Rita Hayworth stuns in her angelic collection of flowing Grecian inspired goddess gowns. Plus her “undercover human” character’s 1940s wardrobe also provides fabulous vintage style inspiration, ranging from tailored pin striped skirt suits, to glamours furs, and colorful and chic day dresses.
Rita Hayworth Highest-Ranked Films: #9 – The Strawberry Blonde (1941)
A romantic comedy directed by Raoul Walsh, co-starring James Cagney and Olivia de Havilland
Story:
Two men vie for the love of the beautiful and flirty strawberry blonde Virginia Brush, a gold-digger. Tensions mounts as the competition gets fierce and dirty.
Fashion (1900s Style):
You’ll enjoy the 1940s interpretation of early 1900s turn-of-the century Edwardian fashion. Olivia de Havilland and Rita Hayworth dazzle in corsets and opulent long dresses, paired with matching hats and gloves.
And, of course, the strawberry blonde gold digger has some tricks up her sleeves when it comes to “sexying” up the conservative fashion of the era, incorporating low cut bodices and dazzling jewels into her man-eating styles.
Greatest Rita Hayworth Films: #10 – Blood and Sand (1941)
A romantic drama directed by Rouben Mamoulian, and co-starring Tyrone Power and Linda Darnell
Story:
An illiterate peasant rises to stardom in the bullfight arena, but everything is threatened after falling for a seductive aristocrat.
Fashion (1940s Style):
Playing the role of the Spanish wife, Linda Darnell stuns in conservative 1940s Spanish inspired gowns, including the traditional Spanish headdress for ladies, the lace mantilla.
In contrast, the seductive socialite Rita Hayworth wears opulent, flashy and often revealing styles, including enticing lounge wear and glitzy evening gowns.
Top Rita Hayworth Movies List: #11 – The Shadow (1937)
A crime mystery thriller directed by Charles C. Coleman, and co-starring Charles Quigley and Marc Lawrence
Story:
While Mary Gillespie works tirelessly to restore her crumbling family circus to its former splendor, a mysterious murder in the center ring threatens everything.
Fashion (1930s Style):
You’ll enjoy the unique and colorful wardrobes that blend late 1930s fashion with the quirky, dramatic, and often unexpected circus costumes.
Rita Hayworth Films Ranked: #12 – Salome (1953)
A historical drama directed by William Dieterle, and co-starring Stewart Granger, Charles Laughton, and Judith Anderson
Story:
In this dramatic adaption of the Biblical story, Jewish Princess Salome returns to her homeland during the Roman conquest, after banishment from Rome. As political and religious tensions mount in the Galilee, a sensual dance for King Herod culminates in a horrifying execution.
Fashion (1950s Style):
In glorious technicolor, Rita Hayworth’s wardrobes are a stunning and unique collection of ’50s styled Roman and Grecian gowns, fit for dancing princess.
Greatest Rita Hayworth Films: #13 – Separate Tables (1958)
A romantic drama directed by Delbert Mann, and co-starring Burt Lancaster, Deborah Kerr and David Niven.
Story:
Multiple intertwined love stories and past emotions boil to the surface, when the gorgeous Ann Shankland arrives at a British seaside hotel and discovers her ex-lover is also there.
Fashion (1950s Style):
For those looking for vintage outfit inspiration for their next vacation, you’ll enjoy the inside look at multiple men and women’s classic resort wardrobe styles, whether for dining, exploring, or making love.
Fun fact!
This film was the winner of two Academy Awards, one for for Best Actor (Niven), and one for Best Supporting Actress (Wendy Hiller).
Top Rita Hayworth Movies List: #14 – Tales of Manhattan (1942)
A romantic drama directed by Julien Duvivier, and co-starring Charles Boyer and Ginger Rogers
Story:
A series of vignettes and romance follows a special black tailcoat, where each owner discovers that his life is forever affected.
Fashion (1940s Style):
You’ll enjoy both the impeccably tailored mens suits worn by Charles Boyer and Henry Fonda, as much as the sophisticated skirt suits and slinky cocktail dresses worn by the Old Hollywood beauties, Ginger Rogers and Rita Hayworth.
The ladies’ very dramatic shoulder pads are a bit extreme, but somehow still work!
Rita Hayworth Highest-Ranked Films: #15 – Only Angels Have Wings (1939)
A romantic adventure drama directed by Howard Hawks, and co-starring Cary Grant and Jean Arthur
Story:
In a South American port town, an American flyer transports mail planes over the Andes, often flown under dangerous weather conditions. Just when he starts falling for a good natured showgirl, his sexy ex-girlfriend enters the picture.
Vintage Fashion Scoop (1930s Style):
Get the inside scoop on timeless late 1930s style menswear, including leather pilot outfits and elegant ‘casual wear’, as well as the ladies sophisticated understated styles that include vintage trouser outfits, as well as day dresses and cocktail dresses.
This post was all about the top films of the screen legend Rita Hayworth and her iconic Old Hollywood vintage glam style.
What is your favorite Rita Hayworth movie?
References:
Lorna White. “The Life and Loves of Rita Hayworth.” Yours, 1 April 2024, https://www.yours.co.uk/leisure/nostalgia/the-life-and-loves-of-rita-hayworth/. Accessed 5 Nov. 2024.
“Rita Hayworth.” Britannica, https://www.britannica.com/biography/Rita-Hayworth. Accessed 6 Nov. 2024.
Stolworthy, Jacob. “Rita Hayworth: 100 Years on from Her Birth, Remembering Hollywood’s Greatest Love Goddess.” The Independent, 17 Oct. 2018, https://www.independent.co.uk/arts-entertainment/films/features/rita-hayworth-100th-birthday-hollywood-star-gilda-actress-dancer-orson-welles-fred-astaire-a8581371.html. Accessed 12 Nov. 2024.
