Gilda

Rating:
Summary: A Misogynist's Fantasy
Review: "Gilda" is the most misogynistic Hollywood film you'll ever see. It portrays social and business relationships among men as honorable and equitable -- regardless of which side of the law the men are on -- with women constantly trying to corrupt those relationships. The film repeatedly spells out -- without subtlety or ambiguity -- that women are poison.

Gilda "ought" to end with everyone dead, but Johnny and Gilda finally realize they have no good reason to hate each other, and walk off into the sunset. It's almost plausible, but the sudden cleaning-up of their dirty characters -- in which our faces have been rubbed for the preceding 100 minutes -- isn't believable. This is surprising in a script that's notable for its brilliant, multi-layered writing.

The principals -- Hayworth, Ford, Macready -- are terrific. Ford -- whom we tend to think of as playing nice guys -- brings a believably nasty, amoral "edge" to the part.

The DVD is very good, but not great. Although the transfer is a restoration sponsored by Sony, more than a few scenes are dark and a bit muddy. Don't expect quality up to, say, the recent "Citizen Kane."

Rating:
Summary: Rita Hayworth stars as GILDA, with her 2 GAY boyfriends!
Review: .
I remember the first time I saw this noir classic as a teenager and thinking how wonderful it was that a film had been made in the mid-1940's that actually featured a plot about two gay men and their diva girlfriend.

Years later, I read an interview with Glenn Ford in which he said that everyone who worked on the film knew there was an obvious gay storyline, but that due to the film being made in the 1940's, they had to be very subtle in their interpretations of gay lovers on-screen. It's still obviously clear that George Macready is Glenn Ford's rich and not-so-charming sugar daddy. Both leading men wear so much product in their hair and are so well dressed and manicured, you just KNOW they can't be straight!

It doesn't take a genious to figure out that the two leading men are more than just good buddies. When Mundson first presents his new wife Gilda to his male lover Johnny, he says "Quite a surprise to hear a woman's voice in my house, isn't it Johnny?" Well, you can tell by the look on Johnny's (Glenn Ford) face just how surprised he is!

Gilda is the perfect trophy-wife for any gay man in the 1940's who's running a gambling casino and who needs the perfect "beard" to keep up a straight appearance. Gilda is just so fabulous that any gay man would love her... except of course for Glenn Ford, whose insanely jealous of his boyfriend's new diva; for reasons that are never made quite clear in the film. (Probably due to heavy post-production censoring, of which much was done by the notorious Hayes Office that censored all films of this era.)

In fact, Gilda is so fabulous, that not only does Mundson marry her, but when he "dies" in the film, Gilda is then married by Mundson's lover Johnny! (Of course neither marriage is ever consummated - a fact made quite clear in the film.)

Gilda is so diva-esque, she's almost a drag queen! The gowns, the shoes, the hair! FAB-u-lous! The ad-line for the film stated: "There never was a woman like Gilda". Of course there never was a woman like Gilda. Gilda wasn't supposed to be like any real woman, she was a fabulous cartoon. While there may never have been a woman like Gilda, we had the closest thing: Rita Hayworth.

Of her own real-life problems with men, Rita was quoted as saying "All the men I knew went to bed with Gilda and woke up with ME." Who could live up to the reputation of Gilda, the character of whom "there never was a woman like"? Poor Rita!

Watch this film with a "queer eye" and you won't see any "straight guy" in the storyline. Snaps for good gay cinema of the forties!

P.S. If they ever decide to remake this film, I would recommend that they cast TV's "Will & Grace" lead stars Deborah Messing as Rita Hayworth and Eric McCormick as Glenn Ford. They would be PERFECT cast in these immortal roles! (Deborah Messing is SO Rita Hayworth, and she plays off McCormick just as Rita played off Glenn Ford. The casting would be ingenious!

Rating:
Summary: SEXY RITA HAYWORTH
Review: As a young man I want to write a few words about the film "Gilda". The film was made decades before my time. I do like old films when they are good. "Gilda" as such did impress me less by its contents, but I was completely fascinated by the beauty and sex-appeal of the ravishing beautiful Rita Hayworth. One ca really feel her charisma and sensuality and it shows clearly, why men at that time were completely bewitched by her. In "Gilda" she appears so seductive sexy , so temperamental and yet so unapproachable in her beauty. All this is rather unusual for the prudish America of that epoch.

Rating:
Summary: Lots of Style and Charisma. Laughably Nonsensical Story.
Review: As World War II ends, a young hustler in Buenos Aires, Argentina, meets a wealthy casino owner with whom he has a lot in common. The hustler, Johnny Farrell (Glenn Ford), becomes the casino's manager and right-hand man to aristocratic Ballin Mundson's (George Macready). The two men become perfect partners in business and close friends. One day, Mundson returns from vacation with a new wife, Gilda (Rita Hayworth), an attractive, headstrong young woman whom Johnny has met before. Gilda's presence threatens the men's relationship and their equilibrium.

Thanks to her smashing rendition of "Put the Blame on Mame", "Gilda" is Rita Hayworth's best-remembered role. Many have called it a "clothed strip tease". It's certainly a sexy, energetic, eye-catching performance. Rita Hayworth never sang in movies, though. Anita Ellis provided the voice for "Put the Blame on Mame".

"Gilda" owes most of its success to Rita Hayworth's charisma. Love triangles are always popular fodder, but this one doesn't make a bit of sense. The story is incomprehensible. The tension that exists between Gilda and Johnny is constantly alluded to, but never explained. The film features the most hateful romance I've ever seen. "Gilda" might be about people imprisoned by their own desires, but to say it is about anything would be presumptuous. "Gilda" has great style, though, and seductive noir-ish characters. So it's entertaining, even if the story is off the wall.

The DVD: Bonus features include one featurette and some odds and ends. "Rita Hayworth: The Columbia Lady" is a 9-minute documentary that follows Hayworth's career at Columbia Studios, where she made 32 films between 1936 and 1953. It doesn't say much, but there are nice film clips. "Vintage Advertising" displays 8 old movie posters for "Gilda". "Talent File" provides written bios and abridged filmographies for director Charles Vidor and the film's three stars. "Theatrical Trailers" includes 4 old trailers for: "Gilda", "The Loves of Carmen" (which also starred Hayworth and Glenn Ford), "A Man for All Seasons", and "The Last Hurrah". Subtitles are available in English, French, Spanish, Portuguese, Chinese, Korean, and Thai. Dubbing is available in French, Spanish, and Portuguese.

Rating:
Summary: Rita's Best
Review: Being a film noir fan, I acknowledged the fact that Gilda was definately on my "must-see" list. But nothing had prepared me for how much I would like it!! The dialogue is...well, not top-rate, but you do you expect from a noir that's not Bogey or Robinson? It's classic, classic I tell you!

And even more importantly, the love triangle is so tightly constructed, you'll find yourself struggling for Gilda's decision even more than Glenn Ford. In fact, Hayworth's first appearance in the film is one of the most famous in Hollywood history, and in just one shot, you can tell exactly who and what she was to Ford.

Oh, and one more thing--if you happen to like classic 40s songs (like i do--especially if u heard Bacall in To Have and Have Not & the Big Sleep and liked it) you will LOVE Gilda's rendition of "Put The Blame On Mame." Every film historian around knows that song, and through the slinky performance, we know that Ford is a fly caught in Gilda's sticky web.

I highly recommend this to everyone!! This is practically film noir at its greatest!!

Rating:
Summary: Columbia Pictures "Love Goddess" Hayworth now on DVD!!
Review: Columbia Pictures made 32 movies with Rita Hayworth thus she became known as the "The Columbia Lady". But after making a series of steamy romance films including "GILDA", she became known as "The Love Goddess".

Gilda was such an important Hollywood film that the UCLA Film and Television Archives with Sony Pictures digitally restored & remastered both picture & sound flawlessly. Gilda also is Archived in The Library of Congress.

This Standard (4:3 tv) Black/White film is perfectly presented in this collectable DVD. Hayworth is at her best and absolutely beautiful.

Summary; A steamy romance between Bosses wife ( Rita Hayworth) and South American casino manager (Glenn Ford). A love hate romantic triangle forms along with black mail, bribery, corruption, double crossing & murder. This fast pace romantic drama keeps us guessing and the surprise ending is a 1940's Hollywood gem.

Extra Features: featurette, Rita Hayworth - The Columbia Lady (some very enjoyable dance sequences with Fred Astaire), Vintage Advertising, Talent Files & Trailers.

Hayworth is "GILDA". This is a great movie to enjoy over & over. Get the popcorn ready and sit back and watch the "Love Goddess" at her steamy best. Enjoy.

Rating:
Summary: Columbia Pictures "Love Goddess" Hayworth now on DVD!!
Review: Columbia Pictures made 32 movies with Rita Hayworth thus she became known as the "The Columbia Lady". But after making a series of steamy romance films including "GILDA", she became known as "The Love Goddess".

Gilda was such an important Hollywood film that the UCLA Film and Television Archives with Sony Pictures digitally restored & remastered both picture & sound flawlessly. Gilda also is Archived in The Library of Congress.

This Standard (4:3 tv) Black/White film is perfectly presented in this collectable DVD. Hayworth is at her best and absolutely beautiful.

Summary; A steamy romance between Bosses wife ( Rita Hayworth) and South American casino manager (Glenn Ford). A love hate romantic triangle forms along with black mail, bribery, corruption, double crossing & murder. This fast pace romantic drama keeps us guessing and the surprise ending is a 1940's Hollywood gem.

Extra Features: featurette, Rita Hayworth - The Columbia Lady (some very enjoyable dance sequences with Fred Astaire), Vintage Advertising, Talent Files & Trailers.

Hayworth is "GILDA". This is a great movie to enjoy over & over. Get the popcorn ready and sit back and watch the "Love Goddess" at her steamy best. Enjoy.

Rating:
Summary: Wonderful .
Review: For years I've wondered about this film, ever since the glimpse to it in "the Shawshank redemption" -"Me ? sure I'm decent...",and "So this is Jonny Ferl, I've heard a lot about you, Jonny Ferl..."

Finally I got the chance to watch the entire movie, which was quite an experience ! Rita was great, without her the movie wouldn't stand out. Her performance was superb, shadowing the rest of the crew, that ,frankly, wasn't that great.I understand now all the fuss about her in the "Shawshank" movie, she deseved it. She is the movie, put any other actor beside her and the movie would still be great, omit her and it's just anither movie. She was really amazing ,talented actress.

I recommend this movie. Like most of the oldies it's a bit naive, nonetheless -worth seeing.

Rating:
Summary: This one helps define film noir
Review: Gilda has the defining elements of film noir. The cinematographic feel,- see the first shot w/camera rising from BELOW ground to the gritty street bar scene. Great B and W .And of course the deadly female who is irresistable and foments catastrophe while she stirs the hormones ( well,doesnt beladonna mean beautiful lady/ also toxic plant). The homosexual subtext woven into film in a Hollywood where homoerotic doings (e.g. Cukor,Bankhead) were certainly more accepted, even celebrated,then we used to know as kids. The crisp, snap- brim fedora dialogue of the prowlers of moral demi-monde of casinos( think "Casablanca.")Remember when casino gambling was a top ten "ooh-ah" vice, before today's drug doings!) The movie writers have clever fun with the actors, who clearly enjoyed themselvers and each other. Recall, Ford played babyfaced nice guys until this one. Rita was a formulaic Colombia dancer/glamor queen of Cover Girl before. Moments to savor: Hair toss entrance by Rita. " Me, 'decent'? Ford to Macready his casino boss: Your little friend (the boss's wicked cane sword) is female. Why: because it looks like one thing and then changes before your eyes." Some things are dated but funny in a way. The Buenos Aires government gumshoe is holding off arresting Macready character, a shady gambler, murderer and mob leader,so he can get Macready's ring on-get this now-" antitrust violations." Wow, anti- trust violations..Gotta love it in the context of history... Anyway if you want three movies to show the grandkids what noir was,IMO try 1) Gilda, 2) Brute Force (on VHS), and 3) Maltese Falcon. For pure fun and a sly depth I think Gilda is arguably the best and most entertaining to own and keep. Aloha, Gerry

Rating:
Summary: !!!!! Sigh....
Review: Gilda is a pretty average, or at least an odd, film in the noir genre. Really. But there are some moments in film that make a movie worth a million bucks for that shining few seconds. And Rita Hayworth's Put the Blame on Mame number is that classic moment that can never ever be forgotten. Its an image that has rocked the world for almost sixty years. And somewhere out there are still many weary old men who still feel a faint stirring when they think about that satin doll. I suspect it will be that way for generations to come.