Gilda (1946)

Director:

Charles Vidor

Writers:

E.A. Ellington (story)
Marion Parsonnet (screenplay)

Release Date:

15 March 1946 (USA)

Genre:

Drama | Film-Noir | Romance | Thriller | War

Tagline:

"I didn't think I'd be true to a man again as long as I lived..."

Plot:

The sinister boss of a South American casino finds that his right-hand man Johnny and his sensuous new wife Gilda already know each other.

Plot Keywords:

Veteran | Missing Person | Beautiful Woman | Stylized | Cynical

US TV Schedule:

Tue. July 29

6:00 AM

TCM

Cast

Rita Hayworth	...	Gilda Mundson Farrell
Glenn Ford	...	Johnny Farrell / Narrator
George Macready	...	Ballin Mundson
Joseph Calleia	...	Det. Maurice Obregon
Steven Geray	...	Uncle Pio
Joe Sawyer	...	Casey
Gerald Mohr	...	Capt. Delgado
Mark Roberts	...	Gabe Evans (as Robert Scott)
Ludwig Donath	...	German
Donald Douglas	...	Thomas Langford (as Don Douglas)
Lionel Royce	...	German
Saul Martell	...	Little man (as S.Z. Martel)
George J. Lewis	...	Huerta
Rosa Rey	...	Maria

Runtime:

110 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English | Spanish | French | German

Color:

Black and White

Aspect Ratio:

1.37 : 1

Sound Mix:

Mono (Western Electric Mirrophonic Recording)

Certification:

Finland:K-16 (1947) (1959) | Germany:16 | USA:Approved (PCA #11425) | Finland:K-12 (1984) | Argentina:13 | Australia:PG | Canada:PG (video rating) | Spain:18 | Sweden:15 | UK:PG

Company:

Columbia Pictures Corporation

Trivia:

In the scene where Gilda is brought back to Argentina by Tom, she slaps Johnny hard across both sides of his face. In reality, Rita Hayworth's smacks broke two of 'Glenn Ford' 's teeth. He held his place until the take was finished.

Goofs:

Continuity: When Johnny is beaten up by Mundson's henchmen, his tie jumps out of his coat. Later, when he is talking to Mundson, his tie appears untidily held by his coat.

Quotes:

Gilda: You're cock-eyed, Johnny! All cock-eyed!

Movie Connections:

Referenced in The Subject Was Roses (1968)

Soundtrack:

Put the Blame on Mame

Half A Good Film Plus Rita

This is one of those films I never think is all that good, but I keep going back to it every four or five years. Perhaps it's just to get another look at Rita Hayworth while she was still THE glamor woman of the period (1940 to about 1948). At times, she is just jaw-dropping stunning.

Glenn Ford provides some narration and does his normally-competent job as the lead actor but I really liked George Macready's performance more. He is really good as the rich husband, just fascinating to watch.

This film would have been so much better had it been cut about 20 minutes. It bogs down a little over halfway through (but recovers). The dialog is what makes this story interesting for the most part, particularly in the first half of the film which is far better than the second half, and that includes the cinematography. The second half is a lot more melodrama than film noir.