The noir crime story in Gilda is almost unwelcome, because as the title attests, this about the girl, not the mobsters. And what a girl. The film is basically playing for time until Rita Hayworth appears on screen (what an entrance!), and tends to flag when her razor-sharp love triangle isn't in play. Because crime story aside (and I'm already forgotten the details), this is about toxic relationships, which is where the tension of the film lies entirely. Gilda is married to a casino owner, but obviously had a past relationship with his right-hand man (Glenn Ford). As this is a woman whose beauty essentially destroys men - her face would launch a thousand ships - emotions boil over, jealousies flare, and hate proves to be akin to love and vice-versa. The magic of the film resides in Gilda's complexity. She's too vulnerable to be a real femme fatale, and yet plays that part for reasons all her own. She doesn't need to be on screen to have presence, as she haunts the men in her life. That's not easily done.
There's no question this is Hayworth's show, so a plot about obsession and filled with sexual tension (and gratuitous dance numbers) makes sense. Her scenes have been referenced umpteen times since, for good reason. (Jessica Rabbit pretty much is Gilda.) It's a thin line between love and hate, and that line has rarely been illustrated so well.
Factors that distinguish Gilda from "film noir at its peak" include the two hammed-up character parts of Ballin Mundson (George Macready) and Uncle Pio (Steven Geray) as the washroom attendant Fool and Chorus. But even Shakespeare added comic villains and jesters to his darkest tragedies.
One of the delights of the film is the dialogue and the heavily double and triple meanings in oblique, sarcastic innuendos, for example in "Take me and pick me up ... like the laundry" i.e. 'dirty washing'.
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Comments 1 - 13 of 13
natalie
Sadly, I found this film to be overrated.Lemonball679
Not really much of a signiture Noir, but still extremely enjoyable. Hayworth is dazzling in everyway.Foxinsand
The entire film is a Macguffin to allow Rita Hayworth to look her very best-go with it and it's very enjoyable, but not film noir at it's peak.Siskoid
The noir crime story in Gilda is almost unwelcome, because as the title attests, this about the girl, not the mobsters. And what a girl. The film is basically playing for time until Rita Hayworth appears on screen (what an entrance!), and tends to flag when her razor-sharp love triangle isn't in play. Because crime story aside (and I'm already forgotten the details), this is about toxic relationships, which is where the tension of the film lies entirely. Gilda is married to a casino owner, but obviously had a past relationship with his right-hand man (Glenn Ford). As this is a woman whose beauty essentially destroys men - her face would launch a thousand ships - emotions boil over, jealousies flare, and hate proves to be akin to love and vice-versa. The magic of the film resides in Gilda's complexity. She's too vulnerable to be a real femme fatale, and yet plays that part for reasons all her own. She doesn't need to be on screen to have presence, as she haunts the men in her life. That's not easily done.celinesthreedots
I did not expect to love this film quite as much as I did!
MrE2Me
There's no question this is Hayworth's show, so a plot about obsession and filled with sexual tension (and gratuitous dance numbers) makes sense. Her scenes have been referenced umpteen times since, for good reason. (Jessica Rabbit pretty much is Gilda.) It's a thin line between love and hate, and that line has rarely been illustrated so well.ignatzkat
I thought it was fantastic - perhaps because I didn't come in expecting a noir. Forget about plot and just enjoy the psychosexual trainwreck!Neville
Factors that distinguish Gilda from "film noir at its peak" include the two hammed-up character parts of Ballin Mundson (George Macready) and Uncle Pio (Steven Geray) as the washroom attendant Fool and Chorus. But even Shakespeare added comic villains and jesters to his darkest tragedies.One of the delights of the film is the dialogue and the heavily double and triple meanings in oblique, sarcastic innuendos, for example in "Take me and pick me up ... like the laundry" i.e. 'dirty washing'.
pitchorneirda
I almost thought I could end up liking a film noir, then the stupidDieguito
Wonderful Rita Hayworth!!contrafugal
Ha-cha-cha-cha.tenderoni
I absolutely agree. Plotwise, I found Gilda to be very disappointing after being lead to believe that it was such an essential noir classic.boulderman
Yeah disappointed