Cheap Gilda (DVD) (Rita Hayworth, Glenn Ford) (Charles Vidor) Price

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Customer Reviews of Gilda

If you like movies that challenge the viewer to figure out hidden meanings, then *Gilda* is for you. "Maybe that stands for something," Rita-as-Gilda says near the beginning; "Maybe that means something," she says near the end. Halfway through she says, "Any psychiatrist would say that means something." The question of interpretation hangs over the entire film, loaded as it is with symbolism and double-entendres.

On the other hand, you can ignore the subtext and enjoy *Gilda* as a noirish romantic mystery-thriller. It's a beautiful flick to look at in black and white, and it's never boring, even all the decades since it was made. Some reviewers say the plot is difficult to follow. I don't agree; the story is both logical and economical. But that may be because I understand *Gilda* to be a dramatized introduction to the psychological concepts of C.G. Jung. Never mind. If you like your movies to be just movies, *Gilda* tastefully blends ingredients from *Casablanca*, *The Maltese Falcon*, *Notorious* and *The Big Sleep*, then stirs in its own original sauce. In my opinion, it's an improvement upon those classics, as fine as they are by themselves.

I wouldn't call *Gilda* a true film noir, for the reason that at the end the male and female leads are triumphant instead of tormented. Great films of the 1940s that had real "noir" (black) denouements are *Criss Cross*, *Detour*, *Double Indemnity*, *Scarlet Street*, *The Killers* and *The Postman Always Rings Twice*. Still, on their way to a happy ending Johnny and Gilda pass through a landscape that is darker and more suggestive of spiritual abandonment than most '40s film noirs dared explore. At the same time, because of the intense chemistry between the leads, *Gilda* sizzles hotter than any film of that period I can think of.

Love the music too. Five stars. They just don't make 'em like this any more.

This one helps define film noir
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

"I make my own luck."
In Charles Vidor's classic film "Gilda" Johnny Farrell (Glenn Ford) plays a down-on-his luck drifter in Argentina. One night, he meets mysterious casino owner Ballin Mundson (George Macready), and soon Johnny is working in the casino--and rapidly rises to become Ballin's right-hand man. Johnny has a rosy future until Ballin leaves for a short period and returns with a juicy new bride--Gilda (Rita Hayworth).

Johnny and Gilda had a relationship in the past that turned sour. Ballin quickly guesses the true state of affairs and a rather bizarre love triangle ensues....

Ballin attempts to control Gilda by giving her a very long leash. He has some rather dirty business in his past, and that keeps him occupied. Ballin assigns the role of watchdog to Johnny. Johnny finds this role excruciatingly painful, and he's caught between fealty to his employer and suppressed lust for Gilda. Johnny attempts to control Gilda by locking her up--neither man's plan works. Gilda remains an exotic, reckless creature who endangers herself in order to make a point. Gilda's wild attitude towards life, and her sarcasm--loaded with suggestive meaning--is brilliant. When describing herself, Gilda says, "If I'd been a ranch, they'd have named me the Bar Nothing." All men want to possess her, and yet possession is the one thing she won't allow.

Rita Hayworth as Gilda is simply stunning. There's no other word that I can use. When she's in a scene, she takes over--with her body, her movements, and her reckless approach to life. When she enters Ballin's sharply controlled existence, chaos rules, and she sends out shock waves of desire to all who see her. Hayworth performs a semi-striptease during a song, and she removes one item of clothing. The crowd roars with delight, and the men in the audience have to be physically restrained from ravishing her on the spot. Amazing stuff. For film noir buffs, I recommend this film. It's highly entertaining, full of great-one liners, and Rita Hayworth is nothing less that magnificent. The DVD was marvelous quality and well worth the purchase--displacedhuman.