Gilda (1946)

User Rating:

7.8/10   

Director:

Charles Vidor

Writers:

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

Release Date:

15 March 1946 (USA)

Genre:

Drama | Film-Noir | Romance | Thriller

Tagline:

"I was true to one man once... and look what happened..."

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:

Casino | Gambler | Argentina | Buenos Aires | Hate

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:

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

Company:

Columbia Pictures Corporation

Trivia:

In the scene when Germany surrenders, the crowd in the Casino is singing the 'Marcha de San Lorenzo' (San Lorenzo's March), instead of the Argentine national anthem (which would have been the logical theme to sing at that occasion). This piece of music honors a famous battle in Argentine history, and is usually played only in the festivities related to Argentine hero José de San Martín.

Goofs:

Factual errors: The New York Blizzard that Gilda sings of, actually happened two years later in 1888.

Quotes:

Ballin Mundson: Look your best, my beautiful. This will be the casino's first glimpse of you.
[He kisses her]
Gilda: I'll look my very best, Ballin.
[Looks at Johnny]
Gilda: I want all the hired help to approve of me. Glad to have met you, Mr. Farrell.
Ballin Mundson: His name is Johnny, Gilda.
Gilda: Oh, I'm sorry. Johnny is such a hard name to remember and so easy to forget.
[In a breathy voice]
Gilda: Johnny. There. See you later, Mr. Farrell.

Movie Connections:

Featured in Girl, Interrupted (1999)

Soundtrack:

Amado Mio

A fusion of sexual heat, jealousy, fear and hatred - terrific stuff!

Johnny is a small time, but talented, hustler who finds himself at the wrong end of a gun on the dark back streets of Buenos Aires. He is rescued by a mysterious and controlling stranger, Ballin Mundson, who ends up being the owner of a club/casino that operates under the radar of the law. Johnny and Ballin form a close partnership with Johnny being the "man who runs the joint" and Ballin the Master. When Ballin takes a short leave and comes back married to the gorgeous Gilda, a threesome develops that puts a strain on the partnership. There is a burning mutual dislike between Johnny and Gilda. When Gilda feigns ignorance over not remembering his name, she coyly replies, "Johnny. So hard to remember . . . and so easy to forget." Of course there's much more to their acquaintance than they are willing to acknowledge, and a fusion of sexual heat, jealousy, fear and hatred keep the tension tightly wound which fuels the film. And of course there is Rita Hayworth up front and center. All the accolades that have been showered on her sexy "striptease" interpretation of "Put the Blame on Mame" are true! And still this film has much more to offer; an economical but effective story line; a tight witty script loaded with innuendo; and superb acting all around, especially the overlooked icy performance of George Macready as Ballin Mundson.