Day 53: Gilda

"I hate you so much that I would destroy myself to take you down with me." 

Maybe it’s just me, but does Hollywood now only seem to have bombshells that can’t act? Obviously there are outliers amongst the Hollywood starlets, but to me, in a film world more focused on the teen demographic and inducing erections in teenage boys, some actresses have no depth beyond the lushness of their lips. What happened to actresses that could stun you with their beauty, but knock you on your ass with their acting ability? Where are the Monroes, the Rogers, etc.? Instead, we’re stuck with women who are being exposed by the Michael Bay’s of the world to be only worth the amount of sex appeal they can bring to a film. Sex certainly sells, but now it lacks any semblance of substance. We have to go back to the 60’s, 50’s, and even 40’s to see a woman whose buxom persona didn’t outweigh her acting ability. You know what, let’s do that. Let’s go back in time and look at a film that features a woman that ignites the screen, but does so without having to constantly bite her lower lip or feel the need for a nip slip. Said movie is the underrated 40’s noir “Gilda”. “Gilda” is one of those gems from the 40's that seems to be overlooked simply because it doesn't have a Clark Gable nor the award prestige, but I would say it’s one of the best films to hail from that time period.

“Gilda” at its core is a noir film, but it seems to be a different kind of noir. It’s a film that has the dark spaces and intrigue, but no real mystery, nor murder. Instead, it's a noir with an avalanche of sexual tension that grows and grows from scene to scene. There is no real sense of impending doom roaming in the shadows, but there’s a seductive uneasiness that fills our character’s eyes. The film begins with a two-bit criminal, Johnny Farrell (Glen Ford), attempting to swindle a handful of money by playing craps on the streets of Buenos Aires. When a game goes wrong, Johnny is saved by Ballin Mundson (George Macready) who, initially unbeknownst to Johnny, runs an illegal casino for the upper class. So, Johnny brings his crass gambling tools to the casino, only to be caught in the act by Mundson. Seeing an opportunity in Johnny, Mundson takes Johnny under his wing and adds him to his entourage. Soon the two develop a friendly rapport, as they see a respected schemer in one another. Yet, their relationship, which has been illegally fruitful for both, takes a dip  when Mundson returns with the stunning Gilda (Rita Hayworth) as his newfound bride. With the trust built between Mundson and Johnny, one would think this wouldn’t be an issue, but as fate would have it, Johnny and Gilda were once lovers. What ensues can only be described as a rapturous love triangle that is further complicated by death and shady German businessmen.

For as interesting as the gambling angle is in the film,  the real energy lies in the heated exchanges between Glenn Ford and Rita Hayworth. A lot of credit has to go to Charles Vidor who directs his actors with great intensity. Whether it's supposed to be a passionate kiss or simply walking through a mask party, each character has a militant step to their walks and a contentious delivery. Not to mention, Vidor's use of a score (or lack thereof) is also effective, as it allows us to focus on the crackling and vindictive dialogue that spews from the mouths of Gilda and Johnny as they hiss at one another. In addition to the fantastic dialogue, and through the help of cinematographer Rudolph Mate, Vidor creates many seductive scenes that leap off the screen. Helping Vidor further create such atmospheric scenes is Glenn Ford. Ford gives Johnny a calm demeanor on the outside, but deep down we can see his rigid soul as his anger and love for Gilda is reaching a boiling point. This is further exemplified by Ford’s body language and physical interaction with Hayworth. I’d say in most of the scenes Ford often grabs and brings Hayworth closer in a rough manner, as jealously rages out of his eyes. It is nothing short of perfect on the part of Ford. Matching Ford stride for stride is Rita Hayworth as Gilda. An obvious sexpot upon one look, Hayworth has a powerful screen presence as she works her way through musical numbers and scenes of sexual intrigue. Even though the film is black and white, the sheer magnitude of Hayworth’s sex appeal hints at the numerous desirable hues and colors that make up her face. She is tantalizing to say the least.

But, Hayworth’s talent goes beyond a physical level. Her portrayal of Gilda is much like Ford's construction of Johnny, she's in control on the outside, but the way her body shuffles around, we know what she wants and yearns for deep down. Not to mention, there’s a dark regret that lies behind Hayworth’s eyes that is just aching to be released. The performances of Ford and Hayworth ultimately make for a sexual tension  and chemistry that is hard to resist. Not to mention the shadows of their history are further enticing when juxtaposed against the seedy underbelly of illegal gambling. What emanates from these performances are moments of violence and raging lust that keeps the film churning along from beginning to end. Without the sex appeal of Hayworth, nor her ability to spin dialogue and  fill the air with sexualized heat, “Gilda” would be a rather flat endeavor. Not to mention, without Hayworth’s talent to back up her beauty, the film would be merely ninety minutes of exploiting a woman’s looks over her ability. But this isn’t how things play out. What we get is a sleek and sexy noir that engulfs us with each heated exchange and each physical interaction. If only Hollywood made more movies like this.