Gilda (1946)

 Charles Vidor's "Gilda"


I typically can find so much value in every film I watch. When I sat down to watch "Gilda," I was very excited as I knew it had a great reputation. It was a classic film noir, lauded by the classic film community, and featured the most iconic role of Rita Hayworth's life. What could go wrong? I am very displeased to say this, but I was not only underwhelmed by the film, but very antagonistic towards it.

"Gilda" stars Glenn Ford (whom would go on to star in a much more masterful noir with Fritz Lang's 1953 film "The Big Heat") as an American hustler finding his way through the casinos of Buenos Aries. He meets an incredibly wealthy casino owner, Ballin, and decides to join his ranks. Things get complicated when his ex-lover Gilda comes into the picture as his boss' new wife. Gilda's unruly behavior threatens her new husband's power grab at orchestrating a capitalistic monopoly. Ford's character tries his best to secure his boss' plans until eventually caving to his love for Gilda.

The reason I am so antagonistic with this film is by far the way it unravels climatically. While watching the first half of the film, I noticed the potential for an incredible noir story that could unfold. Two ex-lovers who choose economic advancement and clamors for power over love and decency, who are both willing to sacrifice the other to achieve bending to the capitalistic imperialism of their new employer. This checks all the boxes of a powerful noir story of betrayal, greed, and a bending to the capitalistic power of post-war American imperialism. How much bleaker can you get?

However, we do not receive this story, despite it being there on a silver platter for the writer to grab hold. Rather, the 'noir' that we are led to believe this film to be is instead more of a psychological romance. The noir elements begin to unravel to reveal a far more melodramatic and hokey affair, full of ridiculous plot devices. The Glenn Ford character sees the 'error of his ways' and somehow doesn't get arrested. On top of this, him and Gilda become lovers once again, despite his continued horrible treatment of her, mixed with psychopathic emotional and mental torture. It would headed to a high 'noir' status by having him continue to be brutal and insane as a means to demonstrate the folly of integrating to this new power structure. Rather, he is completely forgiven by the law, forgiven by his abused partner, and forgiven by the writer of the film all together. Everything just gets wrapped up in a neat little bow and they make it cheesy as all get out. It was utterly disappointing, on top of misogynistic, cheap, and lazy.



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