Gilda (1946)

My Review

“Gilda” is a musical black-and-white film noir telling the story of a small time gambler who get a job as an assistant to a casino owner, only to find out that his boss’s wife is his ex-girl friend. The sparks fly from there, directed by Charles Vidor (“The Joker is Wild” 1957) from a so-so screenplay by Marion Parsonett. This is not a top-notch drama, but a rather ordinary melodrama noir picture centered on the persona of the star.

And the star of the show is Rita Hayworth as Gilda Mundson. All efforts were maximized to her benefit: Costume designer Jean Louis’s wardrobe, cinematographer Rudolph Mate’s lush photography, choreographer Jack Cole’s managing the dance numbers, and the singing voice of Anita Ellis standing in for Hayworth’s vocals.

Co-stars include Glenn Ford as her ex-boyfriend, George Macready as her husband, Joseph Calleia, Steven Geray, Joe Sawyer, Mark Roberts, and Ludwig Donath. The watchable Rita Hayworth vehicle “Gilda” was a success at the box office for producer Virginia Van Upp and Columbia Pictures. It was filmed on the Columbia Pictures soundstages in Hollywood, California, which are now the Sunset Gower Studios.