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Gilda

Feraud

Bartender
Messages
17,188
Location
Hardlucksville, NY
Overrated, boring, pointless, noir?

Did I miss anything here or do I need to see the film a few more times to "get it". Hayworth is attractive but her character was an oddball with no point.
The film had a lot of atmosphere but no plot content.

The film is not on par with any noir and melodramas from the period.

Does anyone like this film?

Enlighten me.
 

Paisley

I'll Lock Up
Messages
5,439
Location
Indianapolis
I like this film. It's about two people who can't get along, but can't get over each other, either.

As for Hayworth's character being an oddball, well, only fools fall in love, right?
 

Amy Jeanne

Call Me a Cab
Messages
2,858
Location
Colorado
I don't like it, either. Not a big Hayworth fan -- not a big fan of film noir.

Give me a B movie or a Busby Berkeley musical instead.
 

Rafter

Suspended
Messages
436
Location
CT
Hayworth's "Gilda" & "Cover Girl" are being
offered on cable as
Free In-Demand Movies this week (commercial free and letterboxed)!

Never saw them.
Do you ladies and gents suggest I give either of them a try?
 

Amy Jeanne

Call Me a Cab
Messages
2,858
Location
Colorado
Rafter said:
Hayworth's "Gilda" & "Cover Girl" are being
offered on cable as
Free In-Demand Movies this week (commercial free and letterboxed)!

Never saw them.
Do you ladies and gents suggest I give either of them a try?

I did the On-Demand thing, too!
Most definitely watch them both. Only you can judge whether they're good or not.
 

Hondo

One Too Many
Messages
1,655
Location
Northern California
Have both and I had to watch Gilda a few times around to fully appreciate it, I wondered why Gilda acted that way, true fools who fall in love, just wish there was a sequel, follow up to Gilda, being a huge Rita Hayworth fan, Cover Girl is most interesting, I enjoyed both, do give them a try ;)
 

Rafter

Suspended
Messages
436
Location
CT
I saw "Pal Joey" on TCM last night.
Rita Hayworth and Frank Sinatra were well past their prime in that flic.
However, it was their co-star Kim Novak that was mesmerizing to watch.

The screenplay was loaded with subtle, quick humor in its clever dialogue.

Kim Novak (Linda English): My mother always says a lady's a lady wherever she goes
Frank Sinatra (Joey Evans): And a bum's a bum wherever he goes.

Rita Hayworth (Vera Simpson): Who's she?
Joey Evans: She's just a mouse.

Vera Simpson: Me and Joey are the same type of cat, we understand each other.
pal-joey.jpg

Joey Evans: Good Morning!
Linda English: What's good about it?
Joey Evans: First hangover? Well, there's a first time for everything.
Linda English: Why do people drink when you feel so awful the morning after?
Joey Evans: Maybe because it feels so good the night before.

Linda English: What did I do last night?
Joey Evans: You kissed me.
Linda English: I wasn't myself.
Joey Evans: Whoever you were, you were great!

The music, by the Rodgers & Hart, is one of the best things about the film. If you're a jazz lover, the film would be worth viewing for the music alone.
 

Fletch

I'll Lock Up
Messages
8,865
Location
Iowa - The Land That Stuff Forgot
The filmed PJ is great, but it actually had to be made a little creakier for the screen. The Broadway show was even a little too dark and hip for 1940, and wouldn't have gone over at all in the mid 50s.

As for Gilda, yes the plot is pretty slight for good noir, but I always thought they were going for a slightly more mass market picture. Apparently it worked, as it was a real hit. It pretty much made Glenn Ford, who was still a baby-faced supporting player before he went to the Marine Corps.
 

Nathan Dodge

One Too Many
Messages
1,051
Location
Near Miami
Although I'm not a Rita Hayworth fan (looks or acting), GILDA is a pretty darn good Noir with so much sexual innuendo, that once you find it, subsequent viewings are impossible without noticing them!

re: PAL JOEY. Talk about a wretched movie! Barbara Nichols was the only spark of life in this movie, and Frank was just so-so, but NOT past his prime as previously posted. Kim Novak is a great example of what was wrong with so many 1950s "actresses", except she was the least talented of the bunch, other than maybe Bella Darvi. Novak's hair looked gray (not platinum), she radiates nada, has an odd speaking voice, can't sing, and has a vacant, distant look in her eyes that frightens children and small animals. IMO.
 

cemetarian

Vendor
Messages
79
Location
North of Dallas, Texas
Hayworth is attractive but her character was an oddball with no point.

LOL.....it's obvious that you have never been a woman scorned............

There have been many, many, many movies that are better............but to me I'll take Gilda over Casablanca anyday...........but then I'm a girl.........for me Gilda is the female answer to the Boy's Club Casablanca........
 

Jack Scorpion

One Too Many
Messages
1,097
Location
Hollywoodland
cemetarian said:
LOL.....it's obvious that you have never been a woman scorned............

There have been many, many, many movies that are better............but to me I'll take Gilda over Casablanca anyday...........but then I'm a girl.........for me Gilda is the female answer to the Boy's Club Casablanca........

I don't know about taking it over Casablanca, but Gilda is definitely in my top 10 movies of the 40s list. And I ain't a girl. Gilda just might have more witty dialogue than any movie I've seen. I've seen it more than five times and wouldn't hesitate to watch it again. I'm not the biggest Hayworth fan (though I like Glenn Ford), but Rita really steals the scenes in Gilda. The love-hate Johnny-Gilda relationship is one of my favorite love stories.

-There are more women in this world than anything else ... except insects.
-You wouldn't think a girl could marry two insane men in one lifetime.
-I see you'll be carrying a whip. You should tell Johnny, so he can also arm himself.
 

Paisley

I'll Lock Up
Messages
5,439
Location
Indianapolis
I don't think it's ever revealed in the movie why the claws came out, and I don't think it's important. Their history as I see it: they were crazy about each other, but needs went unmet, illusions were shattered, and hearts got broken. If you've been through that ringer, you can understand why they wanted to make each other miserable, even at their own expense.

"Did you know that you can't get insurance when you're in love"? -Pepe LePew (not in the movie)

I think Rita Hayworth also did a good performance of "Blame it on Mame." Interesting that she took off only one glove, and made it smoking hot.
 

jazzzbaby

One of the Regulars
Messages
262
Location
California
Feraud said:
Overrated, boring, pointless, noir?

Did I miss anything here or do I need to see the film a few more times to "get it". Hayworth is attractive but her character was an oddball with no point.
The film had a lot of atmosphere but no plot content.

The film is not on par with any noir and melodramas from the period.

Does anyone like this film?

Enlighten me.

I adore this film. I think it was the second time I watched it that it
really hooked me. Now if it is on, I have to watch it...it just reels me
in. I feel the story has a lot of layers to it....
 

Rafter

Suspended
Messages
436
Location
CT
Nathan Dodge said:
Kim Novak is a great example of what was wrong with so many 1950s "actresses", except she was the least talented of the bunch, other than maybe Bella Darvi. Novak's hair looked gray (not platinum), she radiates nada, has an odd speaking voice, can't sing, and has a vacant, distant look in her eyes that frightens children and small animals. IMO.
Nathan Dodge,
I guess you're not a fan of "Picnic", or "Verigo" either.
Are you for real. Kim Novak was among the great Goddesses of the screen.

novak2.jpg


Kim Novak is frequently described as the last star manufactured by the old Hollywood studio system. Harry Cohn, the boss at Columbia, had publicly announced that he was going to manufacture a replacement for Rita Hayworth, and apparently decided that Kim was the best candidate.

The full weight of Columbia's expertise was placed behind Kim. Care was taken in choosing roles for Kim which gave her prominence. Although Kim had blond hair, she was noticeably different from other glamorous, blond actresses. The majority of her publicity photographs were fairly discreet. This restraint and modesty gave Kim a slightly remote image, which complemented an element of her screen persona that had been quickly noticed. On screen, there was a distant, almost dream-like aspect to Kim, which gave her an air of mystery. To this day, many of Kim's most ardent admirers refer to this quality when trying to explain their enthusiasm for her.

The camera loved Kim. In fact, unusually, both cameras loved her, the movie camera and the stills camera - the only other big stars adored by both cameras were Ava Gardner, Sophia Loren and Marilyn Monroe - and the result is a series of movies and publicity photographs from the 1950s which place Kim Novak among the great Goddesses of the screen.
 

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