Produced by Virginia Van Upp
Directed by Charles Vidor
USA 1946
110 mins
In our recent Christmas film quiz the clip that piqued the most interest was the sizzling rendition of 'Put The Blame On Mame' that is performed by Rita Hayworth in this classic film noir.
Hayworth, known as the 'Love Goddess', was perhaps the most glamorous female star of the 1940s - the favourite pinup among GIs in World War 2 and married to among others Orson Welles and Prince Aly Khan. Born Rita Cansino, with a Spanish father and and Irish American mother, she was famed for her red hair and provocative, sensual style - both as an actress and a dancer. Hayworth was reportedly Fred Astaire's favourite dancing partner and achieved her greatest success opposite Gene Kelly in Cover Girl. In 'Gilda' she is a femme fatale mixed up in the shadowy world of night clubs and gambling in post-war Buenos Aires. Recently married to a casino owner Gilda runs into an old lover - the small time gambler Johnny Farrell played by Glenn Ford. She and Johnny have a love-hate relationship and, when he is assigned by her new husband to keep an eye on her, the sparks begin to fly. 'Gilda' was directed with great panache by Charles Vidor (not to be confused with King Vidor) and gorgeously shot by Rudolph Mate who knew how to photograph Hayworth to maximum effect. Her famous entrance, in which she whips her hair back to reveal a mischievous grin, is one of the most iconic in Hollywood history. Hayworth was dubbed by Anita Ellis in the two big singing numbers in the film but it is her voice that you hear when she performs a mesmerising 'unplugged' version of 'Mame' earlier in the film - accompanying herself on guitar.
Gilda: I've got some news for you, Johnny. I'm going to do exactly what I please, when I please. I was true to one man once...and look what happened
