Review of Gilda (1946) by Terri H — 04 Jan 2009

All in all, an excellent film noir. I couldn't quite get my head around all that business wrangling over George Macready's tungsten monopoly, but it's the sizzling atmosphere that really matters here.

I especially like the way the Ford-Hayworth-Macready love triangle is given a fascinatingly subversive twist whenever Hayworth and Ford compete for Macready's affection; to call it a homoerotic undercurrent between Ford and Macready might be an overstatement, but there's definitely something interesting going on there.

Hayworth is magnificent - and it's impossible to imagine the movie being even half as good without her - but, for me, Macready steals the picture; it certainly weakens considerably when he disappears in the middle.

So palpable is the menace oozed by Macready, we never doubt for a moment he's capable of doing something very nasty to Glenn Ford, however often latter might prove he can handle himself. I love the scene where Macready, chillingly shot in silhouette, catches Ford and Hayworth sneaking back from 'swimming'.

The ending is a little lame though: "You're not really a bitch, I'm not really a bastard! D'ya fancy walking into that sunset?" - that kind of lame.