Gilda

DIRECTED BY Charles Vidor WRITTEN BY E. A. Ellington, Jo Eisenger, Marion Parsonnet STARRING Rita Hayworth, Glenn Ford, George Macready Rita Hayworth created her Hollywood “Love Goddess” legend in this tailor-made romantic drama, which Eddie Muller has described as “more tango than movie.” What plot there is here is merely an excuse for an exotic and erotic roundelay about a pair of tempestuous American lovers in thrall to a Nazi casino owner in Buenos Aires, Argentina. Yes, that is the plot. The film’s amazing sexual heat—including Rita’s legendary “Put the Blame on Mame” number—captivated audiences, making Gilda one of the highest-grossing films of the forties. Interestingly, much of the story's rich deviance slipped past the censors (and most viewers) at the time; today, the film is regarded as one of the greatest examples of filmmakers working around Hollywood’s restrictive Production Code. One of the last several films photographed by the legendary Rudolph Maté as he transitioned from cinematographer to director.