Saturday, September 19, 2009

Gilda (1946)



The film's plot is continually narrated by Johnny Farrell (Glenn Ford), a small-time hood newly arrived in Buenos Aires, Argentina. When he wins a lot of money playing craps, he has to be rescued from a robbery attempt by a complete stranger, Ballin Mundson (George Macready). Mundson tells him about an illegal high-class casino, but warns him not to try cheating there. Farrell ignores his advice and cheats at blackjack and is taken by two men to see the casino's owner, who turns out to be Mundson. Farrell talks Mundson into hiring him and quickly gains his confidence. However, the unimpressed washroom attendant, Uncle Pio (Steven Geray), keeps calling him "peasant".

One day, Mundson returns from a trip with a beautiful new wife, a singer, Gilda (Rita Hayworth). Unaware that she was once Farrell’s lover, Mundson assigns Farrell to keep an eye on her. Farrell keeps track of her cavorting with men at all hours of the night, his loathing for her intensifying.

Meanwhile, Mundson is visited by two Nazis. Their secret organization had financed a tungsten cartel, with everything put in Mundson's name to hide their connection to it. However, when they decide it is safe to take over, Mundson refuses to transfer ownership to his backers. The Argentine secret police are interested in the Germans; agent Obregon (Joseph Calleia) introduces himself to Farrell to try to obtain information, but the American knows nothing. The Nazis return later, with no better results; Mundson shoots and kills one of them.

That same night, at Mundson's house, Farrell and Gilda describe how much they hate each other, then end up kissing. Mundson arrives at that moment, then flees to a waiting airplane. Farrell and Obregon witness its short flight; the plane explodes shortly after takeoff and plummets into the ocean.

With Mundson dead, Gilda inherits his estate. Farrell marries her, but not out of love. He stays away, but has her guarded day and night out of contempt for her and loyalty to Mundson. Gilda tries to escape the tortured love/hate relationship, but fails. Finally, Obregon tells Farrell that Gilda was never truly unfaithful to Mundson or to him, prompting Farrell to try to reconcile with her.

At that moment, Mundson reappears, armed with a gun. He had faked his death to deceive the Nazis, parachuting out of the plane undetected. Mundson tells them he will have to kill them both, but Uncle Pio manages to fatally stab him in the back. Obregon shows up and confiscates the estate for the government. Farrell and Gilda are free to leave the country.


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4 comments:

. said...

WOW!!
I never paid attention the bunch of times this was on so many times on tv!!
Thank you! with the description, I will watch the whole movie now!

Anonymous said...

ah, bummer, this is in Italian or Spanish I guess.
Still, I zipped through it quickly... and decided I will pass on it if it plays of regular television.

it's ok,and Rita is smoking hot, just looks like a plodding story

The Pirate Bitches said...

Sorry, I had no clue this wasn't in english!

Anonymous said...

why dont you take it down if you know now that it isnt in enlighs