Rita Hayworth as Gilda

There are lots of good films that I like, but only a handful of them are really special. One of them is Gilda with the stunning Rita Hayworth in the leading role. I think the IMD reviewer scotty12´s description of this film noir classsic from 1946 is very much to the point:

The 40s and 50s produced many alluring performances from beautiful and sexy actresses and Rita Hayworth's in Gilda is one of the most provocative of all. The film is good and quite deep, the male leads are better, but Hayworth's performance is simply stunning and unforgettable. She may not have been the most beautiful 40s actress (Gene Tierney and Veronica Lake were more classic beauties imo), but if you look closely her ability to show the sweet, the vulnerable, and especially the wanton, in women has not been bettered. Somehow her character gets under the male viewer's skin in the same way as it does to the male characters in the film.

Modern film femme fatales are a pale shadow by comparison, for example Linda Fiorentino or Sharon Stone. I'm not sure why. It could be either that nowadays allure is too much equated with sex or nudity (less tantalising than several dashes of suggestion) or maybe it's that present day equivalents are portrayed as hard as nails without the necessary mix of sadness and vulnerability.

Whatever, if you've never appreciated what the appeal of 40s noir is, this is definitely one to try.

Rita Hayworth´s private life was unfortunately not very happy. After several unsuccesful marriages she died in 1987 after having suffered from Alzheimer´s disease for many years. One of her former colleagues, president Ronald Reagan - who later himself was to suffer from the same disease - remembered Rita with these words:

"Rita Hayworth was one of our country's most beloved stars.Glamorous and talented, she gave us many wonderful moments on stage and screen and delighted audiences from the time she was a young girl. In her later years, Rita became known for her struggle with Alzheimer's disease. Her courage and candor, and that of her family, were a great public service in bringing worldwide attention to a disease which we all hope will soon be cured. Nancy and I are saddened by Rita's death. She was a friend who we will miss. We extend our deep sympathy to her family."

In Gilda - and many other films - Rita Hayworth will, however, continue to delight audiences also inte future. Here are two musical excerpts from the film: