Gilda

Johnny Farrell, a streetwise gambler chasing luck in Buenos Aires, reconnects with a woman from his past who has grown into a dangerous mystery. Gilda, now married to his enigmatic employer Ballin Mundson, pulls Johnny into a tense web of desire, power and suspicion. Mundson runs a swinging underworld casino orbiting a city of perfume and neon, and Johnny finds himself both drawn to Gilda and wary of Mundson's iron grip. As memories surface and betrayals threaten, the trio moves through smoky rooms and calculated moves where affection can hide a weapon and trust can turn slippery in an instant. Loyalties blur and danger closes in around all three. The tension lingers on the screen, long after the scenes shift.

Directed by Charles Vidor, Gilda hit theaters in 1946. The story, crafted by Marion Parsonnet Jo Eisinger and E A Ellington, stems from an original screenplay rather than a novel, anchored by Rita Hayworth's Gilda and Glenn Ford's rakish Johnny.

Gilda proved financially successful, grossing about $6 million worldwide against a $2 million budget, signaling performance for a 1940s melodrama and helping to cement Hayworth's star status. The film drew audiences to cinema for its mix of glamour and danger.

Gilda became an icon of 1940s cinema, notably for Hayworth in the famous green dress and the nightclub number that unfolds alongside the title song Put the Blame on Mame. The film's provocative style still appears in later thrillers and remakes. It shaped fashion and on screen seduction for years.

Critics praised the film for its sharp mood shifts and Hayworth's commanding presence while Ford navigates a wary, morally gray landscape. The movie threads desire, loyalty, betrayal and power into a taut, emotionally charged story with noir undercurrents and operatic tilt. Critics echoed the drama's moral complexity and sharp dialogue.