Two Hollywood classics on 4K-UHD from Criterion.
Gilda – 4K-UHD/Blu-ray — Criterion
I dare anyone watching Criterion’s dazzling new 4K disc of Charles Vidor’s wacky Noir classic, Gilda, to not become obsessed with Rita Hayworth. For me, it was a revisit and I became so enthralled I immediately watched Pal Joey, just to get my Rita fix in. (I’ve got at least 5 more Hayworth gems on deck).
Words like ‘iconic’ and ‘legendary’ have lost all meaning because they’re so overused and misused today, but Gilda’s first seconds onscreen–which come far too late in the narrative for those of us suffering from anticipation–is a true classic cinematic moment. And what Hayworth continuously does with her hair in this film is absolutely beguiling. It became her signature, the mesmerizing, sensual flip-flopping of her red locks that led to deserved monikers like, ‘the love goddess’ and ‘sex bomb.’ But she was also a terrifically talented actress who was egregiously overlooked by AMPAS—not even a mention. And if you look at the nominees in 1946, she could have/should have easily replaced a number of their uninspired choices.
Set in Buenos Aires, Gilda first introduces us to Johnny Farrell (Glenn Ford) a lowly cheat of a gambler who is saved from being killed by a stranger who happens to be hanging out in nefarious places. That peculiar fellow, Ballin Munson (George Macready), turns out to be a crime lord who hires Johnny to be his henchman. But before you can smell the homoeroticism (okay it was already pungent), Munson goes out of town on business and returns with a wife in tow, Gilda (Hayworth), who immediately takes a dislike to Johnny. Of course, we soon put together the fact that she shares a stormy past with Johnny. From there things get really strange and violent and perverse with Gilda cavorting with men just to piss Johnny off. Or is she? Who is she?
“You wouldn’t think one woman could marry two insane men in one lifetime,” Gilda exclaims, pretty much surmising her luck with men.
This is one bizarre, stylized motion picture loaded with heightened melodrama, comedic moments (mostly thanks to Hayworth), veiled bisexuality (ok, not that veiled), witty dialogue (credited to Marion Parsonnet but Ben Hecht worked on it as well) and one of the most iconic (for real) musical moments in film history—the “Put the Blame on Mame” number (dubbed by Anita Ellis) where a tantalizing Hayworth moves and glides in such sultry fashion it’s easy to understand why she became the pin-up gal of the late 1940s.
The film is also a captivating peek into a love/hate power dynamic.
Gilda was screened in competition at the 1946 Cannes Film Festival and became a box office sensation.
Vidor had previously directed Hayworth in The Lady in Question (with Ford, 1940) and Cover Girl (1944) and would go on to work with her again on The Loves of Carmen (1948, also with Ford).
The terrifying Macready had a pretty stellar film, theater and TV career but is mostly known for Gilda and Stanley Kubrick’s Paths to Glory (1957).
Hayworth had quite an illustrious career appearing in 61 films over 4 decades and becoming one of Hollywood’s most bankable stars. Those eclectic titles include Orson Welles’ The Lady from Shanghai (1947), Robert Parrish’s Fire Down Below (1957) and Henry Hathaway’s Circus World (1964) nabbing her a Golden Globe nomination.
Criterion’s 4K-UHD provides a stunning new 4K digital restoration—just gorgeous. And the sound is fab.
The Blu-ray disc includes the trailer, an audio commentary by film critic Richard Schickel, interesting insights by auteurs Martin Scorsese and Baz Luhrmann and an interview with film-noir historian Eddie Muller who goes into fascinating gay subtext detail. Finally, a wonderful 1964 episode of Hollywood and the Stars: The Odyssey of Rita Hayworth is also included.
This is a must for cinephiles and fans of Hayworth. And if you don’t know her work, this is the perfect place to start. Just warning you, you may find yourself down a Rita rabbit-hole—a cool yet hot place to be.
https://www.criterion.com/films/27909-gilda
Trouble in Paradise — 4K-UHD/Blu-ray – Criterion
Ernst Lubitsch lends his cine-famous touch to Trouble in Paradise, a 1932 pre-Code delight of a sophisticated comedy–one of the first madcap rom-coms and the director’s first non-musical sound films.
Note: To purchase four of his marvelous early musicals, pick up the fabulous Criterion Lubitsch Musicals Eclipse Series 8 box set featuring The Love Parade, Monte Carlo, The Smiling Lieutenant & One Hour With You.
Lubitsch, who the brilliant Billy Wilder hero worshipped, was known for deliberately going against the grain when it came to conceiving and shooting his films. Here he, along with screenwriter Samson Raphaelson, take the audience on a clever and constantly surprising journey. The first scene, set in Venice, introduces us to Gaston Monescu (Herbert Marshall), who we think is a Baron. He awaits the arrival of Lily Vautier (Miriam Hopkins), who we and Gaston are led to believe is a Countess. They are meeting in his hotel room—quelscandal! Both are cheery, cheeky frauds who are trying to deceive the other. The thieving one-upsmanship is masterfully done. Oh and, naturally, they fall in love.
Soon they are off to Paris so that Gaston can steal an expensive purse from blue blood Madame Colet (Kay Francis) —who really is très rich. Afterwards, Gaston returns it—for a reward–and in an effort to get into her good graces and to swindle her for more of her wealth. Alas, though, he seems to be falling for her. She is definitely falling for him. But what about Lily? It’s a most odd love triangle that, refreshingly, never quite goes where you expect it to, which was Lubitsch’s plan all along.
Marshall and Hopkins (Oscar-nominated in 1935 for Becky Sharp) are fab but it’s Francis who walks away with the picture. She’s simply divine and was quite in demand in the 1930s. From 1932 to 1936, she was considered the queen of Warner Brothers and was one of the highest paid actors of her time—making more money than Bette Davis! Unhappy with the movies she was being offered, she went to war with WB and after she threatened a lawsuit, they terminated her contract. Her career never really managed to recover.
Lending hilarious support are Charlie Ruggles and Edward Everett Horton, camping it up as two of Madame’s competing suitors.
The Berlin born Lubitsch brought great style and a Euro flair to his few Hollywood films—as well as sex appeal, when they let him get away with it—which was often as the director was quite sly and enjoyed innuendo.
Not surprising, the film was denied release post-code, so was little seen until after that fascistic, Catholic-controlled nuisance of an organization was done away with once and for all!
Trouble in Paradise is an absolute joy to watch. Criterion has put together a new 4K digital restoration, with uncompressed monaural soundtrack restored by the UCLA Film & Television Archive and The Film Foundation, with funding provided by the Hobson/Lucas Family Foundation. It’s not pristine, but it’s probably the best a 1932 restoration can look and sound, considering its age.
The Blu-ray boasts an audio commentary with Scott Eyman, biographer of Lubitsch, an intro by Peter Bogdanovich and a wonderful and informative new video essay by critic David Cairns.
