Many of you who know me know that if asked, my all time favorite movie is the 1946 film Gilda. And additionally, my all time favorite movie star is Rita Hayworth. I'll watch really anything she's in. Even some of her lesser quality films like Pal Joey or Fire Down Below.
Gilda, however, is the embodiment of the Film Noir "bad girl". In many circles, the character, whom Rita Hayworth created oh so well, is something of legend. Her ability to make men weak has always enthralled me... but that said, her motto was "Lucky at cards, unlucky in love," and there is where we part ways, because I'm lucky in both! ;)
I have read her biography, If This Was Happiness: A Biography of Rita Hayworth, I have a Gilda Poster in our bedroom, I have a journal with Rita Hayworth's face on the cover, I lived on Hayworth Street in Los Angeles for a while, I've visited her Hollywood Star on the walk of fame, and I've dressed up as Rita Hayworth on Halloween...(at quite honestly the best Halloween party ever... in LA... The theme was 'Dead Celebrities' so you can only image who showed up!)
Rita, although extremely beautiful, had a very tragic life. She was abused by almost every man she ever met, she became an alcoholic, and in the end she died of Alzheimer's. She's ben quoted as saying, "Men fell in love with Gilda but then they wake up with me." Can you imagine how difficult it would be to have the world see you as this man-eating vixen, but in reality, your just a normal girl who was forced into fame by your family? My heart always went out to Rita... or Margarita Carmen Cansino as she was born (Hayworth was her mother's maiden name).
My favorite Rita films, apart from Gilda are, in no particular order, You Were Never Lovelier, You'll Never Get Rich, The Lady From Shanghai, and her small role in the Cary Grant film, Only Angels Have Wings. Oh, and I almost forgot The Strawberry Blonde and Cover Girl were pretty great too! I highly recommend all of them, especially if you like old movies like I do!
Do you have a favorite film? A favorite movie star? I'd love to hear what they are!
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