Since Gilda herself mentioned psychiatry, I look there--particularly in Jung and in depth psychology--for interpretational tools. What works for me is to understand Gilda (Rita Hayworth) and Johnny (Glenn Ford) as the male and female aspects of the same person. "Animus" and "anima" are terms used in psychology for these aspects. A man finds his anima (female side) in his shadow self, a woman finds her animus (male side) in her shadow self. In *Gilda*, shadows are repeatedly seen to fall across the faces of the male and female protagonists. "Maybe that stands for something" is right, because it is rare in films for a protagonist, particularly the beautiful female one, to be shown with her face hidden in shadow. What's more, the rest of her body is in light. This purposefully draws the viewer's attention to the shadow, creating a question in the mind: what does it mean?

The shadow self, or subconscious, assumes a dark and threatening role in a person's life when he/she is not in harmony with his/her anima/animus. Johnny and Gilda are certainly out of harmony; they hate one another. Ballin Mundson (George MacReady), Gilda's husband and Johnny's boss, is the dangerous shadow that spans their tempestuous relationship. In one scene, when Johnny brings Gilda home shortly before dawn, Mundson suspiciously greets them at the door and is shown as a black shadow towering over the other two. His last name is a giveaway: Mundson is very nearly a combination of the German words Mond and Sonne (moon and sun). The moon is female, the sun is male. Both are covered by shadow at the time of eclipse. If you think I'm reaching too far in my interpretation of his name, kindly note that German is spoken in two scenes, and German writing is visible on the wall of the bar in Mundson's house. "Maybe that stands for something" is right. Mundson's odd first name is suggestive of Baalim, or Baal, the name of an ancient Semitic deity that has come to be one of the titles of Satan. The name Ballin neatly contains the Sanskrit word "nila" in it--but spelled backwards. Nila means black.

Mundson's "little friend", from which he is inseparable, is a walking stick that pops a shiny steel blade out of its tip whenever he presses a button in the handle. It is clearly a symbol of the male. In Hinduism, the god of cosmic destruction, Shiva, is symbolized by the jyotir-linga, a phallic symbol of white light that illuminates the darkness of the universe. The first time we see the blade, it casts an eerie cold light into the gloom around it. Shiva is also the lord of the ahamkara or shadow ego, the illusory self-image of "I am the doer," "I am the owner," "I am the controller," "I am the boss", and so on. Ballin Mundson thinks he owns Gilda and Johnny; he clearly says as much in the film. His life's goal is to rule the world.

Uncle Pio, the washroom attendent, represents intelligence and insight. Maurice Obregon is the Oversoul, and the conscience. He witnesses all the goings-on in Mundson's little world, the casino. He is the quiet voice of decency and morality. But as the Oversoul he has the power to step in at the right time to take over Mundson's shadow-realm.

In one famous scene, Gilda tells Johnny, "I hate you so much I think I'm going to die from it." The anima in the shadow of a man's psyche is a constant source of trouble until he stops ignoring and suppressing her, and at last accepts her. Once she is accepted she "dies" as a psychic plague, but is "reborn" as guide, as a bridge, to the higher Self. Often reviewers of *Gilda* say the ending is a copout. It's not, at least in my interpretation. Mundson dies with the help of Uncle Pio (intelligence and insight). Johnny and Gilda are freed from any lingering connection to Mundson by Obregon (Over-gone, or the Oversoul). Gilda turns to Johnny and says, "Let's go home." It's perfect!

There are dozens of other interpretations that can be made, but what I've presented above are the basic elements for understanding *Gilda* as I do. I am not saying this is the only interpretation. I am not saying this interpretation was consciously intended by the scriptwriters. But I am saying that it works seamlessly throughout the film, from beginning, middle, to end. Just as Gilda says in the beginning, middle and end: "Maybe that means something."

This is a really first rate DVD of an excellent movie
Review date: 2000-04-18 Rating: 10 out of 10

I was wrong in stating that there were missing scenes from this DVD. On checking, I find that this version is complete after all. I can only assume that there was a fault in my DVD player that prevented me from seeing the before.

It remains one of the all-time great Hollywood movies of the 1940s.

Excellent
Review date: 2000-03-04 Rating: 10 out of 10

...Not only has nothing been cut here, but the version presented on this DVD is the recently restored one, with some glaring defects that spoil the VHS edition conspicuously and thankfully absent. The running time is 106 minutes, that is exactly the full length of the film as it should be in PAL, at 25 frames per second (it would be 4 minutes longer in NTSC, at 24 fps). The quality of the picture is marvellous, and especially considering that the zone 1 DVD release seems to have been cancelled, this one is not to be missed. Of course, one wishes for more bonus materials, but you can't have everything, and any one of Rita's dance numbers here is worth the 20 quid anyway.

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