The Loves of Carmen

So-so adaption of Carmen, a story I've never been that thrilled with. All the men are dithering idiots and it seems Carmen was the only attractive woman in Spain at the time. I do not like Rita Hayworth with bangs and could never understand why they styled her hair this way, as she had electrolocis to raise her hairline in the first place.

I'have seen this movie many years ago. the movie is very good mainly for the acting of beautiful Rita Hayworth, but as always Hollywood producers have the bad habit of change stories.The original story is written by Manuel Pinella and the title is "El gato montes", opera in three acts. in 1917 was presented in Madrid and 13 September 1922 in Park Theatre, New York. the opera (story) is based in rivaltry between the toreador and the bandit Juanillo for the love of gypsy Solea, her loves really the bandit, who become an outlaw for defender the honor of Solea, but she fells atach to the toreador in gratitude for him assist her when she was in some difficulties when was wandering in the streets. The two rivals confront in a duel with knife but Solea spare them. then the next Sunday Rafael the toreador (bullfighter), is catch in a corrida and dies. Juanillo the bandit kidnap Solea and take her to the sierra refuge, but he is porsuit till there, because he is afraid to be taken for the civil guards he prefers to die and ask one of his friend to shot him to death and so he lies dead in the arms of Solea. I agree that the cast of Glen Ford was a mistake in the role of civil guard after becomes the bandit. I should prefer for this role Douglas Fairbanks who has more the type of Latin and who can act much better, remember him in "The corsican brothers" and his father in the "The mark of zorro", among others.

It may be Composer-Screenwriter-Author Helen Deutsh was too captivated by studying the work of "Carmen" librettists Henri Meilhac and Ludovic Halevy. Back in 1873 this leading team penned a text for Georges Bizet's opera, "Carmen" that would support an ultimately legendary work. But times have changed. Without Bizet's intoxicating score, this tale (from an 1845 novella by Prosper Merimee) now plays like something freshly removed from mothballs: stiled dialogue, cardboard characters and benign dramaturgy make for quite tepid viewing. True, it's a great role for Rita, but she must utter quite cliched lines, while posturing with "Carmen mannerisms" with no real heart or soul. Mr. Ford also looks most uncomfortable as the naive novice soldier, and behaves as though he's stuck with some stagnant contractual obligation at Columbia Pictures. Only when Ms. Hayworth is given an opportunity to dance does she truly come to life. Here she can really show off her vitality and the fruits of her long-term choreographic labours. So, we have here Bizet's opera without Bizet's music. The production design and costuming are most colorful as everyone struggles valiantly to breathe life into the proceedings. Deutsch probably should have glanced at the libretto and novella, then gone on to write an original script--which should was capable of doing, based on her record of a half dozen successful musical and dramatic screenplays she penned over the years. The recently released DVD on Columbia Classics should bring pleasure to film buffs in general and fans of Hayworth (and Ford) in particular.

There are times when RITA HAYWORTH, with her flashing eyes, heady mane of tresses and way with castanets and Spanish dances, amply fills the role of Carmen in THE LOVES OF CARMEN. She captures the flirtatious moods and stormy temperament without any trouble at all, and yet somehow every ravishing close-up reminds us that she has just been all glammed up by the make-up artist, every brush on her lips and hair and brows just given the royal Hollywood glamor treatment. Her glamor is so distracting that it renders her Carmen unrealistic, even though she certainly has the temperament to go with the part. GLENN FORD is somber, stalwart and rugged enough as Don Jose but it doesn't seem like ideal casting. He looks uncomfortable in much of the early footage and only comes to life when he has killed a man and must spend the rest of the film on flight as a bandit and desperado in the rugged mountains. His performance strengthens and his love/hate relationship with Carmen is, for the most part, quite believable. But some pseudo-Spanish music in the background score with a hint of Bizet would have been a wise approach to scoring the film. And giving Rita more than a couple of fiery dances would have been a smarter idea. As it is, her dancing moments are when she most completely captures the spirit of Carmen. It's entertaining, in a lumbering sort of way--not exactly the most well paced version of the story. Hayworth is gorgeous to look at with a peaches and cream complexion that fairly glows in Technicolor, but all of her close-ups remind us that she is The Love Goddess being given the high gloss glamor treatment by the studio that made her a star. But, reservations aside, for fans of Hayworth and Ford, this is a must see.

It's early 19th century Spain. Carmen (Rita Hayworth) is one of the wild lawless persecuted gypsies. She attacks another woman with a knife. Earnest soldier Don José (Glenn Ford) takes her into custody. She escapes and he's punished while she's dancing for his superior officer García. Nevertheless, he continues to be completely taken with her. He gets pulled further and further into her world. García catches Don José with Carmen. The men get into a duel and García is killed. This is a Rita Hayworth vehicle. She gets to do a dance and lip sync a song. She taps into her Spanish heritage even though some may complain about white washing. The actual white washing has to be Glenn Ford. Hayworth has her dance background to fall back on but Ford is terribly stiff. It's fine initially to be a soldier with a stiff upper lip. It gets harder and harder to show the needed passion. It's also too bad that this isn't more a song and dance musical. This is not anything more than what you expect for a hot red-headed Hayworth.

When the naive and honored soldier Don José Lizarabengoa (Glenn Ford) meets the promiscuous gypsy Carmen (Rita Hayworth), he is bewitched by her beauty in the beginning of his downfall. Don José becomes his lover disobeying superior orders and when his colonel surprises him with Carmen, he accidentally kills him becoming an outlaw. His doomed love leads Don José and Carmen to a tragic end. "Carmen", a.k.a. "The Loves of Carmen", is a melodramatic love story based on the novel "Carmen" and a remake of Raoul Walsh´s 1927 version directed by Charles Vidor and with the top-notch beauty of Rita Hayworth to give credibility to the plot. The unhappy ending is predictable even for those that watch "Carmen" for the first time. My vote is six. Title (Brazil): "Os Amores de Carmen" ("The Loves of Carmen")

This movie tried to capitalize on the (deserved ) success of "Gilda" (same director,same actors).The screenplay is faithful to Prosper Merimée's novel (Preminger's "Carmen Jones" rather found its inspiration in the opera libretto) with a slight difference in the finale .Rita Hayworth is ideally cast as Carmen and her suggestive flamenco is the peak of a rather undistinguished work.Glenn Ford ,notably ,seems ill at ease in his uniform and anyway he is not "latin" enough to portray a Spanish officer successfully.Directing lacks madness and instead of using the beautiful Spanish landscapes,all seems to have been filmed in studio.

The Loves of Carmen (1948) may not be my favorite take on this classic story nor is it among the cinematic greats, but it is nevertheless a fun romantic melodrama with tons of personality. The color photography is beautiful. The atmosphere is perfect. Glenn Ford is great as the obsessed Don Jose, a man torn between his integrity and his passions. The character could have easily been played stiff, but Ford gives him tragic dignity (plus he looks great in those tight pants). But it seems everyone, love or hate this movie, agrees that Rita Hayworth as Carmen is the best asset on display. She is charismatic and sexy, sympathetic and infuriating. She brings the movie to a higher level and contributes much to its success.