![[box cover]](../reviewimgs/l/lovesofcarmen.jpg)
The Loves of Carmen
Charles Vidor's adaptation of Prosper Merimee's celebrated novel Carmen is not even worth the time it takes to pan it. Rita Hayworth stars as Carmen, a beautiful gypsy who captures the heart of every man she meets. Glenn Ford plays a military officer who falls under her spell, resulting in disastrous consequences for the pair. Hayworth does what she can with the formulaic material, but she seems to know that the story is dying around her. Ford, on the other hand, looks so bored that one wonders why he even bothered to show up at all (this is supposed to be one of literature's great romances?). Nor will Carmen's selfishness and cruelty endear her to the audience -- Gone with the Wind had an unsympathetic protagonist, but at least Scarlett O'Hara was interesting. This film seems to think viewers will find Carmen fascinating simply because she's the main character. No motivation is given for any of her actions, resulting in a lack of interest in both the story and its characters. The Loves of Carmen is presented in its original full-frame (1.33:1) aspect ratio. The disc also features a documentary about Rita Hayworth's career, but consider yourself forewarned: It's primarily an infomercial for other Columbia/Hayworth movies.
