Sangue Ardente

It seems a film made for actors , the story remaining a pretext for songs, dance, fight and for a fake exploration of Gipsies life style. But , after decades, knowing the admirable titles from Nicholas Ray filmography, admiring Jane Russell and Cornelius Wilde careers, it is easy to be more than indulgent, especially if you do not ignore the nostalgia about old movies. So, in large perspective, decent.

Unbelievable that director Nicholas Ray is attached to this turkey. Even Russell and Wilde look embarrassed. The technicolor is vibrant, but the whole enterprise looks cheap.

After a hat trick ,after three films ,two of which are absolute classics "Rebel without a cause" and "Johnny Guitar" and another one which was largely and unfairly ignored ,the poetic western "run for cover",all that Nicholas Ray would do would be necessarily a disappointment .I must confess "Hot Blood" failed to excite me.

There 's one of Ray 's permanent features :the old character ,feeling that his days are numbered ,who is in search of someone younger to take over from him:that was the subject of his wonderful "lusty men" or of "run for cover" .

The problem is that it's very difficult to believe these people are gypsies:the music does not sound "gyspsy" at all,being closer to musicals ,but no tune is particularly memorable.A gypsy called... Annie? The scene when Russell read her rival's cards could have been very funny,had her lines been a bit more subtle.

Cornel Wilde and Jane Russell are attractive actors but there's no real chemistry between them.Cause he's been forced to get married against his will (the scene when Wilde realizes he's been had is the best),Stephano refuses to consummate the wedding but the girl is not prepared to accept it.But he does not know his brother suffers from TB.

The colors are gaudy ,with red as the predominant color.But it's a far cry from "Johnny Guitar" filmed in "Trucolor" (sic).

"Hot blood" is a faux pas in Ray's brilliant career: its follow-up ,"Bigger than life" showed the director at the top of his game again.

What should have been an interesting film had they played it more dramatically turns into an also ran in Hot Blood. Some how it just doesn't quite gel on the screen. Neither do Cornel Wilde and Jane Russell gel either.

The real star here is Luther Adler who is Wilde's older brother and King of the local gypsy tribe in Los Angeles. But undisclosed health reasons are forcing an abdication on the king. He wants very much to move his younger brother Cornel Wilde into the throne.

But Wilde isn't having any, he's having too much of a good time as a part time dance instructor and full time hell-raiser. What Adler decides is he needs a good woman.

Enter Jane Russell who Wilde buys as a gypsy bride from her father Joseph Calleia. Would you believe that someone would have to be tricked into marrying Jane Russell? Sad, but true and Wilde is the unlucky patsy who's the mark in one of the great gypsy con games.

I think Nicholas Ray might have succeeded with this film had it been treated more dramatically. A few numbers for Jane Russell never hurt in films like His Kind Of Woman, but there was too much emphasis here. And doubles were obviously used in the dancing for Wilde and Russell.

This had the potential to be a lot better, but fans of the two stars will enjoy. And Luther Adler is just great in his part.

The problem with the film is that it is a mess. Some excellent preparations have been made to effect some drama--Luther Adler, one of the giants in method acting, has been hired as the brother of the local hothead, played by Cornel Wilde, who, during the early moments of the film, is swindled into latching up with Jane Russell--no doubt remembering the ads for her in The Outlaw--"How would you like to tussle with Russell?" For reasons largely inexplicable, Cornell would rather pout than pounce, and even through there are some ravishing colors splashed across the screen, and some attempt at capturing ersatz Gypsy life, the plot is a muddle and most importantly, there seems to be no sizzle at all between the leads. If you recall Russell with Robert Mitchum in Macao--well, that's sizzle.

This one's a cold poker in the ice bucket; it's as if the director left the building, and the actors, cast adrift in bangles and beads, attempts vainly to inject some life into a haphazard script.