Rita Hayworth's the Loves of Carmen as Literary Criticism

Beginning of article

When the film The Loves of Carmen appeared in 1948, it was a public success but a critical failure: even though Rita Hayworth, as Carmen, was warmly received by her loyal fans, she was harshly judged on her interpretation of the legendary gypsy created by Prosper Mérimée in his 1845 novella and renewed by Georges Bizet's 1875 opera. Directed by the noncontroversial Charles Vidor and scripted by Helen Deutsch, The Loves of Carmen was a lavish production considered the perfect vehicle for Hayworth, née Margarita Carmen Cansino, who reportedly always wanted to play this role (Newsweek 1948: 79), a role attempted by many famous actresses before her, including Theda Bara, PoIa Negri, and …