Put the Blame On Love

I worked a bit earlier today than I did the rest of the week. Maybe it's just as well. Once again, we were very busy for most of the day. We've been having a lot of really big sales. A manager had to come in so I could leave.

I did my own grocery shopping when I got off. It was still busy, but I didn't have a choice. I needed a lot this week. Not to mention, I wanted to take advantage of those sales. Jiff Peanut Butter was 99 cents - I bought the Natural Creamy and Chunky. Acme's generic whole wheat pasta was 69 cents per box. I also stocked up on brown sugar (Domino's was $1.67), canned tuna, canned pumpkin, Craisins, a box of Jello, the Acme brand Multi-Grain Toasty Oats, canned diced tomatoes, and honey. Bought a huge shortbread cookie with a royal icing jack-o-lantern on it as my Friday treat.

Oh, and my schedule is much better this week. Thursday and Saturday off this time, one late day (Monday until 8 again), no 7 hour shifts. Far closer to normal for this time of year. I'd appreciate the big paycheck more if my legs and knees weren't absolutely killing me.

I had one quick stop to make on my way home. I've been putting off ordering my next round of contacts, partially because I haven't had the time, and partially because I haven't had the money. Since I was off earlier, I was able to walk right into a quiet America's Best and get that done.

When I got home, I changed and put the groceries away, then swept the porch. It needed it rather badly. The first of the fall leaves have started landing on the porch. They're not very pretty right now, but the color will probably arrive by the end of the month.

Ran Gilda while making Cranberry Oatmeal Cookies (from the Betty Crocker Stir-and-Drop Oatmeal Cookies recipe), then while having leftovers for dinner. Johnny Farrell (Glenn Ford) meets Balin (George Macready), a businessman who owns a gambling casino, when Balin helps him with toughs after he wins money. He gets a job at the casino and becomes Balin's right-hand man and confidante...at least until Balin comes home from a trip with a wife, Gilda (Rita Hayworth). Johnny knew Gilda before, but they'd pretty much dumped each other. Gilda does everything she possibly can to make Johnny jealous and drive him crazy. When Balin dies after figuring out about Gilda and Johnny's feelings for each other, Johnny takes over the business and marries Gilda. Johnny regrets both when the business turns out to be covering some shady business, Gilda wants a divorce, and then her first husband shows up....

Wow. This was some complicated and dark film noir. Hayworth and Ford literally sizzle as the sexy couple who play mind games and love to mentally torture each other. Their innuendo is so hot, I'm really surprised some of it got past the censors. Speaking of sequences the censors must have had a field day with, Hayworth manages to make her "Put the Blame On Mame" song number near the end into the sexiest strip tease ever, by just removing one glove.

Obviously, this is one old movie that's not for the kiddies, but if you're an adult fan of film noir or mysteries or want to see what Hayworth could do outside of musicals, this is a must-see.