''Gypsy Wildcat'' is a 1944

Technicolor Technicolor is a series of Color motion picture film, color motion picture processes, the first version dating back to 1916, and followed by improved versions over several decades. Definitive Technicolor movies using three black and white films ...

adventure film directed by Roy William Neil starring

Maria Montez María África Gracia Vidal (6 June 1912 – 7 September 1951), known professionally as Maria Montez, was a Dominican motion picture actress who gained fame and popularity in the 1940s starring in a series of filmed-in-Technicolor costume ...

, Jon Hall and Peter Coe. It was co-written by James M. Cain.

Plot

A king's messenger ( Jon Hall) protects a Gypsy dancer (

) from a wicked baron who knows her secret.

Cast

as Carla * Jon Hall as Michael * Peter Coe as Tonio *

Nigel Bruce William Nigel Ernle Bruce (4 February 1895 – 8 October 1953) was a British character actor on stage and screen. He was best known for his portrayal of Dr. Watson in a series of films and in the radio series ''The New Adventures of Sherlock ...

as High Sheriff *

Leo Carrillo Leopoldo Antonio Carrillo (; August 6, 1880 – September 10, 1961), known professionally as Leo Carrillo, was an American actor, vaudevillian, political cartoonist, and conservationist. He was best known for playing Pancho in the television ...

as Anube *

Gale Sondergaard Gale Sondergaard (born Edith Holm Sondergaard; February 15, 1899 – August 14, 1985) was an American actress. Sondergaard began her acting career in theater and progressed to films in 1936. She was the first recipient of the Academy Awar ...

as Rhoda *

Douglass Dumbrille Douglass Rupert Dumbrille (October 13, 1889 – April 2, 1974) was a Canadian actor who appeared regularly in films from the early 1930s. Life and career Douglass Dumbrille ( ) was born in Hamilton, Ontario. As a young man, he was employed ...

as Baron Tovar *

Curt Bois Curt Bois (born Kurt Boas; April 5, 1901 – December 25, 1991) was a German actor with a career spanning over 80 years. He is best remembered for his performances as the pickpocket in ''Casablanca'' (1942) and the poet Homer in ''Wings of Desi ...

as Valdi *

Harry Cording Hector William "Harry" Cording (26 April 1891 – 1 September 1954) was an English-American actor. He is perhaps best remembered for his roles in the films '' The Black Cat'' (1934) and ''The Adventures of Robin Hood'' (1938). Life and career ...

as Captain Marver

Production

After the success of ''Arabian Nights'' Universal requested a series of films starring Montez, Hall and Sabu. It was followed by ''White Savage'' and ''Cobra Woman''. The studio then requested three more, ''Ali Baba and the Forty Thieves'', a gypsy tale, ''Zorya'', and a tale of the modernisation of Turkey. James Hogan was signed to write and direct ''Zorya'' which became ''Gypsy Girl'' then ''Gypsy Wildcat''. He fell ill so he was replaced by Roy William Neill. James M Cain was hired to work on the dialogue. He later said he agreed to do it because Universal guaranteed him two weeks work. They showed him a Maria Montez film "so I would know what kind of a creature I was writing for," he said years later. "Well, when she came on screen, I suddenly realized that I knew this girl personally. Her voice and every gesture were completely familiar to me. But I have yet to figure out where I met this girl. I think she must have checked hats some place in Hollywood." Cain said he took and script "worked on it day and night, got order into the story and simplified it. I turned in the script and thought, "I've done something that makes sense"." When he left the studio, he walked past the office of producer George Waggner to say thanks and saw him rewriting the script. Cain said he was sorry the producer did not like it. Waggner said he was "delighted with what" Cain had done but said Montez "couldn't play your dialogue. It has to be translated into the kind of baby talk she can handle... I'm pinching myself for the wonderful thing you've done with this bad dream I threw at you. Now I can put this thing in front of a camera." Cain said the script "was the beginning of a new phase of my picture career. After that I was a professional at the business; after that, I did all right" even though he did not have many credits.TOUGH GUY Brunette, Peter; Peary, Gerald. Film Comment; New York Vol. 12, Iss. 3, (May/Jun 1976): 50-57,64. Filming started October 1943. The role of Tonio was meant to be played by

Turhan Bey Turhan Bey (born Turhan Gilbert Selahattin Şahultavi, 30 March 192230 September 2012). was an Austrian-born actor of Turkish and Czech-Jewish origins. Active in Hollywood from 1941 to 1953, he was dubbed "The Turkish Delight" by his fans.. Aft ...

. However he was loaned at the last minute to MGM to play a role in '' Dragon Seed'' and was replaced by Peter Coe. Coe was a former swimming champion, Acquacade performer and stage actor. He later claimed that he and Montez had an affair. Neill reportedly was one of Maria Montez's few directors to not fight with her. "My other pictures were just corn", said Montez. "This one is more golden bantam. I'm tired of being a fairy tale princess all the time. In every picture I have royal blood. I told the studio I wanted to do something else. I thought everything was fixed when they put me in ''Gypsy Wildcat''. But do you know what happens at the end of that picture? I turn out to be a countess."

References

External links

* * *
Review of film
at Variety {{Roy William Neill 1944 films 1944 adventure films American adventure films Universal Pictures films Films about Romani people Films with screenplays by James M. Cain Films directed by Roy William Neill 1940s American films

Plot

Cast

Production

See also

References

External links