MovieChat Forums > Ride the Pink Horse (1948) Discussion > ...just a couple of things...

...just a couple of things...


***spoilers***

I tried to write a review on this film, but it did not get off the ground. Instead I will share a few things about how I feel about this film:

* Ride the Pink Horse is not a great film, yet it is one of my favourites and
I like to view it regularly.

* While some may have issues with Thomas Gomez's accent as the carnival ride
owner, I actually have uncles in Texas that speak just like his character.

* One of the strong points in the film is that Pilar never really falls for
Gagin; this we find out all too painfully (especially for the guys) at the
end. When he kisses Pilar on the cheek (and I thought it would go the other
way around) - the expression on her face tells us guys that this is not going
well.

* For Gagin to take on two assailants in a scrap is not so far-fetched as one would think. Remember, this is a combat veteran bent on revenge. He has seen
Death, and is quite single-minded in his approach to obstacles (which is
what the two goons in the darkness are to him). The fact that he does
not come out of the scrap unscathed lends to the story.

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I agree with everything except Pila's expression.

To me, she showed she was on the cusp of womanhood. Yet, Gagin, tempted, knew she was not for him, due to age, race and goodness. Though she did help Pancho turn Gagin from the "dark side," she'd served her purpose in that and was destined for someone else.

Her gleeful chat with her friends showed she'd returned to the last phase of girlhood, where she belonged, for now.

BTW, "Gagin" as pronounced in the movie, sound like the German word for "against." Good name for an adversary.

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