Hot Blood (1956)

After he is tricked into an unwanted arranged marriage against his will, a gypsy (Cornel Wilde) resists the temptations of his bride (Jane Russell) eventually abandoning her. Directed by the great Nicholas Ray, whose films were often compellingly focused on outsiders in films like THEY LIVE BY NIGHT and REBEL WITHOUT A CAUSE, you'd think a story on the closed off world of the gypsy subculture would be right up his alley. But this seems to be strictly collect a paycheck movie and even the most ardent auteur would have a hard time defending this lightweight film in the Ray canon. There is so much dancing and singing in the film that it's practically a musical (though it's obvious both Russell and Wilde have dance doubles). The film's ads hilariously shrieked, "Jane Russell shakes her tambourines and drives Cornel wild!" which is more memorable than anything in the film. At least, for Hollywood movie stars, Russell and Wilde look like they could be gypsies. Shot in CinemaScope by Ray June (THE GREAT ZIEGFELD) and the score is by Les Baxter. With Luther Adler, Joseph Calleia, Helen Westcott and Richard Deacon.