The Barefoot Contessa (1954)

User Rating:

7.0/10   

Director:

Joseph L. Mankiewicz

Writer:

Joseph L. Mankiewicz (written by)

Release Date:

29 September 1954 (USA)

Genre:

Drama | Crime | Mystery | Romance

Tagline:

A girl with many ideas . . . and a man for each !

Plot:

Has-been director Harry Dawes gets a new lease on his career when independently wealthy Kirk Edwards hires him to write and direct a film...

Plot Keywords:

Dancer | Millionaire | Director | Friend | Count

Awards:

Won Oscar. Another 1 win & 2 nominations

Cast

Humphrey Bogart	...	Harry Dawes
Ava Gardner	...	Maria Vargas
Edmond O'Brien	...	Oscar Muldoon
Marius Goring	...	Alberto Bravano
Valentina Cortese	...	Eleanora Torlato-Favrini (as Valentina Cortesa)
Rossano Brazzi	...	Count Vincenzo Torlato-Favrini
Elizabeth Sellars	...	Jerry
Warren Stevens	...	Kirk Edwards
Franco Interlenghi	...	Pedro Vargas
Mari Aldon	...	Myrna
Bessie Love	...	Mrs. Eubanks
Diana Decker	...	Drunken blonde
Bill Fraser	...	J. Montague Brown
Alberto Rabagliati	...	Nightclub proprietor
Enzo Staiola	...	Busboy

Also Known As:

La contessa scalza (Italy)

Runtime:

128 min | 130 min (dvd release) (TCM print)

Country:

USA | Italy

Language:

English | Spanish | Italian

Color:

Color (Technicolor)

Aspect Ratio:

1.75 : 1

Sound Mix:

Mono (Perspecta Sound encoding) (Western Electric Recording)

Certification:

Australia:PG | Argentina:16 | Chile:18 | Finland:K-16 | UK:PG | USA:Approved (PCA #17078, General Audience) | West Germany:16

Filming Locations:

Cinecittà Studios, Cinecittà, Rome, Lazio, Italy

Company:

Figaro

Trivia:

The character of Maria Vargas is said to be based on Rita Hayworth, who was actually offered the part.

Goofs:

Continuity: After the wedding, when he is talking to Maria, Harry changes his hands from one shot to another, when Vincenzo approaches to them.

Quotes:

Maria Vargas: In Hollywood, it is not easy to become a star.
Harry Dawes: Ah, where is it easy?

Movie Connections:

Referenced in Novia, esposa y amante (1981)

Barely Interesting Contessa

A young Spanish dancer becomes a big movie star in Hollywood but dies after only three films. Mankiewicz was a writer first and director second. When the script was not good, all his flaws as a pedestrian director were exposed. As with many of his films, this dreary soap opera relies heavily on narration and talking heads to tell the story rather than the camera. The story is not very interesting and the big finish is silly and anti-climactic. Bogart is about the only reason to watch this and it really drags when he is not on the screen. Gardner is rather vacuous in the title role. O'Brien is pretty good but it is surprising that he won an Oscar for this role.