The Naked Maja (1958)

Love takes precedence over art and politics as Spanish painter Goya pines for an aloof duchess.

Director:

Henry Koster

Writers:

Norman Corwin (screenplay), Giorgio Prosperi (screenplay)

Stars:

Ava Gardner, Anthony Franciosa, Amedeo Nazzari

1 win & 3 nominations.

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
Ava Gardner	...	Maria Cayetana, Duchess of Alba
Anthony Franciosa	...	Francisco Jose de Goya
Amedeo Nazzari	...	Prime Minister Manuel Godoy
Gino Cervi	...	King Carlos IV of Spain
Lea Padovani	...	Queen Maria Luisa
Massimo Serato	...	Conte Rodrigo Sanchez
Carlo Rizzo	...	Juanito
Audrey McDonald	...	Anita (as Audrey Macdonald)
Ivana Kislinger	...	Pepa
Renzo Cesana	...	Bayeu
Carlo Giustini	...	José
Carmen Mora	...	Prima Ballerina
Patrick Crean	...	Enrique (as Pat Crean)
Peter Meersman	...	Dr. Peral
John Karlsen	...	Inquisitor

Storyline

Love takes precedence over art and politics as Spanish painter Goya pines for an aloof duchess.

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Plot Keywords:

painter | francisco de goya | artist | painting | 

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Taglines:

Shameless Duchess...Mistress of an Era!

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Genres:

Adventure | Biography | Drama | Romance

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Details

Country:

Italy France USA

Language:

English

Release Date:

20 December 1958 (Italy)

Also Known As:

Die nackte Maja

Filming Locations:

Rome, Lazio, Italy

Company Credits

Production Co:

Société Générale de Cinématographie (S.G.C.),Titanus

Technical Specs

Runtime:

111 min

Sound Mix:

Mono

Color:

Color (Technicolor)

Aspect Ratio:

2.35 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

The Nude Maja was the first in a two painting series, the second of which was The Clothed Maja, respectively. It is said to be the first painting in which female pubic hair is visible, making it totally profane at the time. In 1813, the Spanish Inquisition confiscated both of the paintings as obscene, returning them to the Academy of Fine Arts in 1936, after Goya's death.

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Connections

Featured in Kolossal - i magnifici Macisti (1977)

User Reviews

Ava's beauty not enough to save dull historical romance...

If THE NAKED MAJA had a better script more faithful to the true life story of Spanish artist Francisco Goya and his affair with the Duchess of Alba, this may have been worth all the expense that went into producing it. There are fine production values including the gorgeous costumes worn by Miss Gardner, the opulent settings, the detailed color photography and the pretty background score full of pseudo-Spanish themes.

As a romantic drama, it only exposes the clash of two different acting styles--the overly intense histrionics employed by ANTHONY FRANCIOSA in the method tradition and the more natural technique of screen acting from AVA GARDNER as the woman he falls helplessly in love with at first sight. Her aloof demeanor only makes her more irresistible and there is one brilliant dance scene where the fiery Spanish flamenco music makes their emotions come to life vividly at least for the length of this sequence. Otherwise, their pairing as lovers never seems as intense as the script would suggest.

Despite an overuse of eye make-up, Gardner at this point in her career was still very attractive in what is basically a one-dimensional role as an aloof woman with a past who cannot bring herself to declare love for the artist until it is too late.

Henry Koster's direction is a tad too slow in pace but the main fault is the script which never permits the two leads to be anything more than one-dimensional in concept.