The Barefoot Contessa
by Joseph L. Mankiewicz
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Actor: Ava Gardner, Edmond O'Brien, Humphrey Bogart, Marius Goring, Valentina CorteseDirector: Joseph L. Mankiewicz
Brand: BOGART,HUMPHREY
Cinematographer: Jack Cardiff
Writer: Joseph L. Mankiewicz
Editor: William Hornbeck
Producer: Angelo Rizzoli
Producer: Franco Magli
Producer: Robert Haggiag
DVD: Region Code 1
Audio: English (Unknown), Dolby Digital 2.0 Mono; Spanish (Subtitled); French (Subtitled); English (Original Language), Dolby Digital 2.0 Mono; French (Original Language), Dolby Digital 2.0 Mono
Format: Closed-captioned, Color, DVD, Full Screen, NTSC, Subtitled
Picture Format: 1.33:1
Running Time: 128 minutes
DVD Release Date: 2001-06-19
Audience Rating: NR (Not Rated)
Studio: MGM (Video & DVD)
DVD Reviews of The Barefoot Contessa
DVD Review: Memorable Examination Of Hollywood And It's Down Side With A Luscious Ava Gardner
Summary: 5 Stars
Throughout her famous acting career actress Ava Gardner had many heavy crosses to bear. Hounded by the press probably more than any other actress of her generation, she was forced to live in an emotional goldfish bowl as she married a succession of famous men and pursued an acting career that included many highs and lows. Labelled with daunting titles such as "The most beautiful woman in the world", and "The world's most beautiful animal", it's not a surprise to read that she suffered from an inferiority complex all her life and really never regarded herself as a good actress. Joseph L. Mankiewicz's "The Barefoot Contessa", contains one of those fine performances that proves beyond a doubt that Ms. Gardner was indeed a very fine actress capable of great depth when a character and story actually challenged her. Cast as the simple, self questioning Maria Vargas who rises to the lofty heights of Hollywood stardom only to encounter the down side of the business and the people who run it, Ava Gardner has never been better and coming on top of her Academy Award nominated performance in "Mogambo", the previous year proves that the earlier performance was no fluke. Interestingly teamed with veteran actor Humphrey Bogart, Gardner and he have an unusual chemistry onscreen based not so much on a passionate love between their characters but from a deep understanding of each others characters and foibles that really drives this story along to it's tragic conclusion.
As the story opens we witness the funeral of a woman who was once a great Hollywood star and through the narration of one man present; Harry Dawes (Humphrey Bogart), we are told in flashback the woman's sad story. Firstly winding back the years we see a rag tag team of Hollywood personnel scouting for locations in Europe for an upcoming production to be shot in Italy. While there they journey to Madrid to check out the much reputed charms and talents of a local dancer by the name of Maria Vargas (Ava Gardner) as a possible choice for the lead in the new story. The visiting group consists of washed up, reformed alcholic director Harry Dawes (Humphrey Bogart), who has been given the responsiblity of directing the new film, producer Kirk Edwards (Warren Stevens) the cold and emotionless robot who makes and breaks people in Hollywood over night, and public relations yes man Oscar Muldoon (Edmond O'Brien). Totally captivated by Maria's beauty and magnetism the group persuade her to accept the lead role in the movie which Maria sees as not only a perfect escape from the unhappy life she lives in Madrid, but as a way for her to achieve her dreams of a better life full of love and meaning. Maria goes from strength to strength in Hollywood and has great success in three films all directed by Harry however along the way she begins to see that Hollywood stardom, despite all the perks it brings her such as beautiful clothes, jewellery, and a fine house, also comes at a high price which includes her very soul which she is not prepared to give. Now the potential victim of men like Kirk Edwards and Oscar Muldoon, Maria can only express who she is and what she really wants from life to the always sympathetic Harry who is the only individual who sees Maria as far more than just a beautiful money making movie star, but instead as a sensitive, intelligent woman seeking honesty and appreciation of her inner qualities. Dissatisfied with her empty movie career existence Maria flees back to Europe and picks up with a sucession of men including gambler Albert Bravano (Marius Goring), who treats her as simply a beautiful possession, and finally with Count Vincenzo Torlato-Favrini (Rossan Brazzi) a rich Italian who is the last of his titled line but who carries a dark secret of his own. Filming in Europe Harry falls back into contact with Maria who points out to Harry the continued lack of meaning in her life. During Harry's stay in Europe Vincenzo offers to marry Maria who now thinks that all her dreams of love and fulfillment have come true. However her wedding night comes as a rude awakening when Vincenzo reveals that he cannot father children upon which Maria seeks solace elsewhere resulting in a pregnancy. Telling her husband of her condition owever is not the solution that Maria believes it to be and the course of events that happen simply lead to further tragedy for all parties concerned.
"The Barefoot Contessa", marked a particular high point in the career of Ava Gardner where for once she was able to work with a character that had many layers to it in the self questioning Maria Vargas. The way a character is written most often decides whether that character will come across to an audience as a real person or as a piece of fiction and in the capable hands of writer/director Joseph Mankiewicz the character of Maria is an unusual one for that period. Ava Gardner despite the often difficult working relationship she experienced with Mankiewicz off camera here fully understands what motivates Maria and she delivers a finely etched performance that doesn't rely on the usual Hollywood tricks to gain sympathy. Anyone who only thinks of Ava Gardner as a beautiful mannequin walking through her acting assignments needs to view her perfomance here to see just what she was capable of when given a good story and challenging character to play. Humphrey Bogart is also in fine form here and despite his not so chummy relationship with Gardner off screen, the two combined well here in the depiction of their character's platonic but highly supportive friendship through many vicissitudes over many years. Nearing the end of his amazingly successful career in 1954 Bogart attempted in his later years many different types of roles outside of his tough guy persona with often very pleasing results as is seen here. His character is honourable and really the only genuine support Maria's character experiences in her life. Sadly to die of cancer within two years Bogart here has left a pleasing tribute to his range of expertise in acting which is often forgotten in the light of his more famous earlier performances. Edmund O'Brien of course scored the coveted Best Supporting Actor oscar for his role as the slimy, constantly sweating, publicist always out for a great headline or story and his performance really illustrates the cynical, deglamourised feel of much of "The Barefoot Contessa", to perfection. Indeed Bogart's character seems to be the only voice of reason or decency in a sea of corrupt, selfish individuals all living out their dreams in the tinseled Hollywood of old. The film itself benefits greatly from extensive on location shooting in Europe where much of the story takes place with the photography courtesy of Jack Cardiff done though many of the Italian coastal areas a real stand out. It succeeds in really capturing to perfection the lush backgrounds essential for this story about the rich and powerful but not so happy "beautiful people".
"The Barefoot Contessa", has become with time one of those staples of the late night movie channels, reduced to being seen only by bleary eyed insomniacs. It however deserves a much more responsive audience than that. Long a curiosity item because of Humphrey Bogart's distinct change of pace here in one of his last film roles, or to see the matchless beauty that was Ava Gardner in her prime, the film deserves to be better remembered than for just those features. Instead it is an interesting examination of how Hollywood can quickly consume people with its promise of the fulfillment of all their dreams only to often have those dreams become a nightmare with ultimately tragic results for all parties involved. Movie making of the old Hollywood kind "The Barefoot Contessa" most certainly is however it is one of the shining lights in the often maligned career of the legendary beauty Ava Gardner. For that reason alone it makes highly recommended viewing.
Description of The Barefoot Contessa
A director turns a barefoot cabaret dancer into a star who suffers a tragic end.Genre: Feature Film-Drama
Rating: NR
Release Date: 30-JUL-2002
Media Type: DVD
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