The Barefoot Contessa (1954)

User Rating:

6.9/10   

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 name "Lloyd Richards" appears on the marquee of Maria's first film. "Lloyd Richards" is the name of Margo Channing's playwright friend in All About Eve (1950), also by written and directed by Joseph L. Mankiewicz.

Goofs:

Continuity: Harry addresses Maria's dressing room with a lit cigarette in his right hand. In the next shot the cigarette is in his mouth.

Quotes:

Harry Dawes: "Life, every now and then, behaves as though it had seen too many bad movies, when everything fits too well - the beginning, the middle, the end - from fade-in to fade-out."

Movie Connections:

Referenced in Play It Again, Sam (1972)

A great Hollywood morality tale

This film covers a lot of the same themes as Sunset Boulevard, though in my opinion that film is more riveting than this one. It's hard to believe Bogart got top billing for this one since this film clearly revolves around Ava Gardner's Maria Vargas. In fact I think you could plug practically anyone world-weary and haggard into Bogart's role and the film wouldn't lose much. I guess they felt they needed his starpower to sell the movie. He just doesn't have much to do in this film. On the other hand Edmond O'Brien is truly memorable as the sweaty publicist. He deserved the Oscar he got for the role. Maria's relationship with Count Favrini seemed a bit rushed but not to the point that it is totally unbelieveable. Afterall Maria's whole life is supposed to be a fairy tale. I wish somehow they could've developed the role of Kirk Edwards. He came across as one-dimensional. This film being so old, there is no commentary to explain the purpose for this or whether it was by design at all. Despite my complaints, I still enjoyed the film and appreciated its message, 8/10.