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| The Barefoot Contessa | ||
Bogie (as Harry Dawes) & Ava Gardner (as Maria) |
The Bare Foot Contessa opens at a funeral, the funeral of the title character, with Bogie (as Harry Dawes)
sadly watching on. So we know from the start that this is a tragedy. Ava Gardner (as Maria Vargas) plays a beautiful but poor Spanish dancer who is "discovered" by a wealthy mogul (played by Warren Stevens) and catapulted to international film stardom. Although Bogie gets top billing this is really more of an Ava Gardner vehicle, with Bogie playing second fiddle in the role of her mentor, father figure and "career making" writer-director. The film is told in an interesting style, whereby several people who knew Maria take turns narrating her story "as they saw it happen". Bogie is the main narrator, and as her closest confidant, gives us the greatest insights into her character. | |
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As the opening scenes make clear, The Barefoot Contessa is not a fairy tale rags to riches story, but
rather an intellectual and emotional exploration of a woman's struggle to rise above her emotionally troubled past.
Gardner as Maria is a strong but flawed soul who in spite of her enormous beauty and success seems unable
to find inner happiness and peace - trapped, as her character says, living "half in the dirt" of her childhood and
"half out" (in her newfound wealth), her personality torn between the old person she was and the new
chances she has at a better life, and thus remaining unhappy and incomplete. Edmond O'Brien, who plays the role of Maria's publicist, and is also one of the narrators of the story, won the Academy Award for Best Supporting Actor for his role, and provides the film's lighter comedic moments. Bogie's character is very low key, bleak and rather depressing, so O'Brien's contribution keeps things from getting too morbid. Rossano Brazzi, who plays Maria's greatest love, the man who finally reaches her heart, also contributes an excellent and engrossing performance. Bogie fans might be a little disappointed that he really only plays a secondary character (although present throughout most of the film through his narration). The script is very wordy, sometimes overly so, and the first part of the film moves a little slowly, but the dramatic and emotional payoff makes The Barefoot Contessa a worthwhile and rewarding watch. Shot in Color. The DVD presents the film in it's Original Aspect Ratio of 1.33 to 1. Extra Features include: Original Theatrical Trailer | ||