The Barefoot Contessa (1954)
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- Not Rated
- 2h 8min
- Crime, Drama
- 30 Sep 1954 (USA)
- Movie
This is the life of a Hollywood movie star named Maria, as told by writer/director Harry Dawes, from being discovered in Madrid, Spain, until her funeral in Italy.
Director:
Writer:
Awards:
- Won 1 Oscar. Another 1 win & 4 nominations.
- See more »
Photos and Videos
Cast verified as complete
| Humphrey Bogart | ... |
Harry Dawes
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| Ava Gardner | ... |
Maria Vargas
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| Edmond O'Brien | ... |
Oscar Muldoon
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| Marius Goring | ... |
Alberto Bravano
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| Valentina Cortese | ... |
Eleanora Torlato-Favrini
(as Valentina Cortesa)
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| Rossano Brazzi | ... |
Count Vincenzo Torlato-Favrini
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| Elizabeth Sellars | ... |
Jerry
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| Warren Stevens | ... |
Kirk Edwards
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| Franco Interlenghi | ... |
Pedro Vargas
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| Mari Aldon | ... |
Myrna
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Alberto Rabagliati | ... |
Proprietor
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| Enzo Staiola | ... |
Busboy
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| Maria Zanoli | ... |
Maria's Mother
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Renato Chiantoni | ... |
Maria's Father
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Bill Fraser | ... |
J. Montague Brown
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John Parrish | ... |
Mr. Max Black
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Jim Gérald | ... |
Mr. Blue
(as Jim Gerald)
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| Diana Decker | ... |
Drunken Blonde
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Riccardo Rioli | ... |
Gypsy Dancer
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| Tonio Selwart | ... |
Pretender
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Margaret Anderson | ... |
Pretender's Wife
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| Gertrude Flynn | ... |
Lulu McGee
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John Horne | ... |
Hector Eubanks
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| Bessie Love | ... |
Mrs. Eubanks
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Robert Christopher | ... |
Eddie Blake
(as Bob Christopher)
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Anna Maria Padoan | ... |
Chambermaid
(as Anna Maria Paduan)
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Carlo Dale | ... |
Chauffeur
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| Rest of cast listed alphabetically: | |||
| Helena Makowska |
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Bianca Maria Fusari | ... |
Anna (uncredited)
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Ugo Mari | ... |
Cigar Smoker at Night Club (uncredited)
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| Olga San Juan | ... |
Bit Role (uncredited)
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| Michal Waszynski | ... |
Smoking man playing cards (uncredited)
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Directed by
| Joseph L. Mankiewicz | ||
Written by
| Joseph L. Mankiewicz | ... | (written by) |
Produced by
| Robert Haggiag | ... | associate producer |
| Franco Magli | ... | associate producer (uncredited) |
| Angelo Rizzoli | ... | associate producer |
Music by
| Mario Nascimbene | ||
Cinematography by
| Jack Cardiff | ... | (photography) |
Editing by
| William Hornbeck | ||
Costume Design by
| Fontana | ... | (gowns) |
| Rosi Gori | ... | (uncredited) |
Production Management
| Forrest E. Johnston | ... | manager of production |
| Franco Magli | ... | associate manager of production |
| Michal Waszynski | ... | associate manager of production (as Michael Waszynski) |
Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
| Bernard Vorhaus | ... | assistant director (as Piero Mussetta) |
| Jean-Pierre Mocky | ... | trainee assistant director (uncredited) |
Art Department
| Arrigo Equini | ... | settings |
| Italo Tomassi | ... | manager of art department (uncredited) |
Sound Department
| Charles Knott | ... | sound recordist |
| Peter Davies | ... | sound re-recordist (uncredited) |
| Claude Hitchcock | ... | boom operator (uncredited) |
Camera and Electrical Department
| Francesco Brescini | ... | lighting technician (uncredited) |
Costume and Wardrobe Department
| Joan Joseff | ... | costume jeweller (uncredited) |
Additional Crew
| David Hanna | ... | unit publicist (uncredited) |
| Margo Lorenz | ... | stand-in: Ava Gardner (uncredited) |
Production Companies
- Transoceanic Film (co-production)
- Figaro (co-production)
Distributors
- United Artists (1954) (United States) (theatrical)
- Dear Film (1954) (Italy) (theatrical)
- United Artists (1954) (United Kingdom) (theatrical)
- United Artists (1954) (Sweden) (theatrical)
- Cosmopol-Film (1955) (Austria) (theatrical)
- Kommunenes Filmcentral (KF) (1955) (Norway) (theatrical)
- United Artists (1955) (Argentina) (theatrical) (as Artistas Unidos)
- United Artists (1955) (Belgium) (theatrical)
- United Artists (1955) (France) (theatrical)
- MGM/UA Home Entertainment (1990) (United States) (VHS)
- MGM/UA Home Entertainment (1994) (United States) (video) (laserdisc)
- MGM/UA Home Entertainment (1996) (United States) (VHS)
- Warner Home Video (1996) (United States) (VHS)
- MGM Home Entertainment (2001) (United States) (DVD)
- MGM Home Entertainment (2002) (Germany) (DVD)
- MGM Home Entertainment (2005) (France) (DVD)
- 20th Century Fox Home Entertainment (2007) (United States) (DVD)
- Filmmuseum Distributie (2010) (Netherlands) (theatrical) (re-release)
- Swashbuckler Films (2016) (France) (theatrical) (re-release) (restored version)
- Eureka Entertainment (2018) (United Kingdom) (Blu-ray) (The Masters of Cinema Series)
- C.B. Films S.A. (1956) (Spain) (theatrical)
- Shochiku (1954) (Japan) (theatrical)
- United Artists (1954) (Japan) (theatrical)
- 20th Century Fox Home Entertainment (2005) (Japan) (DVD)
- 2ème chaîne ORTF (1974) (France) (tv) (dubbed version)
- 9Gem (2023) (Australia) (tv)
- ARTE (2021) (Germany) (tv)
- ARTE (2021) (France) (tv)
- CBS/Fox (United States) (VHS)
- Canal+ (1989) (France) (tv) (dubbed version)
- Carmen Video (2004) (Russia) (DVD)
- Epoca (Argentina) (VHS)
- France 3 (1983) (France) (tv) (French subtitles)
- Key Video (United States) (VHS)
- MGM Home Entertainment (United States) (VHS)
- NHK-BS2 (1994) (Japan) (tv)
- Studio Hamburg Enterprises (2019) (Germany) (Blu-ray)
- The Criterion Channel (2023) (United States) (tv) (streaming)
- Twilight Time (2016) (World-wide) (Blu-ray)
- Warner Home Vídeo (Brazil) (VHS)
Special Effects
Other Companies
- Atelier Fontana (costumes)
- MGM Home Entertainment (VHS package design)
Storyline
| Plot Summary |
At Maria Vargas' funeral, several people recall who she was and the impact she had on them. Harry Dawes was a not very successful writer/director when he and movie producer Kirk Edwards scouted her at a shabby nightclub where she worked as a flamenco dancer. He convinces her to take a chance on acting and her first film is a huge hit. PR man Oscar Muldoon remembers when Maria was in court supporting her father who was accused of murdering her mother. It was Maria's testimony that got him off and she was a bigger star than ever. Alberto Bravano, one of the richest men in South America, sets his sights on Maria and she goes off with him - as much to make Edwards angry as anything - but he treats her badly. When she meets Count Vincenzo Torlato-Favrini they fall deeply in love. They are married but theirs is not to be a happy life. Written by garykmcd |
| Plot Keywords | |
| Taglines | A girl with many ideas . . . and a man for each ! See more » |
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| Parents Guide | View content advisory » |
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Additional Details
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Did You Know?
| Trivia | The statue of Ava Gardner used in the film was by Bulgarian artist Assen Peikov. After the film Frank Sinatra bought the statue and installed it in the garden of his Coldwater Canyon home. See more » |
| Goofs | Standing in the rain at Maria's funeral, Harry's raincoat is notably more drenched before Oscar's dissertation than afterward, when the lapels are suddenly dry. See more » |
| Movie Connections | Edited into Le contrôle de l'univers (1999). See more » |
| Quotes |
Drunken blonde:
[of Maria Vargas]
She hasn't even got what I've got. Jerry: What she's got you couldn't spell - and what you've got, you used to have. See more » |