Barefoot Contessa Premieres - 1954

Ava Gardner

Ava Gardner

Must have found it ironical indeed to be attending the Hollywood premiere of “The Barefoot Contessa” with her press agent, David Hanna in view of the fact that Edmond O’Brien’s savage portrayal of a press agent is a highlight of the picture.  But then she had her hose on and was gorgeously gowned besides.  

Lauren Bacall, David Niven, and Mrs (Hjordis Tersmeden)

Humphrey Bogart, one of the stars of the picture, caused raised eyebrows by not appearing at the premiere.  Wife, Lauren Bacall, showed up with the David Nivens, explaining that Bogie had an early studio call the next day.  That was a lame excuse, because Humphrey is noted for staying up to all hours.  And you can bet that he was wide awake enough to discuss audience reaction with Lauren when she got home.  Trouble?

[Source: Movieland Feb 1955]

Bogart and Bacall return from "Barefoot" shoot

It is widely disputed that Bogart had an early call.  From what I was able to find out, the "no show" could be from one of several reasons:

• Bogart rarely saw his own films.  This included premieres.
• He thought Ava Gardner unprofessional and did not enjoy working with her
• Gardner had recently broken up with Bogart's friend, Frank Sinatra
• He had a huge argument with Bacall, who found Bogart with his secretary/toupee and hair stylist/self described mistress, Verita Thompson.  Bogie's solution?  Let Lauren go on a wild European shopping spree.

Bogart with Verita Thompson

The Milwaukee Sentinel dated November 21, 1954 had some fun commentary on the premiere:

"Ava was in a rosy-pink, body-molding sheath designed with a halter neckline, the full-length gown completely embroidered with matching pink sequins.  She wore a matching tiara, pink crystal earrings, long pink kid gloves, pink slippers, and carried a long pink fox stole.  It was a magnificent costume."

Ava looking Stunning

"Mrs. Robert Mitchum wore white lace, the dress embroidered with sequins with matching ful-length coat trimmed with white fox."

Ava Gardner

"Much longer hair was seen here than on smart women in the East - the longest ponytails in the world, and more red heads and white blonds than any other shade."

Ava Gardner

"Joan Crawford wore a stunning deep brown fallie gown with an elegant sable stole."

Charles Coburn

"Among the well-dressed men were Charles Coburn with a monocle, Edward Arnold, Victor McLaglen, and producer Jerry Wald."

Edward Arnold

"Lauren Bacall was in red and black brocade embroidered with gold coin dots."

Lauren Bacall

"Louella Parsons, who came with James McHugh, was in an orangey-red gown with a beautiful mink stole and a magnificent diamond necklace and diamond earrings."

Louella Parsons

"Red-harired Abbe Lane arrived with her husband Xavier Cugat, in a bright green lace gown embroidered with sequins."

Abbe Lane and Xavier Cugat

"Doris Day was in navy tulle and silk jersey with a mink cape."

Doris Day

""Marla English was in gold lace with a white fox stole"

Marla English

""Mrs. David Niven, who came with her husband, wore a white beaded net gown with a great skirt with swags of net and a white fox fur stole."

Lauren Bacall, David Niven, and Mrs

"Janice Wells, TV actress, in a white brocaded shirtwaist type gown girdled with a gold cummerbund, posed barefoot in front of the theater."

Film of the Week - Come and Get It (1936)

I have been thrilled with May's TCM Star of the Month, Joel McCrea.  His voice was wonderful, and I definitely enjoy his acting.  Frankly, I've been spoiled watching such gems as Foreign Correspondent, which I've avoided because I always thought it would be too political.  Instead I found it to be an intense, yet wonderful wartime thriller  Hitchcock can do no wrong!

Joel McCrea, Edward Arnold, and Frances Farmer

Come and Get It (1936) had all the ingredients for a wonderful film:  a great Edna Ferber story, Joel McCrea and Edward Arnold, and the magnificent director Howard Hawks.

Walter Brennan - the scene stealer

The film was nominated for two Oscars: Walter Brennan for Best Supporting Actor and Edward Curtis for Film Editing.  Brennan earned the only Oscar for this film.

"Do you like my matted hair and poor acting?"

The film was supposed to be about how the robber barons destroyed the country.  Instead it turned out to be a love triangle between a married father (Arnold) and his son (McCrea) for the attentions of the daughter of a singer Edward Arnold's character loved as a youth but did not marry because she had no money.

Finally, a good costume

The plot was terrible.  I had a very difficult time trying to find sympathy for any of the characters.  Walter Brennan's character Swan, who definitely deserved his Oscar.

I'd be upset if I was in this film, too

Several problems plagued the film including Howard Hawks and producer Sam Goldwyn not agreeing on the actors to star in the film, Sam Goldwyn hating the rough cut of the film and hiring director William Wyler to replace Hawks and basically redo the film, the the acting loved by some and panned by others.

Pretty, but that's about it

The main issue I had from the film was the wretched acting of Frances Farmer.  I found her quite unconvincing and her voice annoying.  She played two roles in this film, the original singer (Lotta Morgan) who caught the eye of Arnold's character as a youth, and the singer's daughter (Lotta Bostrom) whom Arnold and McCrea both love.  Everything I have read says Farmer was such a fantastic actress, but I was stunned by the very poor acting I saw.  Perhaps my expectations were way too high.  Farmer's acting as Morgan was painful - bad costume; bad acting.  As Lotta Bostrom, she was a bit better, but the character was poorly created by Farmer and the script writers.  Perhaps someone knows a film Frances made with a stunning performance.  Based solely on this film I felt Frances Farmer's acting talent was incredibly overrated.

Frances and her mom Lillian

I wanted to like Frances Farmer's performance so badly.  I have been intrigued by her story ever since I saw Frances (1982) on TCM late one night last summer.  It was such a disturbing and heartbreaking tale, that I set about investigating her.  Sad the say, the film greatly fictionalized her life to the point that it is almost unrecognizable. Jessica Lange gave one of the best performances I've seen in modern films.  I'm not generally a fan of Lange, but her performance blew me away.  To find out what really happened in Farmer's life, I would read Jeffrey Kauffman's wonderful website Frances Farmer Shedding Light on Shadowland.

You'd have to pay me a LOT of money to Come and Get It

So, here's the short review: misplaced plot, poorly acted feminine lead, and disjointed.  The only saving grace is Walter Brennan.  Watch Brennan and fast forward through the rest - unless you feel like pitying the other poor fools in this mess.