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67% Critic Match
The Barefoot Contessa
“The world's most beautiful animal!”
6.7 / 10• 1954• 2h 8m•NR• English
Drama
Storyline
A washed-up filmmaker gets a second chance at stardom when he discovers stunning peasant Maria Vargas dancing in a Madrid nightclub. Goaded by his producer, the director convinces Maria to screen test for, and then star in, his next big picture. But as the producer's possessive nature and the realities of stardom weigh on Maria, she seeks a genuine lover with whom she can escape.
Cast & Crew
Humphrey Bogart
Harry Dawes
Lead
Ava Gardner
Maria Vargas
Edmond O'Brien
Oscar Muldoon
Marius Goring
Alberto Bravano
Valentina Cortese
Eleanora Torlato-Favrini
Rossano Brazzi
Count Vincenzo Torlato-Favrini
Elizabeth Sellars
Jerry
Warren Stevens
Kirk Edwards
What People Are Saying
4.0
“A staggering achievement of craft and ambition. Joseph L. Mankiewicz's vision lands with breathtaking precision.”
3.0
“Every frame feels alive. The Barefoot Contessa is the rare release that takes its audience seriously.”
