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| Associated Press |
On a recent visit to one of my favorite used book stores in Syracuse NY now called Books And Melodies I found a copy of The Barefoot Contessa on DVD. I became so excited because I'd forgotten it was a Humphrey Bogart film as well. It's one of those films I've seen snippets of from documentaries on Turner Classic Movies, but had never watched the whole film from beginning to end.
Here's the trailer which is included on the DVD.
I found this movie to be much darker and more disturbing than I thought it would be. I was prepared for a light-hearted rags to riches story about a seniorita. Yet I got drawn into the story of a princess deceived by a dark, demented prince. The film begins at a funeral, however I honestly had no idea how The Barefoot Contessa had met her tragic end. I had assumed it would be a senseless car accident, a-la Grace Kelly, Princess Grace of Monaco.
I find it very ironic that The Barefoot Contessa was kind of a slut. She slept around with various gypsies that one could assume were well endowed, or else why would she sleep with them. Yet, she marries a man who is at best left impotent after a war injury. At worst, he has no penis at all. This is left to the audience's imagination.
It was brought to my attention by a fellow movie critic that Edmond O'Brien won an Oscar for Best Supporting Actor. That's okay if you like guys playing obtuse idiots. Probably one of the most chilling performances in the film was Warren Stevenson's portrayal of Kirk Edwards, the Hollywood mogul. Talk about a control freak. I love the scene, Goliath vs Goliath where his fists are clenched and he throws a hissy fit. Please note the mid-century architecture at the top of the screen. If there were an Oscar nomination for best background actor, the woman on the far right should have won it. She's like, 'One step closer and I'll bitch slap you, honey.'
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| United Artists |
Anyway, I highly recommend this movie to any rainy day drama queens out there.
