The title sounds familiar, but I had never heard of this film by Joseph L. Mankiewicz (of All About Eve fame) and starring Humphrey Bogart and Ava Gardner. Probably because it is not a very good movie. It's strange how you can have great stars and a reputable director, and still come up with an average movie. But there is nothing wrong with that - some things work and some things don't. The movie is a about a Spanish dancer Maria Vargas, who is 'discovered' in Madrid and goes on to be a top box-office star in Hollywood. Fame and admiration come easily to her, but in the end she is unable to find what her soul is missing - love. Different parts of her life are narrated by three of the men in her life, Humphrey Bogart her director, Edmund O'Brien (in an Oscar-winning role) as her producer, and Rossano Brazzi as her husband. And perhaps it is this vehicle that prevents us from really getting into the movie. Perhaps this jumping between different perspectives keeps us aware that we are outsiders to the story, rather than inside the story. I'm not sure. It's not a bad movie, just not a great one. And it's long - 140 minutes! Interestingly, this is the first movie I've seen starring Ava Gardner. She is radiant in this movie - with her pale complexion, dark hair, and 'unattainable' feel, she reminds me of Monica Bellucci.
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