Silver Screen Magic with Ava Gardner

Ava Gardner, one of the greatest actresses of the 1940s, 1950s, and 1960s was frequently used in seductress parts because of her seductive appearance. She was well-known for her publicized unions with Frank Sinatra, bandleader Artie Shaw, and Mickey Rooney. Gardner became famous following the release of the 1946 film “The Killers.”

In 1954 writer/director Joseph L. Mankiewicz directed the film “The Barefoot Contessa.” It starred Humphrey Bogart, Ava Gardner, Edmond O’Brien, and Warren Stevens.

In this love drama, Ava Gardner plays Maria, a free-spirited dancer who gets placed in a Hollywood movie that makes her famous by former film writer/director Harry Dawes (Humphrey Bogart). However, her unexpected fame sends Maria into a terrible love downward spiral.

In 1947 the film “The Hucksters” was directed by Jack Conway. It starred Clark Gable, Deborah Kerr, Sydney Greenstreet, Ava Gardner, Keenan Wynn, and Edward Arnold. The film is based on the novel of the same name by Frederic Wakeman Sr,.

The plot centers on torch singer Jean Ogilvie (Ava Gardner), who was once romantically involved with radio ad executive Victor Albee Norman (Clark Gable). Victor convinces Jean to use her feminine charms on agent David Lash (Edward Arnold), who represents comic Buddy Hare (Keenan Wynn), whom Vic is attempting to sign.

In 1946 Robert Siodmak directed the film “The Killers.” It was base on the short story by Ernest Hemingway. The film starred Burt Lancaster, Ava Gardner, Edmond O’Brien, and Sam Levene.

Gardner earned her big break as Kitty, the glitzy lover of the Swede (Burt Lancaster), in his film debut, in Robert Siodmak’s noir masterpiece after five years as a contract player at MGM. The Swede takes the blame for Kitty after she is seen wearing stolen jewelry. However, once they are reunited again, Kitty betrays him.

The 1972 film “The Life and Times of Judge Roy Bean” was directed by John Huston. It starred Paul Newman, Victoria Principal, Anthony Perkins, and Ava Gardner.

The movie is partially based on the life of Roy Bean, an American bar operator and Val Verde County, Texas, justice of the peace. In the film Judge Roy Bean, Paul Newman starts to worship the well-known actress Lilly Lantry (Ava Gardner).

In 1953 John Ford directed the film “Mogambo.” The film is based on the play by Wilson Collison. It starred Clark Gable, Ava Gardner, Grace Kelly, Donald Sinden.

Ava Gardner portrays Eloise “Honey Bear” Kelly, a bit of a gold digger who is stood up in Africa by a potential conquest and is instead thrown in with big-game hunter Victor Marswell (Clark Gable), who is going on safari with married couple Donald and Linda Nordley (Donald Sinden and Grace Kelly). 

In 1964 John Huston directed the film “The Night of the Iguana.” The film was based on the play by Tennessee Williams. The film starred Richard Burton, Ava Gardner, Deborah Kerr, and Sue Lyon.

Disgraced minister T. Lawrence Shannon (Richard Burton) has been reduced to being a tour guide in Mexico, where he takes tourists to a hotel run by the widow Maxine (Ava Gardner).

In 1959 Stanley Kramer directed the film “On the Beach.” The film was based on the novel of the same name by Nevil Shute. It starred Gregory Peck, Ava Gardner, Fred Astaire, and Anthony Perkins.  

The 1951 adventure/drama film “Pandora and the Flying Dutchman” was directed by Albert Lewin. It starred Ava Gardner, James Mason, Nigel Patrick, Marios Cabre, and Harold Warrender.

In the storyline, Pandora Reynolds (Ava Gardner), an American chanteuse living in Spain, is every man’s desire but cannot love herself. The singer demands sacrifices from the suitors who wish to win her heart. Then Hendrick van der Zee (James Mason) arrives in town. He is believed to be the legendary ship captain of the Flying Dutchman.

In 1962 John Frankenheimer directed the film “Seven Days In May.” It starred Burt Lancaster, Kirk Douglas, Ava Gardner, and Fredric March.  The film is based on the novel of the same name by Fletcher Knebel and Charles W. Bailey II, published in September 1962.

This is an American political thriller about a military-political cabal’s planned takeover of the US government in reaction to the president's negotiation of a disarmament treaty with the Soviet Union. Eleanor Holbrook (Ava Gardner) is a prominent Washington socialite and the strong-willed mistress of General James Mattoon Scot (Burt Lancaster), Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, who is plotting a coup against the U.S. President (Fredric March).

In 1951 George Sidney directed the film “Show Boat.” The film is based on the novel by Edna Ferber and the musical by Jerome Kern and Oscar Hammerstein II. It starred Kathryn Grayson, Ava Gardner, Howard Keel, and Joe E. Brown.

Ava Gardner portrays showboat star Julie, who is in a tragic situation because her marriage to a white man is deemed illegal because she has African-American blood in her lineage.

Director Henry King directed the 1952 American romantic adventure film “The Snows of Kilimanjaro.” The film was based on the short story of the same name by Ernest Hemingway. It starred Gregory Peck, Susan Hayward, and Ava Gardner.

Cynthia Greene, who does not appear in the Hemingway short story, is portrayed by Ava Gardner in the film. After her miscarriage, Cynthia ends her relationship with writer Harry Street (Gregory Peck). Later, when Harry is fighting and Cynthia is driving an ambulance during the Spanish Civil War, they reunite.