Ava Gardner | Hollywood Yesterday

The Wonderful Ethel Barrymore was BOTD in 1879

August 15, 2023 By Joi

Ava Gardner, Walter Huston, and Ethel Barrymore in The Great Sinner

One of (IMO) the best actresses of all-time… and absolutely one of my favorites.. Ethel Barrymore was BOTD in Pennsylvania in 1879.

The wonderful lady is pictured here with Ava Gardner and Walter Huston from the film The Great Sinner (1949, directed by Robert Siodmak).

You can find The Great Sinner on dvd (Amazon link). Unfortunately it isn’t on Prime Video, yet but they seem to be adding more classics, so hopefully it will be soon.

Ava Gardner, A Gorgeous Publicity Photo for The Killers

July 27, 2022 By Joi

Ava Gardner

The gorgeous photo above is a publicity photo for Ava Gardner’s wonderful film The Killers (1946). The film-noir is one of Ava’s most popular films and is one of the best ever made, in my opinion.

The Killers was directed by Robert Siodmak and boasts a great cast that includes Burt Lancaster, Ava Gardner, Edmund O’Brien, Sam Levene, and Albert Dekker.

You can find The Killers on dvd (Amazon link) or watch the movie on Prime Video.

Gorgeous Pictures of Ava Gardner, One Touch of Venus (1948)

February 23, 2022 By Joi

Ava Gardner, One Touch of Venus

One of the most beautiful actresses to ever grace the screen was easily Ava Gardner. Absolutely stunning is a phrase I often associate with her and for good reason!

But she was so much more than just a beautiful face and perfect form… she was wonderful, especially when given a role that was ideal for her (a few examples would be Mogambo, One Touch of Venus, Lone Star, The Killers, and Pandora and the Flying Dutchman).

One Touch of Venus (1948, directed by William A. Seiter) really gave Ava an opportunity to shine and she embraced the role as only she could. I’ve looked closely at the time period in which this movie was made and honestly cannot think of another actress who would have filled this role any better. In fact, I have trouble thinking of very many who could have been anywhere near as perfect as Ava was.

It’s a joy to watch an actor or actress in a role that was absolutely ideal for them and this is very much one of those instances. The movie is lovely and a great deal of fun.

You can find One Touch of Venus on dvd (Amazon link). I’m really surprised it isn’t on Prime Video. Maybe one day!

Ava Gardner

Ava Gardner, One Touch of Venus (1958)

February 18, 2022 By Joi

Ava Gardner

One Touch of Venus (1948, directed by William A. Seiter) really gave Ava an opportunity to showcase her comedic talents and she did just that. Not only is she a great deal of fun to watch in this one, she’s so beautiful she practically glows.

MGM loaned its popular actress to Universal Studios to make this movie. Universal sent her to sculptor Joseph Nicolosi to make the life-size statue of the goddess Ava portrays. The statue is pivotal in the film and is absolutely stunning.

It was almost more than just stunning… it was almost scandalous! Nicolosi’s first statue was completely nude, so the studio asked the artist to please make a more modest goddess!

You can find One Touch of Venus on dvd (Amazon link).

Ava Gardner and David Niven: The Little Hut

September 21, 2020 By Joi

David Niven and Ava Gardner

Ava Gardner and David Niven were both so colorful and had such bigger than life personalities, I can’t help but think that 1957 film The Little Hut’s set must have been a blast. Directed by Mark Robson, the movie also starred Stewart Granger.

You can find The Little Hut (link to the dvd) on Amazon. I don’t think it’s on Prime Video, unfortunately.

Ava Gardner, The Killers: There are Gorgeous Pictures of the Day, then There are Gorgeous Pictures of the Day!

July 23, 2020 By Joi

Ava Gardner, The Killers

One of the most beautiful actresses EVER (not just from old Hollywood… but from anytime!) is the wonderful Ava Gardner. I won’t name names, but some actresses got by almost entirely on their looks. Ava was one of the beauties who happened to be a very good actress. In fact, if anything, her beauty (which wasn’t very subtle, was it?) probably kept her from getting more roles than her talent did.

The Killers is one of Ava Gardner’s most popular films and it is certainly one of the best. She’s wonderful as the beautiful Kitty Collins… spelled TROUBLE. The film-noir co-starred Burt Lancaster in one of his finest performances.

You can watch the 1946 film on Amazon Prime… I highly recommend it!

Ava Gardner and Humphrey Bogart, The Barefoot Contessa

May 8, 2020 By Joi

Ava Gardner and Humphrey Bogart – The Barefoot Contessa

Ava Gardner has been one of my favorite actresses for about as long as I’ve known what an actress was. Humphrey Bogart has been one of my favorite actors for about as long as I’ve known what an actor was.

Love them both to distraction… so you have to know how much I love The Barefoot Contessa. They’re both brilliant in it – but, I’ll let you in on a bit of a guilty secret. Guilty because, being a fan of each star, I should love this film without reservation.

And yet….

While it’s a wonderful, dramatic film (and visually stunning) – each time I watch it, I feel a smidgen of regret. How could anyone have gotten these two giant stars together and not pair them up romantically?! Yes, the movie is wonderful but a film-noir starring these legends as lovers would have left me utterly speechless.

Speechless I tell you!

At any rate, The Barefoot Contessa (dvd on Amazon) is a darn good movie – do I love the ending? Not a lot… but it is very much worth watching.

Ava Gardner, The Little Hut (Summer on My Brain… Can You Tell!?!)

April 7, 2020 By Joi

Ava Gardner

These pictures of Ava Gardner are promotional shots of her film The Little Hut (1957). Leave it to Ava to make us momentarily forget we’re in a pandemic!

Ava Gardner, The Little Hut

Ava Gardner, Mogambo…. She’s the Reason I Don’t Like the Movie (But Not Why You Think!)

March 28, 2020 By Joi

Ava Gardner, Mogambo

Ava Gardner, in my opinion, was the best thing about the movie Mogambo (1953).

Like… by a long shot.

She was beautiful, feisty, fun, and (by comparison), the rest of the film and cast (in my opinion) just kind of seemed like wet blankets.

Funny thing is, I see and hear from A LOT of people who really liked the film. That’s why, about a month ago, I rewatched it (it was the third chance I’d given to this movie!), just to be sure I wasn’t missing something.

While I didn’t come away liking it any better than the first two times, I did come away with the reason I don’t like the film and, shockingly enough, it’s because of one of my favorite actresses… Ava Gardner!

Nor for reasons you may thing – she was perfect. In every way. Which is part of the problem…

In what universe would any man have someone who looks like Ava Gardner (with the fieriness of her character as a bonus) even take time to glance at another woman?! And yet that’s what Clark Gable’s character does… he spends over half the movie pining after Grace Kelly who not only isn’t interested in him (while Ava’s character IS), she is married, is pretty much lifeless (compared to Ava’s wonderful character), and is…. in this particular role, and again compared to Ava… pretty plain.
Her energy level is so much higher than that of Grace Kelly or Clark Gable’s that she almost makes them seem like they’re sleep walking!

Don’t get me wrong – I love Grace Kelly and Clark Gable. Just not in this film. Each of the three times I’ve watched, I’ve thought of about a dozen actors that would have (at that time) been better in Gable’s role. I hate to say it, because he is one of my favorite actors… but I think he was too old for this particular role.

My profuse apologies to anyone who loves this film… my opinions don’t make me right – they’re simply my opinions. And since my mom always told me to speak my mind… that’s what I tend to do.

Just ask my family!

You know the really unfortunate thing??? I collect ALL of Ava Gardner’s films so… at some point… I’m going to have to buy this film that I don’t at all like! Oh well… she’s worth it.

Ava Gardner, Mogambo

Ava Gardner, Behind the Scenes of Knights of the Round Table

March 9, 2020 By Joi

Ava Gardner

One of my guilty pleasures is Behind the Scenes photos of stars. I love them so much it’s a wonder I hadn’t created a “Behind the Scenes” category on the Old Hollywood blog before today.

Better late than never, as they say!

The photo above is especially wonderful because of the period costume Ava Gardner is wearing – for the colorful and fun 1953 film, Knights of the Round Table (Amazon link), while reading a modern-day newspaper. Whether it was staged or happened doesn’t really matter to me… I simply love it.