My Forbidden Past | Hollywood Yesterday

Ava Gardner and Melvyn Douglas

We all have “Old Hollywood” regrets, don’t we? Roles we wish our favorite stars had played (roles we wish our favorite stars had NOT played!), pairings that never happened we wish had happened, etc.

One of my Classic Film regrets is that Ava Gardner and Melvyn Douglas (two of my favorites) weren’t paired romantically in, say, a great film noir. While I enjoy their film My Forbidden Past a great deal, not only are they cousins but she has both of her eyes on Robert Mitchum!

I would have loved a film where her beautiful eyes were only on Melvyn.

Oh well, sometimes we have to take what we can get! You can read more about My Forbidden Past here.

Find My Forbidden Past on Amazon.

Ava Gardner and Melvyn Douglas, My Forbidden Past

It’s always a special treat when two absolute favorites appear in one film together, isn’t it? Ava Gardner was thoughtful enough to team with my favorite actors quite a few times (Melvyn Douglas, Clark Gable, Humphrey Bogart to name a few). Melvyn Douglas and Ava were each spectacular in My Forbidden Past (1951).

It is actually their performances (as well as an excellent performance by Robert Mitchum) that make the film take flight. Melvyn Douglas is known, primarily, for his lovable characters but in this particular role, he’s a bit of a cad! It’s actually a lot of fun seeing this side of him and, while I could be wrong, he seemed to enjoy playing this type of character. He brings a great deal of humor to the role and film.

Dr. Mark Lucas (Robert Mitchum) and Barbara Beaurevel (Ava Gardner) are star-crossed lovers in My Forbidden Past – basically a tale of a woman scorned!

The film is set in 1890s New Orleans and the costumes and sets are positively delicious.

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Ava Gardner and Robert Mitchum

Lucas, wrongly, believed that Barbara stoop him up when they were on the verge of eloping. In a fit of something between raw emotions and a temper tantrum, he takes off for South Africa and marries a woman named Corinne (played by Janis Carter) on the rebound.

Not one to take defeat well, beautiful Barbara bribes her cousin (played to the hilt by Melvin Douglas) to break up their marriage. It’s all fun and games until the scheme ends in Corinne’s death, with her husband Dr. Lucas suspected of murder.

The chemistry between both Ava Gardner and Robert Mitchum AND Ava Gardner and Melvyn Douglas are palpable.

Find My Forbidden Past on Amazon.