Best Films - 1954
by Andre Soares
Considered by many one of Joseph L. Mankiewicz’s lesser films, The Barefoot Contessa is a classy, intelligently written, and generally well acted morality tale. Inspired by the life of Rita Hayworth (née Margarita Cansino), the film’s plot revolves around the tragic fate of Maria Vargas, a great, earthy beauty who becomes a Hollywood movie star. Besides Jack Cardiff’s beautiful cinematography and Mario Nascimbene’s melancholy score, The Barefoot Contessa offers Ava Gardner in top form — both as a star and as an actress. Humphrey Bogart offers solid support as a film director, while director-screenwriter Joseph L. Mankiewicz (All About Eve, 5 Fingers, Sleuth) handles the proceedings with his usual sophisticated flair.
FILM
The Barefoot Contessa
Hobson’s Choice
Johnny Guitar
The Long, Long Trailer
On the Waterfront
Seven Brides for Seven Brothers
Si Versailles m’était conté / Royal Affairs in Versailles
Them
Woman’s World
DIRECTOR
Stanley Donen (Seven Brides for Seven Brothers)
Gordon Douglas (Them)
Federico Fellini (La Strada / The Road)
Sacha Guitry (Si Versailles m’était conté)
Elia Kazan (On the Waterfront)
David Lean (Hobson’s Choice)
Joseph L. Mankiewicz (The Barefoot Contessa)
Vincente Minnelli (The Long, Long Trailer)
Jean Negulesco (Woman’s World)
Nicholas Ray (Johnny Guitar)
ACTOR
Humphrey Bogart (The Barefoot Contessa)
Humphrey Bogart (The Caine Mutiny)
Charles Laughton (Hobson’s Choice)
John Mills (Hobson’s Choice)
Spencer Tracy (Broken Lance)
ACTRESS
Joan Crawford (Johnny Guitar)
Dorothy Dandridge (Carmen Jones)
Doris Day (Young at Heart)
Brenda De Banzie (Hobson’s Choice)
Ava Gardner (The Barefoot Contessa)
Judy Garland (A Star Is Born)
Judy Holliday (It Should Happen to You)
Judy Holliday (Phffft!)
Eva Marie Saint (On the Waterfront)
Jane Wyman (Magnificent Obsession)
SUPPORTING ACTOR
Lee J. Cobb (On the Waterfront)
Sacha Guitry (Si Versailles m’était conté)
Fredric March (Executive Suite)
Edward Underdown (Beat the Devil)
Clifton Webb (Woman’s World)
SUPPORTING ACTRESS
June Allyson (Woman’s World)
Ethel Barrymore (Young at Heart)
Claudette Colbert (Si Versailles m’était conté)
Olga James (Carmen Jones)
Mercedes McCambridge (Johnny Guitar)
Kim Novak (Phffft!)
Thelma Ritter (Rear Window)
Barbara Stanwyck (Executive Suite)
SCREENPLAY
Claude Binyon, Russel Crouse, Howard Lindsay, Mary Loos & Richard Sale (Woman’s World)
Julius J. Epstein & Lenore Coffee (Young at Heart)
Frances Goodrich & Albert Hackett (Seven Brides for Seven Brothers)
Sacha Guitry (Si Versailles m’était conté)
Frederick Knott (Dial M for Murder)
Joseph L. Mankiewicz (The Barefoot Contessa)
Budd Schulberg (On the Waterfront)
Ted Sherdeman (Them)
Norman Spencer & Wynard Browne (Hobson’s Choice)
Philip Yordan (Johnny Guitar)
CINEMATOGRAPHY
Jack Cardiff (The Barefoot Contessa)
George J. Folsey (Seven Brides for Seven Brothers)
Jack Hildyard (Hobson’s Choice)
Boris Kaufman (On the Waterfront)
Milton Krasner (Desirée)
Joseph LaShelle (River of No Return)
Ted McCord (Young at Heart)
Otello Martelli (La Strada)
Franz Planer (The Caine Mutiny)
Jun Yasumoto (Miyamoto Musashi / Samurai)
ORIGINAL SCORE
Mario Nascimbene (The Barefoot Contessa)
Nino Rota (La Strada)
Frank Skinner (Magnificent Obsession)
Victor Young (Johnny Guitar)
Victor Young (Three Coins in the Fountain)
"Best Films of …" Annual List
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