The Barefoot Contessa (1954) Reviews & Ratings

Overview · Where to watch · Cast & crew · Reviews

The Barefoot Contessa reviews

The Barefoot Contessa holds a 6.8/10 average from 286 TMDB ratings.

Occasionally narrated by Humphrey Bogart, he regales us with his story as the down on his luck Hollywood writer/director "Dawes" who alights on a tavern dancer in Madrid. "Maria Vargas" (Ava Gardner) is a woman with striking good looks and an aloofness that he immediately sees stardom in. Luckily his spoilt rich-kid backer "Edwards" (Warren Stevens) agrees to give her a screen test, but a combination of his own feck…
— CinemaSerf (7/10)

A washed-up filmmaker gets a second chance at stardom when he discovers stunning peasant Maria Vargas dancing in a Madrid nightclub. Goaded by his producer, the director convinces Maria to screen test for, and then star in, his next big picture. But as the producer's possessive nature and the realities of stardom weigh on Maria, she seeks a genuine lover with whom she can escape.

Movies like The Barefoot Contessa

If you enjoyed The Barefoot Contessa, these movies have a similar feel:

• Peaceful Warrior (2006)
• Gigi & Nate (2022)
• The American (2023)
• Call Me Crazy: A Five Film (2013)
• The Last Rodeo (2025)
• Goal II: Living the Dream (2007)
• The Sound of Silence (2019)
• Hot Milk (2025)
• My Dinner with Hervé (2018)
• Killer's Kiss (1955)
• The Girl in the Book (2015)
• TalhotBlond (2012)

Can't decide what to watch?

FlickPicker recommends movies from your own taste and the services you subscribe to, and Pick Together lets a whole group vote on tonight's pick. Try the free random movie generator, find movies with AI, or browse trending movies.

Download FlickPicker on the App Store   Explore the iPhone app