Page "Humphrey Bogart" Paragraph 72

The Barefoot Contessa, directed by Joseph Mankiewicz, was filmed in Rome, and released in 1954.

In this Hollywood back-story movie, Bogart again is the broken-down man, this time the cynical director-narrator who saves his career by making a star of a flamenco dancer Ava Gardner, modeled on the real life of Rita Hayworth.

Bogart was uneasy with Gardner because she had just split from " rat-pack " buddy Frank Sinatra and was carrying on with bullfighter Luis Miguel Dominguín.

Bogart told her, " Half the world's female population would throw themselves at Frank's feet and here you are flouncing around with guys who wear capes and little ballerina slippers.

" He was also annoyed by her inexperienced performance.

Later, she credited him with helping her.

Bogart's performance was generally praised as the strongest part of the film.

During the filming, while Bacall was home, Bogart resumed his discreet affair with Verita Peterson, his long-time studio assistant whom he took sailing and enjoyed drinking with.

But when Bacall suddenly arrived on the scene discovering them together, Bacall took it quite well.

She extracted an expensive shopping spree from him and the three traveled together after the shooting.