Ava Gardner: Her Movies, her men, Her Style

AVA GARDNER: HER MOVIES, HER MEN, HER FREE-SPIRITED STYLE.

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I first noticed Ava Gardner when I was on a riverboat trip down the Mississippi and the cinema was playing Showboat.  I was just a kid but she came across as the most authentic of the actors, with an electric presence as well.

Not only gorgeous with an unmatchable, silvery voice, she also had a pathos to her. I sensed a sadness under all the bravado.

As I continued to learn more about her, she became more fascinating as her screen presence seemed to mirror her real-life image.  She was independent through and through at a time when autonomy was considered manly.  She travelled, had affairs with whomever she chose, lived in Spain and danced the flamenco, always defying peoples’ expectations of how a good girl should behave.  Today when I watch one of her films I still marvel at her beauty and her unapologetic sexuality, in an era of June Cleavers.

Below I share some of her life, her loves, and a few suggestions to try on her style and beauty picks if you so choose!

BIO

Ava Gardner, also known as “The World’s Most Beautiful Animal” was an iconic film star, celebrated for her “earthy femininity”. Despite being known for her enchanting green eyes, sultry brunette locks, and voluptuous figure, she was a pioneer, boldly resisting being typecast as a sex symbol in a time when women were held to an absurd, beauty-based standard. She owned her sexuality and that made her a pioneer.

Perhaps some of Ava’s renowned humility and tomboy-like sensibility was due to humble, rural beginnings. She was born in North Carolina in 1922 to her father, (Jonas Bailey Gardner) a poor tobacco farmer and mother (Mary Elizabeth). Unlike other Hollywood starlets of yesteryear, acting was not Ava’s initial goal. Rather, her dazzling career was more so born out of happenstance.

When she was eighteen years old, a talent scout from MGM saw portraits of Ava hanging in her brother-in-law’s photography studio in New York City and immediately took notice. While she was unrefined, untrained, and possessed a thick, southern drawl, as well as lack of technique, Ava was irresistibly stunning. Her looks put her on the fast track to a contract with MGM and the glittering opportunities of Hollywood.

FILMS

Ava’s film career spanned from 1942 to 1986, where she appeared in over 50 projects. In this time, she explored countless roles and genres, ranging from drama to comedy, bringing warmth and charm as well as sex appeal and seduction. Some of her most memorable films include:

• The Killers (1946)
• Showboat (1951)
• The Night of the Iguana (1964)

The Killers

This film noir based on Ernest Hemingway’s short story of the same name was the vessel for Ava Gardner’s breakout role. She shined as the mysterious femme fatale Kitty Collins, and starred alongside Burt Lancaster, who made his debut in this film as well.

The Killers follows a series of flashbacks involving Lancaster’s character, Pete Lund, aka “The Swede”, whose real name is Ole Anderson. The story begins with two hitmen slaying The Swede, whom we discover was a professional boxer whose career ended quickly due to an injury in his hand.

It is revealed that The Swede had gotten involved with a shady crowd, including “Big Jim” Colfax and the elusive, beautiful Kitty Collins. From robberies to betrayals, to torrid love affairs, the film follows the events leading to The Swede’s death. Love, passion, lies, murder: You know, classic film noir tropes. We love to see it.

The Killers received positive reviews, applauding Ava’s acting and the sardonic edge she brought to the role. It was a major commercial success, skyrocketing Ava to star-status. It remains a celebrated classic to this day.

Show Boat

Based on the 1927 musical, Show Boat combined comedy, drama, and music all into one technicolor burst of emotions. Ava played the role of Julie Laverne, a leading lady turned outcast due to racism.

The film follows the “Cotton Blossom”, a showboat owned by the Hawk family, known for its opulent performances in the south starring Julie LaVerne and her husband Stephen Baker. When a source informs local police that Julie (who is half Black) is married to a white man, they are forced to abandon the boat as interracial marriages are forbidden.

Showboat was warmly received, celebrated for its opulence and richness, however, Ava’s performance was criticized for being a bit disconnected and unexpectedly forgettable.  In my opinion Show Boat offered a different perspective of Ava Gardner as an actress, showing she could traverse genres and was more than just a buxom film-noir darling. She stole the show for me, and I’ll bet there were many other attentive audience members who couldn’t take their eyes off of her.

Night of the Iguana

When I was about 7 years old, my family took a trip to Puerto Vallarta and we visited the site of the set of Night of the Iguana. It was built on a hill in a remote, dusty village on the outskirts of Puerto Vallarta.  The childhood memory evokes a hot day in an isolated jungle, as we took a bumpy bus ride through the brambles to reach the former film set.

Later I learned that the occupants of the set included playwright Tennessee Williams, Director John Huston, and of course the stars Deborah Kerr, Richard Burton and Ava Gardner.  Also in attendance was Elizabeth Taylor, expressly there to keep a watchful eye on her lover Burton.

This is one film I can watch over and over again and never be bored.  It allowed Ava to continue to explore her dramatic side as an artist. It is a romance based on the Tennessee Williams play of the same name.

Ava portrays Maxine Faulk, a bold, unapologetic, sensual woman. Maxine is the caretaker of the hillside inn where the characters room. We are also introduced to Hannah Jelkes, a beautiful, innocent painter played by Deborah Kerr, traveling with her grandfather, a struggling poet.

The story challenges the ideals of religion and sexuality through bold, theatrical storytelling and by revealing the dark, flawed underbellies of these characters. Ava Gardner was applauded for the audacious, colorful quality she brought to the role of Maxine, and the film is still held in high regard.

ROMANCE

Maybe it was her down-to-earth warmth and humor, or her obviously stunning good looks, but like Michelle Pfeiffer in the 80’s, Ava Gardner was utterly enchanting and could date anyone she wanted. If I listed all her most noteworthy lovers, this post would be a lot longer, but in the interest of quality over quantity, here are a few of Ava’s exes who piqued my interest!

• Mickey Rooney

A fellow MGM actor and infamous playboy, Mickey Rooney was infatuated with Ava Gardner after meeting her while she visited the studio. The couple married in 1942, but it was kept a secret because MGM was worried the public wouldn’t respond as well to Mickey’s Andy Hardy movie series if they knew he was married.

The couple divorced in 1943, Ava citing mental cruelty. While she blamed his gambling issues and constant cheating for the disintegration of the marriage, she handled it privately, sure not to stain his clean cut, wholesome public image.

• Howard Hughes

Yes, that Howard Hughes. The one Leonardo Dicaprio played in The Aviator— the one who eventually peed in jars! The moment Ava’s divorce from Mickey Rooney was finalized, she began dating eccentric billionaire Howard Hughes. 

The story goes that he was completely drunk and incoherent when he first called to ask her out, and she said yes because she initially thought she was being asked out by successful film director Howard Hawks. After Howard Hughes pampered her with riches and gifts (a common tactic of his), she was willing to give him a shot. She later on said he “was smelly and made love like a horse whisperer.”

• Frank Sinatra

Frank Sinatra (aka “Ol’ Blue Eyes”) and Ava Gardner met in 1941, but didn’t officially begin their relationship until 1949. Frank was so enamored with her he left his wife Nancy to the extreme judgment and anger of the public, gossip columnists, and the Catholic church.

Their relationship was turbulent and intense, brimming with jealousy and passion. As Ava’s career continued to skyrocket while Frank’s took a dive, their relationship grew tense, despite her efforts to revitalize his career by getting him acting opportunities. They were also deeply insecure as a couple due to both of them having extramarital affairs. Their marriage only lasted a handful of years, ranging from 1951-1957.

After their breakup, Ava dated George C. Scott who was known to be extremely abusive. Despite no longer being romantically involved, Frank Sinatra confronted him, telling him if he didn’t leave her alone he’d send one of his friends from the mafia to take care of him. I’d listen to him George!