Favorite AVA GARDNER Role/Performance

[Antonio]

1. Maxine Faulk in THE NIGHT OF THE IGUANA
2. Moira Davidson in ON THE BEACH
3. Kitty Collins in THE KILLERS (1946)
4. Eleanor Holbrook in SEVEN DAYS IN MAY
5. Ruth Galveston in Knots Landing
6. Nicole Dressler in THE CASSANDRA CROSSING
7. Lily Langtry in THE LIFE & TIMES OF JUDGE ROY BEAN
8. Minnie Littlejohn in The Long Hot Summer (1985 TV Remake)
9. Miss Logan in THE SENTINEL
10. Remy Royce Graff in EARTHQUAKE

Aside from the big three (IGUANA, BEACH and KILLERS), I haven't seen Ms. Gardner in many of her better-known film roles (like THE SNOWS OF KILIMANJARO, MOGAMBO, THE BAREFOOT CONTESSA or THE SUN ALSO RISES). I have, however caught her small but pivotal roles in several disaster and horror flicks, television soap operas, etc.

Ava is by far one of the most beautiful actresses who ever walked the planet, plus a very underrated performer (just watch NIGHT/IGUANA...I dare you to take your eyes off of her in every single frame she graces her presence with!).

Since HANNIBAL21 is honoring his favorite iconic divas from yesteryear, I thought I'd add at least one of mine.

[Hannibal21]

1. Maxine Faulk in THE NIGHT OF THE IGUANA
2. Kitty Collins in THE KILLERS
3. Maria Vargas in THE BAREFOOT CONTESSA
4. Moira Davidson in ON THE BEACH
5. Eloise Y. 'Honey Bear' Kelly in MOGAMBO
6. Eleanor Holbrook in SEVEN DAYS IN MAY

I really wish I have seen more movies from her, but she is a superb actress, and one of the top 5 beauties that ever lived on this earth.

[Buck Turgidson]

You guys both have the right number one (that is a brilliant, electrifying performance that just gets better each time I see it), and you're both right to rate The Killers so high. She's a fabulous femme fatale, one of the best in any Noir.

I'd rank her even w/ Jane Greer in Out of the Past and Gene Tierney (who wasn't really mean enough for FF status, but I feel compelled to mention her, anyway) in Laura.

Ava is insanely gorgeous in Mogambo and is also quite excellent in the distressingly mediocre version of The Sun Also Rises.

My favorite late 40's-early 50's babe, bar none.

[Trinity]

I've seen Ava mostly in some of her lesser known roles (The Hucksters, Lone Star, The Little Hut, East Side West Side) and I find I like her better in smaller quantities - a whole movie of Ava is a little too much for me. My favorite performance is in Mogambo. I really disliked her performance in The Night of the Iguana - that whole movie is so overcooked and so is her performance. And, not to be mean or anything, but I don't think the role required much acting on her part.

[Trinity]

Originally posted by Buck Turgidson
I'd rank her even w/ Jane Greer in Out of the Past and Gene Tierney (who wasn't really mean enough for FF status, but I feel compelled to mention her, anyway) in Laura.

She wasn't "mean" at all, but I'd still consider her a femme fatale, just an entirely different breed. While you usually have a morally corrupt dame who causes the downfall of the equally corrupt hero, here you have a girl who is entirely innocent herself, yet due to her outwordly beauty possesses that same fatale power over men. So she's really just as deadly as the best of them, only the cause is different. Which makes her a lot more interesting in my book.

[Buck Turgidson]

^ Exactly :cool:

[Hannibal21]

Originally posted by Buck Turgidson
I'd rank her even w/ Jane Greer in Out of the Past and Gene Tierney (who wasn't really mean enough for FF status, but I feel compelled to mention her, anyway) in Laura.

My favorite late 40's-early 50's babe, bar none.

Excellent choices, and I agree with Trinity that although Laura Hunt wasn't 'mean', she was most certainly beautiful and dangerous enough to cause the downfall of the corrupt male protagonist, which is enough to qualify her as a classic 'femme fatale'.

But not wanting to sound too obvious and predictable, I will forever prefer my gal Phyllis Dietrichson over any of these ladies, and any other femme fatale in film. And I'm sure that Trinity and a few others would agree. ;)

[The Other]

I believe I've only seen her in Mogambo and The Night of the Iguana. I wasn't really impressed with her in Mogambo (I liked Grace Kelly better), but she was really good in The Night of the Iguana. Definitely Oscar-worthy in it, but she was boderline supporting in The Night of the Iguana.