Review of The Barefoot Contessa

I expected much more out of the writer of this film. Was he not the creator of "All About Eve"? That was a wonderful satirical work with interesting, believable characters. This movie seemed to be ponderously written with a series of one-dimensional characters, most of them cliches. Humphrey Bogart did his best, but Ava Gardner was unsatisfying, though beautiful to look at--a paper doll. Edmond O'Brien played his shallow part well, but I was amazed to learn that he took the Oscar from Steiger, Cobb, and Malden in their great turns in "On the Waterfront." I hold Joseph Mankiewicz responsible. If this movie had been well-written, it could have been truly intriguing.