The Barefoot Contessa is a film produced in 1954 depicting the love and life of a fictional Spanish sex symbol named Maria Vargas. This film was both written and directed by Joseph Mankiewicz. It casts Humphrey Bogart, Edmond O’Brien, and Ava Gardner in the leading roles. O’Brien won the Best Supporting Actor award and writer/director Mankiewics was nominated for the award for the Best Original Screenplay.

The plot showcases a movie director named Harry Dawes who is recently down on his luck and works in unfavorable conditions for an egotistical business man named Kirk Edwards who decides to produce his own film to increase his ego even further. They find their actress of the leading role in a night club in Madrid. This actress is actually a remarkable dancer named Maria Vargas who is very spirited and often tromps around barefoot. Maria Vargas instantaneously dislikes Kirk but immediately forms a bond with Harry. The films is a big screen hit but Kirk attempts to control her, resulting in rebellion.

Even with her success, Maria is not happy and seeks love. She leaves her boyfriend at the time and believes she has found the love of her life. On their wedding night, her new husband informs Maria that he is incapable of having children and is in fact impotent. She has been unfaithful and becomes pregnant. Her husband suspects this and before he finds out about the pregnancy, he shoots her. The film ends with her funeral.