THE ROVING PECKER PRESENTS: "The Errant Goddess And Her First Taste of Freedom (Part One)" By SpiceDong!

Greetings, Manor Hors! Periodically, "The Roving Pecker" presents urgent missives from filthy esteemed guest writers. Today's is from SpiceDong, the first in a three-part series!

In 1950, Tossa de Mar, a then sleepy fishermen village in The Costa Brava of Spain, was put on the map when an A-list Hollywood production landed on its shores. This spectacular stretch of Mediterranean coast a few miles north of Barcelona was to be the backdrop for “Pandora & The Flying Dutchman," the film by Albert Lewin starring British actor James Mason and Hollywood’s rising femme fatale, Ava Gardner.

The cost of filming in Spain at the time was very low, and it was also a way for MGM, Ava’s home studio, to put some distance between her and the still-married Frank Sinatra, as they were hoping the scandal of their budding romance would die down in the press. Little did they know that the drama off-screen would soon rival the movie's plot. It was Miss Gardner’s first trip abroad. She flew from New York, and after a few days in London and Paris, the North Carolina native arrived in Spain. From the moment she landed she was hooked.

Spain opened a new playground for Ava. The insatiable reveler felt an instant connection with the people and the culture. She adored the cuisine, the late nights in dark, smoky taverns with endless wine and brandy, the passionate stomping of flamenco until dawn. She also enjoyed her work in the film and the freedom that being away from the scrutiny of the Hollywood press and studio bosses provided. This first trip unleashed her wild spirit and need for adventure, and it also introduced her to a new pastime: Matadors. The athletic and intrepid characters willing to risk it all in the bull ring would fascinate her for years to come. Invariably, they would be even more fascinated by her and succumb all too easily.

The first in the line up was bullfighter Mario Cabré. A costar in the film and first-class clinger, Mario became so entranced by Ava that he even wrote and published a book of poems about her (some included here). Since Ava was in love with Frank - who was still trying to divorce his wife - she thought of Mario as a welcome distraction. However, Mario, pictured below in a publicity still with Ava, had other ideas and would not stop talking to the Spanish press about his love for her.

It was only a matter of time before the news crossed the Atlantic and made its way to Sinatra, who promptly booked a flight to visit the set with an emerald necklace in hand for Ava. Fits of jealousy and legendary fights all over the little town ensued between the two during his stay, followed by passionate reconciliations. However, Frank would never forgive Ava’s dalliance with Cabré, which remained a point of contention throughout their subsequent marriage. Mario, on the other hand, did not get to skewer Sinatra with one of his swords because the director had wisely arranged for him to be on location elsewhere during Frank’s visit, so the dreaded confrontation between rivals was limited to the press where they both proceeded to pull a Mariah before Mariah on each other, telling reporters “I don’t know him.”

"Pandora & The Flying Dutchman" was released in 1951 and it was the first time international audiences saw Ava in glorious technicolor. The cinematography by the master of light and lens, Jack Cardiff, is visually stunning.

This film started a string of successes for Ava in the 1950s which cemented her place in the Golden Age of Hollywood forever. Today a bronze statue of Ava still overlooks Tossa De Mar in her honor.

More importantly, this experience gave way to one of the more interesting parts of her peripatetic life that rarely gets talked about, one where she broke convention, asserted her independence from men, the press and the tyrannical studio system, learned a new language and immersed herself in a culture that she loved. A few years after shooting "Pandora," Ava would shockingly leave Hollywood and move to Spain. To be continued...

Photo credits: MGM, Getty Images, Cohen Media Group