MovieChat Forums > Mogambo (1953) Discussion > Requitted or non-requitted love?

Requitted or non-requitted love?

posted 11 years ago by nutritionist
2 replies | jump to latest

I just watched this film, it was the first time I had ever seen Ava Gardner in a film. This is surprising since I have seen so many films on TCM. The film is very dated, but Gardner's role is surprisingly modern! Grace Kelly's role has not stood the test of time. It is difficult to understand why Gable was attracted to The woman Grace Kelly was playing- I guess they portrayed it as Clark Gable wanting to unleash Grace Kelly's inner beast! The porch scene seemed to imply that, that a good girl wanting him was very appealing to him and he wanted to bring out her unlocked animal passion!

Since films of this era are very discreet about sex, I was wondering if I am correct in assuming Clark Gable had a real affair with Ava Gardner's character, but that the attraction between Gable and Grace Kelly was never consummated- they just had passionate embraces, since she was the "good" girl and in the fifties it was understood by guys that "good" girls never had sex?

[–] yunie1281 9 years ago

I don't think it's just that they never had sex (and I think in the original pre-Hays Code version she did have sex with him) because they weren't married but because she was married to some other guy. I can totally see why he'd have a thing for her (and it doesn't really have to stand the test of time because Gable's character was also from the 1950s, not today). Grace Kelly was gorgeous and charming and refined so even if she says or does things that would not be attractive today, it's not like Gable was ever planning on marrying her! He was just attracted to her and she was attracted to him.

[–] Crystal (534) 6 years ago

Apparently the guys knew as little about good girls then, as they do now.