1941. This feels like the MGM version of The young sophisticate photo taken four years earlier. Everything is immaculate – gown, makeup, hairdo, pose, lighting. But the smile is just a bit cheesy for my tastes. A caption on the back of the photo reads:
BackAVA GARDNER….Chooses dramatic white for gala evenings. The Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer actress dons a white crepe evening gown with slightly flared skirt and deep sung-fitting waistband, topped by a shirred bodice that fastens cord-like to form a halter neckline. A massive rhinestone pin in floral design clips at the waist for a jewelled note.
