Martine Carol

Carol starred in Une nuit de noces (1950), Beware of Blondes (1950) and 'the popular historical comedy Dear Caroline (1951) which was controversial because of outfits she wore.[5] The film turned Carol into a star and all the scenes where she had showers led her to be nicknamed "The Cleanest Woman in Paris".[6] She played a movie star in the French-Spanish film Love and Desire (1952) and had the lead in Adorable Creatures (1952), directed by Christian-Jaque who became her husband in 1954.

Carol co starred with Gerard Philippe in Beauties of the Night (1952) for Rene Clair.[7]

Carol played the title role in A Caprice of Darling Caroline (1953), a sequel to Darling Caroline. She played a series of true life women:Lucrèce Borgia (1953) as Lucrezia Borgia, a big local hit, and Madame du Barry (1954), as Madame du Barry for Christian-Jaque.[8] She played herself in Boum sur Paris (1953).

Carol had the title role in Nana (1955) from the novel by Emile Zola, alongside Charles Boyer. A contemporary article called her the French "Queen of Sex".[9] She was in two all star anthology film,s, Daughters of Destiny (1954), as Lysistrata with her segment directed by her husband and co starring Raf Vallone, and The Bed (1954). She reteamed with Vallone in the Italian comedy The Beach (1954).[10]

Carol in Action of the Tiger (1957)

Carol took the female lead in The French, They Are a Funny Race (1955), the last film from director Preston Sturges, alongside Jack Buchanan. The movie was shot in English and French versions and was a hit in France but not in English speaking countries.[11]

Carol played Lola Montez in Lola Montès (1955) for Max Ophuls opposite Peter Ustinov and Anton Walbrook.[12] This was the most expensive European film at the time, and was shot in French, English and German. It was considered a box office disappointment but was widely seen.[13] She was linked to a possible Hollywood film Lord Vanity at Fox but it was never made.

Carol made Defend My Love (1956), an Italian comedy with Gabriele Ferzetti, and had a cameo in Around the World in 80 Days (1956).

Carol's first proper English language film was Action of the Tiger (1957) with Van Johnson directed by Terence Young.[14][15] Carol starred in an Italian-French comedy film for her husband, Nathalie (1957) which was popular enough for a sequel, Nathalie, Secret Agent (1959). In between these she went to Tahiti to star in an Australian-French adventure tale, The Stowaway (1958), alongside Roger Livesey and Karl Boehm, which was shot in English and French versions.[16]

Carol starred in Venetian Honeymoon (1959) with Vittorio de Sica and Claudia Cardinale then was the lead in a Hollywood movie shot in Germany, Ten Seconds to Hell (1959) with Jeff Chandler and Jack Palance for director Robert Aldrich.[17] She was Joséphine de Beauharnais in Abel Gance's The Battle of Austerlitz (1960), very popular in France.

Carol was one of several stars in Love and the Frenchwoman (1961) then starred in One Night on the Beach (1961). She supported Jean Gabin in The Counterfeiters of Paris (1961) and made The Betrayer (1962) for Roberto Rossellini. Carol then made Operation Gold Ingot (1962), and Beach Casanova (1962) with Curt Jurgens.

Carol's final film was Hell Is Empty (1967), a British movie alongside Anthony Steel, James Robertson Justice and Shirley Ann Field. It began filming in 1965 under the direction of Bernard Knowles. It was Martine Carol's first movie in three years.[18] Filming was suspended due to lack of funds.[19] Carol died of a heart attack in February 1967[20] and production resumed under the direction of John Ainsworth after her death.[21]