They were more alike than they had imagined and their demons finally engulfed both of them.
The 50's in Hollywood was wild beyond words. It was the era of contracts, clandestine love affairs, divorces, and even murders, but Frank Sinatra and Ava Gardner stole the show with their love story. They were the industry's most infamous and explosive couple.
The gossip columns hit jackpot when the two were spotted dining together in 1950. This was also the time when the Fly Me to the Moon singer was still married to his wife Nancy Barbato who was at home caring for his three children, which included a newborn, reported The Mirror.
The affair sparked criticism from fans who did not appreciate Sinatra's infidelity with the one person who had the reputation of a serial cheater in the industry. After the public humiliation that Barbato suffered because of her husband's actions, she decided to divorce him.
Even before the two had met, Sinatra had confessed his wishes to marry Gardner after he saw a picture of hers. He said, “I’m going to marry that woman.” As fate had, his wish did come true. Just a few days after his divorce from Barbato, in 1951, Gardner and Sinatra ended up tying the knot, reported The Vintage News.
While the two were thriving on their love, unlike Gardner, who was at the height of her career, Sinatra was spiraling down. MGM had terminated his contract and he was losing his fan base as well. But Sinatra didn't seem to care, he had Gardner. “All of my life, being a singer was the most important thing in the world, now you’re all I want, ” he had said when the two began their affair.
As reported by the Jazziz, the pair not only shared their love for jazz, alcohol, and physical intimacy, they were also an extremely insecure couple, fueled by Gardner's wealth and Sinatra's frustration.
The fiery couple was known to have the most ridiculous public fights over the smallest things. Sinatra being out of work and Gardner being the only breadwinner started taking a toll on their relationship. It was the darkest time for the Witchcraft singer.
In an interview with Peter Evans, she said, “Frank was flat broke when we tied the knot. I don’t know where those stories came from that the Mafia was taking care of him. They should have been. But the…family was nowhere to be seen when he needed them...It was me!" as reported by Vanity Fair.
She also confirmed that Sinatra attempted suicide three times, all while they were married. She admitted that they were drinking every night which ended up in fights. Explaining Sinatra's first attempt she said, "I was half asleep in my room across the suite and heard this gunshot. It scared the bejesus out of me...he was sitting on the bed in his underpants, a smoking gun in his hand, grinning like a goddamn drunken schoolkid. He’d fired the gun into the fucking pillow.” Gardner described his other two attempts as a "cry for help."
Their relationship crumbled even more after Gardner admitted to having two abortions during their marriage because she thought their marriage was plagued with jealousy, insecurity, and was unstable for a child to grow.
According to The Mirror, it was the second abortion that destroyed everything for the couple. Right after the actress wrapped up the shoot of her blockbuster movie Mogambo in 1953, she flew away to Madrid with Spain’s most popular bullfighter, Luis Miguel Dominguin, to pursue a steamy affair. Just a year later she filed for divorce but Sinatra didn't grant her divorce till 1957.
His rather public relationship and heartbreak news revived his career. Their tragic separation didn't falter Sinatra from trying to reconcile with his love but all his attempts were in vain. His 1957 album Where Are You? was an outpouring of grief and emotions that he was feeling at that point.
In this new phase of life, the tables had turned. While Sinatra flourished, Gardner drowned herself in alcohol. Though she never accepted it, the ordeal with Sinatra had affected her badly. She later suffered a stroke after which she couldn't talk. Sinatra would send her a floral bouquet every year and she kept a photo of them from the time they were together by her bedside until she passed away due to emphysema in 1990 at the age of 67, reported Jazziz.
Sinatra, 82, passed away 8 years later. Even their deaths filled the tabloids just like their affair, love, marriage, and divorce did.
References:
https://www.mirror.co.uk/3am/celebrity-news/inside-frank-sinatra-ava-gardners-22290210
https://www.thevintagenews.com/2018/10/06/ava-gardner-frank-sinatra-2/amp/%20%7C/
https://www.jazziz.com/im-a-fool-to-want-you-the-love-story-of-frank-sinatra-and-ava-gardner/
https://www.vanityfair.com/hollywood/2013/07/book-ava-gardner-marriages-seduction-split
