Ernie on GO NAKED IN THE WORLD (1961)

From: ERNIE the autobiography

by Ernest Borgnine

This melodrama starred Tony Francoisa and Gina Lollobrigida. Tony was all right, but we hated Gina. She was difficult to work with. It got to a point where, one time, Tony ran her right into a post at the bottom of the stairs. I mean, he ran her right into it. Kaboom!

That poor director, Randald MacDougall. He wanted to make a shot of her walking on the beach as the sun was going down. Everyone kept saying to her, "Come on, come on, the sun is setting." But she said, "I have to paint my toenails first." Of course, they lost the shot. And they never would have seen her toes. I guess she needed that to get in character of something.

Gina didn't know that I could speak Italian. Her husband was telling her in Italian, "You have to give it more, this guy's too much balls for you." But as she cranked it up, so did I. I knew exactly what she was doing.

I never said a word. Then one night after work, I said to her in perfect Italian, "Senora, di buona notte, era il mio piacere funzionare con voi!" - "Good night, senora, it was a pleasure to work with you."

She turned white down to her painted toes.