Girl with a Suitcase (La ragazza con la valigia)Zurlini gave the fledgling Claudia Cardinale one of her first significant leading roles in a film in which the actress appeared in practically every scene (alongside her co-star, French actor Jacques Perrin).
The director's faith was vindicated by a performance in which Cardinale's splendid physicality didn't overwhelm a naturalistic and unselfconscious acting style. Despite her undeniable sex appeal, Cardinale's innate modesty and lack of guile on screen only seemed to heighten her allure.
The film screened in competition at Cannes and while more established Italian divas such as Sophia Loren and Gina Lollobrigida reigned on La Croisette, twenty-two year old 'debutante' Cardinale was far from ignored. Paris Match dedicated a front cover to the actress with a headline that trumpeted: "They're already calling her C.C. Claudia Cardinale is B.B.'s [Brigitte Bardot's] young new rival."
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