If you’re digging into the Woman of Straw cast, you’ve likely stumbled upon a movie that feels like a fever dream of mid-century glamour and cold-blooded greed. Released in 1964, it’s one of those films that people usually find because they’re chasing down the filmographies of Sean Connery or Gina Lollobrigida. But here’s the thing: it’s way more than just a "Bond actor" side project.
It’s a nasty, stylish thriller.
The movie centers on a ruthless plot to swindle a dying tycoon out of his millions. It’s set against the backdrop of Audley End House in Essex and the glittering sun of Majorca. Honestly, the cast is what keeps this whole house of cards from falling down. You have three heavy hitters at the top of their game, all playing characters who are—to put it mildly—pretty terrible human beings.
The Power Players: Gina, Sean, and Sir Ralph
When people talk about the Woman of Straw cast, they usually start and end with the big three. It’s understandable. You have the world’s biggest action star, an international sex symbol, and a knight of the British stage.
Sean Connery as Anthony "Tony" Richmond
This was a weird time for Connery. He was right in the thick of Goldfinger mania. Most actors would have played it safe, but Connery chose to play Tony Richmond, a man who is basically the "anti-Bond." Tony is bitter. He’s resentful. He hates his uncle, Charles Richmond, with a passion that borders on pathological.
Connery doesn't play him with the usual suave heroics. He’s manipulative. He convinces a nurse to marry his dying uncle just so they can split the inheritance. It’s a dark role that showed audiences back in '64 that Connery had serious range beyond the Walther PPK. He’s cold here. Like, "ice water in the veins" cold.
Gina Lollobrigida as Maria Fabbri
"La Lollo" was at the height of her powers here. In the Woman of Straw cast, she’s the emotional core. She plays Maria, the Italian nurse hired to care for the tyrannical Charles Richmond.
Maria isn't a simple femme fatale. She’s more of a victim of circumstance who lets her ambition get the better of her. Lollobrigida had to play a very specific balance: someone who is morally upright enough to be a nurse but desperate enough to go along with a massive fraud. Her chemistry with Connery is famously... complicated. Off-screen, rumors of friction between the two were rampant, but on-screen, that tension actually works for the movie’s paranoid atmosphere.
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Sir Ralph Richardson as Charles Richmond
If you want to talk about scene-stealing, we have to talk about Sir Ralph. He plays the billionaire uncle, and he is a monster. He’s wheelchair-bound, misanthropic, and treats his staff like dirt.
Richardson was one of the "big three" of the British stage alongside Olivier and Gielgud. He brings a level of Shakespearean weight to a role that could have been a caricature. Every time he’s on screen, you’re waiting for him to bark an order or insult someone. He makes the audience understand why Tony hates him so much, which is vital for the plot to work. Without Richardson’s looming, nasty presence, Tony’s plan wouldn't feel justified.
The Supporting Players Who Glue It Together
A movie like this lives or dies on its ensemble. Beyond the stars, the Woman of Straw cast includes some incredible British character actors who fill out the edges of this grim world.
Alexander Knox as Detective Inspector Lomer
Knox shows up later in the film to poke holes in everyone’s lies. He plays the detective with a quiet, observant persistence. Knox was an Oscar nominee (for Wilson), and he brings a much-needed sense of grounded reality to the third act when the "perfect crime" starts to unravel.
Johnny Sekka as Thomas
This is a really interesting bit of casting for 1964. Sekka plays the loyal servant to the elder Richmond. In an era where diverse casting was rare in mainstream British thrillers, Sekka’s performance is dignified and pivotal. He sees more than he lets on, and his character becomes a quiet witness to the moral decay of the Richmond family.
Laurence Hardy as Baynes
Hardy plays the lawyer, and he’s exactly what you’d expect: dry, professional, and slightly oblivious to the murder plots happening under his nose.
Danny Daniels as Fenton
Another member of the household staff. The movie uses its domestic setting to create a sense of "upstairs-downstairs" tension that heightens the stakes of the central con.
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Why the Production Was a Total Chaos
The Woman of Straw cast didn't exactly have a smooth ride. Director Basil Dearden was known for being a craftsman—he did The Blue Lamp and Victim—but the ego clashes on this set were legendary.
Sean Connery was reportedly frustrated with Gina Lollobrigida’s acting style. Gina was a "star" in the old-school European sense—she cared about lighting, angles, and her image. Connery, coming from a more rugged, direct background, apparently found this exhausting. There are stories that they barely spoke when the cameras weren't rolling.
Then you had the script changes. The movie is based on a French novel, La Femme de paille by Catherine Arley. The book is incredibly bleak. Like, "no one wins" bleak. The filmmakers had to soften some of the edges to make it a Hollywood-style thriller, which led to some creative friction among the writers and the leads.
The Majorca and Essex Connection
Location is practically a character in this film. The contrast between the cold, gothic grey of the English estate and the blinding sun of Majorca mirrors the transition in the story.
When you watch the Woman of Straw cast lounging on a yacht in the Mediterranean, it looks like a dream. But the cinematography by Otto Heller (who also did The Ipcress File) makes it feel claustrophobic. Even in the open ocean, the characters are trapped by their own greed.
- Audley End House: This served as the Richmond estate. It’s a real Jacobean "prodigy house." It feels massive and empty, which perfectly suits Sir Ralph Richardson’s isolated billionaire character.
- The Yacht: Much of the middle act takes place at sea. This is where the tension between Connery and Lollobrigida really simmers. It’s also where the movie takes its most Hitchcockian turns.
What Most People Get Wrong About Woman of Straw
Look, if you go into this expecting a James Bond movie, you’re going to be disappointed. Or maybe pleasantly surprised.
People often assume it’s a standard "whodunit." It’s actually a "howcatchem." We know what Tony and Maria are doing. The thrill comes from watching them squirm as the situation spirals out of control.
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Another misconception? That it’s a "light" movie. It’s not. It’s actually quite cynical. It deals with elder abuse, psychological manipulation, and the corrupting nature of extreme wealth. It’s more in line with The Talented Mr. Ripley than it is with North by Northwest.
Is It Worth the Watch Today?
Absolutely. If only to see Sean Connery play a genuine villain.
He’s so good at being bad. Most of his career was spent playing heroes or anti-heroes with a heart of gold. In Woman of Straw, his heart is made of flint. Watching him manipulate Gina Lollobrigida is genuinely unsettling.
And Sir Ralph Richardson? He gives a masterclass in how to be an absolute jerk on screen while still being fascinating to watch. He doesn't want your sympathy, and he doesn't get it.
Actionable Insights for Fans and Collectors
If you're looking to dive deeper into the world of the Woman of Straw cast, here’s what you should actually do:
- Check out the Original Novel: Catherine Arley’s La Femme de paille is even darker than the movie. It’s a great comparison piece to see how 1960s cinema handled "unlikable" protagonists.
- Compare it to "The Servant" (1963): If you like the class-warfare and psychological manipulation in Woman of Straw, watch Dirk Bogarde in The Servant. They make a perfect, cynical double feature.
- Look for the Otto Heller Cinematography: Watch the movie specifically for the lighting. Heller was a master of using shadows to signal a character's moral descent. Notice how Maria (Lollobrigida) starts the film in bright, soft light and ends up shrouded in darkness.
- Visit the Locations: If you’re ever in the UK, Audley End House is open to the public (English Heritage). You can walk the same halls where Richardson’s Charles Richmond terrorized his staff. It’s much more pleasant in real life, I promise.
The movie might have been a bit of a "flop" back in 1964, but it has aged like fine, slightly poisoned wine. The Woman of Straw cast delivered performances that were ahead of their time, opting for psychological complexity over easy thrills. It’s a must-watch for anyone who likes their noir with a dash of high-society rot.