The 25 Sex Symbols of Retro Cinema

In this article, we’d like to introduce you to the 25 sex symbols of retro cinema. Women who have left their mark on retro cinema with their beauty.

-Catherine Deneuve:

The provocative star of Luis Buñuel’s *Belle de Jour* remains a sex symbol despite the passage of time. In 1985, the French government hired Catherine Deneuve to pose as the national emblem “Marianne,” proving that sex appeal is high on the list of national virtues.

-Rachel Welch:

A true sex symbol, the leather bikini in *A Million Years* made her stand out as a wild and exotic beauty.

-Jane Fonda:

With *Barbarella*, she plunged into the collective wet dream of the 1960s, in a performance that remains a marvel of coquetry and daring sensuality.

-Monica Vitti:

As Antonioni’s muse, the Italian actress Monica Vitti, with her feline features and long eyelashes, inspired a sense of adventure and desire; in a way, she brought lust to the silver screen.

-Brigitte Bardot:

We owe this icon to the fashion craze of the French Riviera. She was more than just a stunning beauty; Bob Dylan once confessed that the first song he wrote was for her.

-Ann Magret:

She became a sex symbol for all ages—with her innocent face, tight clothes, and a figure to die for…and her big break in *Carnal Knowledge* alongside Jack Nicholson.

-Ursula Andress:

One could say that the entire Bond franchise was built on the sensual image of Ursula Andress emerging from the Caribbean in a white bikini.

-Gina Lollobrigida:

Considered “the most beautiful woman in the world,” Gina has gone down in film history as one of those exuberant, curvaceous, voluptuous, and spectacular Italian beauties, standing alongside the great Sophia Loren as one of the two great divas.

-Anita Ekberg:

Fellini turned Anita Ekberg—with her perfect pin-up body and deliberately disheveled outfit—into the Swedish-American blonde with the provocative lips, a sex symbol in *La Dolce Vita*, frolicking in the Trevi Fountain.

-Sophia Loren:

She had an aquiline nose, large eyes, and her curvaceous figure, combined with her great talent, made La Loren the legend of the decade. There was something grand, profound, and subtly charged in her performances that hinted at a powerful sexual expressiveness.

-Marilyn Monroe:

The most important figure in sexual iconography worldwide, with a candid and alluring voice, platinum curls, and red lips ready to be kissed.

-Betty Grable:

Thanks to a widely circulated photo, she became a popular pin-up girl for soldiers during World War II. Her legacy endures: Hugh Hefner has cited Grable as the inspiration behind his decision to launch Playboy.

-Ava Gardner:

Known as “the most beautiful animal in cinema,” this classic actress was often flanked by giants such as Clark Gable, Humphrey Bogart, and her third husband, Frank Sinatra. Ava Gardner’s incomparable allure needs no foundation to support it; she exudes an uninhibited sexuality that stands in direct contrast to Marilyn Monroe’s eroticism.

-Jane Russell:

The iconic image of her resting on a bed of hay with a suggestive expression on her face caused quite a stir with the censors; in *The OutLaw* (1943), it earned her the status of a sex symbol.

-Elizabeth Taylor:

Elizabeth Taylor earned her pivotal place in the sexual revolution by being one of the first major stars who didn’t mind causing scandals. Combined with her intense performances and her violet eyes, these qualities gave her a sensual, enigmatic, and fascinating presence.

-Gene Tierney:

Gene Tierney was described by the famous film producer Daniel F. Zamuck as “the most beautiful woman in the entire history of cinema.” Her perfect, sweet features, combined with her great potential as an actress, made her one of the most sensual actresses of her time.

-Lauren Bacall:

With her distinctive husky voice and inquisitive eyebrows, Bacall seemed to emerge from a dark corner, drenched in whiskey; her black satin dress in *To Have and Have Not* is unforgettable. Lauren Bacall was a mysterious and magnetic sex symbol.

-Audrey Hepburn:

What stands out most about Audrey is her elegance, which is always infused with sensuality and versatility.

-Rita Hayworth:

Unforgettable Gilda, the quintessential femme fatale—she is pure sensuality.

-Marlene Dietrich:

An exotic beauty with an elegant, androgynous, and defiant sensuality.

-Joan Crawford:

She is a sex symbol; the power of her striking features made her an actress known for playing passionate and independent characters. Her epic and extensive list of co-stars during the golden age of cinema suggests as much: Glenn Ford, Clark Gable, John Wayne, etc…

-Jean Harlow:

Known as the “blonde bombshell,” she was a formidable figure in the history of sex symbols. With her ultra-thin, pencil-thin eyebrows and broad smile, she epitomized a playful kind of beauty that endured in the new concept of feminine appeal.

-Mae West:

A voluptuous woman who was incorrigibly suggestive and the author of a work titled “Simply Sex.” It is said that Mae West inspired the censorship codes that plagued Hollywood for decades.

-Jayne Mansfield:

She was a true pioneer; her hourglass figure remains a symbol of sensuality to this day. Years later, Marilyn Monroe would become a more daring version of Jayne Mansfield.

-Clara Bow:

Heart-shaped lips and an innocently flirtatious gaze show that the 1920s weren’t as innocent as they’re made out to be.