Questa ragazza è di tutti

I agree with the recent user comments praising this film. It does really portray the Old South well and puts the viewer right there. If you focus on the characters as the plot develops, it does bring on some intense emotions as you root for this poor girl to get free from her Mother and all the forces pulling at her.

I disagree with the comments regarding a lack of character development in Dobson. There was no need to develop these characters further. Also, the scenes in New Orleans are integral to the whole point of the story and the film itself, I don' understand the negative feedback about the scenes filmed in New Orleans.

Natalie Wood was gorgeous as usual and I think this is one of Robert Redford's best roles. I highly recommend this classic film. I gave it a 9 out of 10.

Natalie Wood ,giving one of her best performances ,portrays a typical Williams heroine.Alva is an innocent sinner.She knows she's attractive,she teases every man around,but she has kept her childhood's dream,she's an immature character.she's akin to the girl of "the glass menagerie".Alva hides her dream in a convert rail car which bears her own name,like the latter dreams her life away with her frail animals.All right,Laura is a pure young girl,Alva is not,by a long shot,but it does not make a big difference.Innocence ,for Tennessee Williams is only a matter of heart.Alva might have been some kind of Blanche Du Bois too.Both are victims,both have a romantic dream,both pretend (Natalie's red dress,Blanche's schlock jewels).I think Alma's arrival in New Orleans is a tribute to Kazan's "streetcar named desire":as she gets out of the train,there's some smoke around.

The over -possessive mother is also a constant in Williams' universe.Alma's mother (a magnificent Kate Reid) recalls Mrs Venable in "suddenly last summer".If Alma does not realize she's some kind of prostitute-Redford tells her so while they are hiding behind the bushes-,her mother resembles a madam in a brothel(the boarding-house).

It's Redford's character who will spoil the party.By revealing Alma who she really is,by telling her he's got no dream,by his social status,he's a man who lives in the material world.Many users noticed it was an ambiguous character:after all he comes to lay off railroad workers in this one-horse town which Alma longs to leave for broader horizons.

The boarding-house and the tiny railway station are certainly a dead end for the heroine.And this car named "Alma" symbolizes a land where time stands still.When Alma leaves for New Orleans ,James Wong Howe's wonderful camera becomes aerial with breathtaking high angle shots on the train.

This is a rather talky movie,and it loses steam in the third part in New Orleans,but it sure did not deserve such a poor rating when so many talents are involved(outside the already mentioned people,there's also Bronson and Ford Coppola -script writer-).It's the beginning of Pollack's heyday,when he was a genuine artist who gave us such major works as "Jeremiah Johnson" and "they shoot horses don't they?".A far cry from "Tootsie" or "the firm".

There's a category of southern drama that has a particular feel to it. You can find it in books like "To Kill a Mockingbird" and movies like this one. The plots are different, but the moods seem to come from the same place. This movie gets it just right. It was obvious there would be a sad ending and I didn't mind. I didn't mind knowing it was coming either.

Natalie Wood gets top billing in this movie, and she creates a convincing flirtatious southern belle. Robert Redford is more interesting in his role, however. I'm not sure I've seen him play cynical and laconic in any other role. Redford fans shouldn't miss this one.

I was not surprised to learn this was Natalie's favorite of all her films. I am a huge Natalie Wood fan and I can watch this film over and over. As much bad press as I've read about it, I still can't understand why so many don't appreciate this masterpiece. Very good story, great romance, great leads with incredible chemistry. Overall, the acting was wonderful and with an ensemble cast. Natalie never looked more beautiful, and that's saying a lot. There are several scenes I have to pause and rewind, it's just difficult believing anyone could be that beautiful! She is simply mesmerizing every second she is on screen in this film. One of her finest performances as well, if not the best of her career. Natalie is pure magic in this film, and regardless of her character's part in her own troubles, Natalie sucks you in and makes it impossible for you not to care about her character. Notable supporting performances from Robert Blake, Charles Bronson, and Kate Reid among others. It's definitely a southern tragedy, as only Tennesee Williams can tell....but so well done that it's worth it....check it out..

I just happened to find this movie on AMC yesterday. I am a very huge Natalie Wood fan myself and I have been dying to check out this movie a long time ago. At first, I thought it was just another romantic movie from the 1960's. But no, this movie is good--a total surprise.

At the beginning, Owen (Robert Redford) is a mysterious stranger who comes to this unknown town for work. He meets this big flirt Alva (Natalie Wood) and she seems to be very fond of him. And later they have an affair but it ends up tragically due to Alva's mother's will.

Redford and Wood have a great chemistry in this movie, which I am quite surprise of. Redford is handsome and calm, yet passion inside. And Wood is absolutely stunning. She was handling her character's transition really well. You can almost feel her agony when her mother "begged" her to stay with a wealthy, lonely old man for "just a tiny bit of time in her life". This is a good movie. A must see. Especially if you're a big fan of Redford and Wood. They are fascinating.