Em Roma na Primavera

I have to disagree with the comments that Warren Beatty made this movie. I thought his Italian accent was poor and most of the time he sits and pouts.

Vivien Leigh made this movie for me. She related to Karen Stone because at the time she was a manic depressive and was receiving shock treatments.

This role is very similar to Blanche Dubois and Mary Treadwell.

I've read the novella by Tennessee Williams and the movie does make a very good adaptation of it.

The cinematography is beautiful and so is the costuming.

When her wealthy, older husband dies, an aging actress (Vivien Leigh) decides to retire and move to Rome. For some strange reason, she finds herself at a loss. She seems to have no interests - no hobbies. She becomes "fixated" on having sex with young men.

She is introduced to a "candidate" (Warren Beatty) by a procurer, Lotte Lenya. But Mrs. Stone (Vivien Leigh) is somewhat reluctant to begin a "liasion".

Eventually, she succumbes to his obvious charms. But their relationship is skin-deep - she provides the money, he provides the sex. Meanwhile, a filthy street urchin (Jeremy Spenser) has been following her. He is hoping to capture her attentions. "What do you want?", she cries out.

Eventually, Mrs. Stone loses her "boy-toy" - he becomes attracted to a much younger woman. And Mrs. Stone falls into the arms of the filthy street urchin. The film, which has many fine and memorable moments, is dominated - and weakened - by the parched performamce of Vivien Leigh, who seems to be struggling for air.

When she falls into the arms of Jeremy Spenser, you just know that the end is not far off. The film is basically a hard-hitting testimony to the inescapable fact that love for sale is not an beneficial enterprise for anyone - the buyer or the seller

Lotte Lenya's formidable, terrifying performance captures the forbidding soul of this movie.

I love this movie and recently purchased the 2006 DVD version with accompanying 12-minute "analysis". The analysis features an interview with Jill St. John who admitted that not once during filming did Miss Leigh ever actually speak to her. Interesting. That certainly mirrors the relationship between Karen Stone, the aging and drifting actress, and Miss St. John's irritating bimbo-starlet character in the story. Yes - Beatty's accent is horrendous and distracting but otherwise, he captures the essence of a young Roman hustler. Lenya outdoes herself and is nominated for a Golden Globe and an Oscar for her performance as the procurer. But, Vivien Leigh IS this movie with her fading beauty/fame and related insecurities mirroring those of the title character. Miss Leigh's stunning early 60s couture by Balmain, the posh sets, and that baby-blue Lincoln convertible are wonderful props for a poignant and compelling tale of loss and the loneliness and desperation that can result therefrom.

By the way, I am conflicted and unsure about the finale of the movie. I presume that's what Mr. Williams intended.

"In a few years, a cut throat would be a blessing" that's what Karen Stone (Vivien Leigh) tells Paolo (Warren Beatty)letting us know that she sees her life in an inexorable descend into the unspeakable. Old age is the ultimate punishment for the vain and the selfish. Tennessee Williams dissects that theory with an expert hand. The depression that Vivien Leigh (magnificent, once you get over the wig) carries with her at all times is so pungent and vivid that when you see her smile you may emit a sigh of relief. She's looking for her angel of death and Warren Beatty really looks the part. So Italian in his childishness if not his accent that you understand why Mrs. Stone will let herself fall into his obvious trap, wouldn't you? The pessimism and the sense of tragedy - the most personal and embarrassing kind - leads us by the hand through this gorgeous, gelid journey through a life about to fade in a place, rightly know as the eternal city. Vivien Leigh is sublime looking into her terrifying future. Warren Beatty seems to fit perfectly the reason to go against everything you believe in. Lotte Lenya is great fun to watch and a wonderful villain if I ever saw one. Coral Browne looks enormous next to Vivien Leigh and as a close friend, she reminded me of Mame's closest friend, Vera Charles, the one who would tell you all the ugly truths. I must confess, I enjoyed it but I couldn't shake off the melancholia for days and days.

In general, it seems that most big name actresses are loathe to admit that time has caught up with them. Too often, as they get older, the become vain about their age and often portray women MUCH younger than they really are. However, in the case of "The Roman Spring of Mrs. Stone", Vivian Leigh does something rather brave--she plays a woman who is about 50 (just like Leigh was at the time) and who can no longer play these young woman parts. And I can really respect her for playing a character who hits close to home, so to speak.

When the film begins, Karen Stone (Leigh) is starring in a play. The problem is that her character is just too young for this aging actress to play. Not surprisingly, the audience members think the same and instead of continuing, she decides to quit and take her husband to Italy. He's been ill and this is the perfect excuse to allow her to gracefully pull out of the play. However, on the flight to Rome, he has a heart attack and the credits begin. Soon you learn that he died on the flight and Karen is in this strange city...alone and grieving for her husband.

Because Mrs. Stone is so vulnerable, a horrid old lady has been grooming her--grooming her to be taken by a handsome young gigolo, Paulo (Warren Beatty). Slowly, Paolo insinuates herself into Karen's life and after a while, they become lovers. However, some possible problems occur--Paolo MAY be falling for her for real and Karen soon learns that Paolo has taken advantage of other women and is planning on doing this to her as well. Oddly, however, the relationship continues--even though his prey knows what she's getting into with him.

As I watched this movie, I kept wondering why they cast the characters like they did. Although Beatty did a good job as an Italian, why not just get a handsome young Italian actor?! Also, while Leigh was very good, why have her play an American actress--why not change the story to make her a Brit? I just cannot understand the producer's thinking in both these cases.

So is the movie any good? Well, yes. But you also have to have a very high tolerance for seeing a woman in pain and not mind how unrelentingly grim the story is. This isn't surprising, since it's a story from Tennessee Williams.