Summertime
An American spinster's dream of romance finally becomes a bittersweet reality when she meets a handsome -- but married --Italian man while vacationing in Venice. Katharine Hepburn's sensitive portrayal of the lonely heroine and Jack Hildyard's glorious Technicolor® photography make Summertime an endearing and visually enchanting film.
Member Reviews
A Venice love affair - kevinm
A beatiful movie shot entirely in Venice. If you've ever been, you'll ache to go back. Katharine Hepburn gives the term 'vacation fling' some class. Rossano Brazzi was totaly charming, and the scenery, well, is superb. So pour yourself a glass of Italian wine, dim the lights, watch the movie and dream away...One beautiful summer - CW--
David Lean manages to capture the beauty of Venice like no other film has. From the leisurely shots of the Piazza San Marco and the canals, to the breathtaking closing shot, you can see the director's love of this city and it's people. The film itself however is a fairly static telling of "spinster" Jane Hudson's (Katharine Hepburn) trip to the city. It's bogged down with too many shots of Hepburn trying to enjoy the city even though there's no man by her side. Maybe in 1954 this was comprehensible, but now it's hard to swallow the idea that a woman would be moping about this instead of taking in the sights with a gusto. When Ms. Hudson DOES meet a man, the movie becomes a wonderful tale of two lonely people finding a love they'll cherish long after the vacation that spawned it is over. And in these moments the film has a quiet beauty that finally allows the scenery to become the backdrop it should have been from the beginning.A one hundred minute vacation - GrimTangent
Lean's beautiful portrayal of Venice is reason enough to watch this classic, but its connection to the director's 1945 masterpiece Brief Encounter makes Summertime a thought-provoking film. Both deal with an affair (though here only one of the involved is married) that both sides know is wrong and cannot last. Whereas BF seemed to dwell on this point of conflict, Summertime places it into the background, perhaps reflecting a change in sentiments over the ten years between the two movies.
Member Reviews
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A Venice love affair - kevinm
A beatiful movie shot entirely in Venice. If you've ever been, you'll ache to go back. Katharine Hepburn gives the term 'vacation fling' some class. Rossano Brazzi was totaly charming, and the scenery, well, is superb. So pour yourself a glass of Italian ...One beautiful summer - CW--
David Lean manages to capture the beauty of Venice like no other film has. From the leisurely shots of the Piazza San Marco and the canals, to the breathtaking closing shot, you can see the director's love of this city and it's people. The film itself however ...A one hundred minute vacation - GrimTangent
Lean's beautiful portrayal of Venice is reason enough to watch this classic, but its connection to the director's 1945 masterpiece Brief Encounter makes Summertime a thought-provoking film. Both deal with an affair (though here only one of the involved is ...