Review of Summertime

Introduction

Adapted by David Lean, H. E. Bates and an uncredited Donald Ogden Stewart, from Arthur Laurents` play `The Time of the Cuckoo`, `Summertime` was released in Britain in 1955 under the title `Summer Madness`.

David Lean is best known for such films as `Lawrence of Arabia`, `Doctor Zhivago`, `Brief Encounter` and `Bridge on the River Kwai` and amongst his lesser known films is this romantic drama with Katharine Hepburn as American tourist Jane Hudson. Unmarried and `past the age where friends refer to her as a girl`, she arrives in Venice with high expectations, having spent a large amount of money on the trip.

Stunned by the beauty of Venice and charmed by its peculiarities - "This is the bus?" she asks, stepping onto a boat - she tries not to be the typical American tourist, distancing herself from a brash couple on a whistle-stop tour of Europe with whom she shares a hotel. Used to being independent, she walks around on her own, but constantly meets Mauro, a young street urchin and whilst shopping encounters Renato, an antiques dealer from whom she buys an 18th century goblet. An attraction immediately forms between them, yet she is torn between her independence and what could be the love of her life.

Video

As you would expect from a David Lean film, the cinematography is superb, yet the grainy transfer is disappointing. Venice looks stunning and the ideal location for a short holiday - a far cry from the menacing and threatening Venice of Nicolas Roeg`s `Don`t Look Now`!

Audio

The DD 2.0 mono soundtrack is perfectly clear, though unspectacular, and is fine for a film of this nature. There are no subtitles.

Features

None.

Conclusion

All great directors have films that are considered their best work, and others that are lesser known. In the case of David Lean, he has his `A-list` movies and then films like `Madeleine`, `The Passionate Friends` and `Summertime` that are relatively unknown. I had never heard of `Summertime` and it perhaps has been overlooked by distributors, having only now become available on DVD in the UK nearly ten years after the Criterion studio released it in the US.

As films of this type aren`t exactly my favourites, I wasn`t sure whether I`d enjoy `Summertime` or not, but I did and really believed the relationship between Jane and Renato. Rossano Brazzi brings a real latin charm to the screen and it`s easy to see why Jane Hudson would fall for his character.

Whilst not one of David Lean`s best, it is however a well crafted and heartwarming film, with a terrific performance by Katharine Hepburn who, like Lean, received an Oscar nomination. It`s a great matinee watch, but the picture quality and absence of supplementary material are a real shame.