It turned Lean from a subtle, very English director into an international film-maker working in broad strokes.
Summertime (1955)
Tomatometer
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Reviews Counted:13
Fresh:12
Rotten:1
Average Rating:7.5/10
Runtime: 1 hr 39 mins
Genre: Dramas
Synopsis: Lean's lushly photographed classic about an old maid (Hepburn) who falls in love for the first time while visiting Venice. American tourist Jane Hudson's lack of romantic experience makes her... Lean's lushly photographed classic about an old maid (Hepburn) who falls in love for the first time while visiting Venice. American tourist Jane Hudson's lack of romantic experience makes her insatiably vulnerable to the lush beauty of Italy, and leaves her wide open to the charms of a handsome Italian man (Brazzi). So intoxicated is Jane by their whirlwind affair that she is reluctant to relinquish her new love, even after discovering that he is married and has a family. A touching performance by Hepburn and stunning Technicolor scenes of Venice make SUMMERTIME an enchanting classic. [More]
Starring: Katharine Hepburn, Rossano Brazzi, Isa Miranda, Darren McGavin
Starring: Katharine Hepburn, Rossano Brazzi, Isa Miranda, Darren McGavin, Mari Aldon, Jane Rose, MacDonald Parke, Gaitano Audiero, Andre Morell, Jeremy Spenser
Director: David Lean
Director: David Lean
Producer: Ilya Lopert
Composer: Alessandro Cicognini
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Reviews for Summertime
The dialogue can be stagey and Venice is evoked at a tourist level, but it's beautifully photographed and Hepburn's loneliness and sadness look disquietingly real.
The film stacks up as promising entertainment -- with some reservations.
David Lean's restrained direction, Katharine Hepburn's nuanced turn as a spinsterish middle-aged secretary, and above all Venice's alluring sights compensate considerably for a plot that's borderline banal and schmaltzy.
Being Lean's favourite of his films this is undoubtedly worthy of attention.
Thanks to Hepburn's performance we can feel how this woman's past romantic disappointments have made a passionate affair seem so simultaneously appealing and frightening.
Summertime was shot exclusively in Venice. And for those who have been to Venice, the film is a rare treasure;
As a coming-of-age story it remains touching. As a showcase for Katharine Hepburn, it is superb.
The challenge thus set of making Venice the moving force in propelling the play has been met by Mr. Lean as the director with magnificent feeling and skill.
| Tomatometer Percentage | Movie |
|---|---|
| 36% 36% | G.I. Joe: The Rise of … |
| 52% 52% | The Taking of Pelham 1… |
| 45% 45% | Ice Age: Dawn of the D… |
| 19% 19% | Transformers: Revenge … |
| 55% 55% | Orphan |
| Tomatometer Percentage | Movie |
|---|---|
| 98% 98% | Up |
| 88% 88% | Ballast |
| 66% 66% | The Merry Gentleman |
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