The Roman Spring of Mrs. Stone

Vivien Leigh plays Karen Stone, a middle-aged actress whose career is in a tailspin. To assuage her hurt feelings, Karen goes on a vacation to Rome with her husband, who dies en route. Her best friend (Coral Browne) compassionately arranges for a young Italian escort (read: gigolo) to keep Karen ...more

The Roman Spring of Mrs. Stone is a hauntingly beautiful, if somewhat predictable, adaptation of the Tennessee Williams novel of the same name. Director Jose Quintero, who made his name as a stage director of Williams and Eugene O'Neill, gives the story a confining, claustrophobic feeling, despite its extensive use of gorgeous Italian outdoor locations. While this is initially effective, it grows a bit wearying and also negates the impact of the film's conclusion; by not sufficiently altering ...more