Summer and Smoke (film)
- Laurence Harvey: John Buchanan
- Geraldine Page: Alma Winemiller
- Rita Moreno: Rosa Zacharias
- John McIntire: Dr. Buchanan
- Thomas Gomez: Mr. Zacharias
- Una Merkel: Mrs. Winemiller
- Malcolm Atterbury: Reverend Winemiller
- Pamela Tiffin: Nellie Ewell
- Earl Holliman: Archie Kramer
- Patrick Lee: Mrs. Ewell
Summer and Smoke is an American film drama from the year 1961, after a play by Tennessee Williams.
Action
Shortly before the First World War, lives Alma Winemiller, the unstable and lonely daughter of a pastor in a small town in the state of Mississippi. Even from childhood she is attracted to John Buchanan, who like his father is indeed a doctor, but does not want to go the same way as he did. John, however, preferred lebensfrohere people around him as the shy Alma. Especially Rose Zacharias, the attractive daughter of the casino owner, has done it to him. When Alma John once tentatively suggests, what she feels for him, he takes her to the casino. When he tries to seduce her later, Alma runs hysterically it.
Some time later, John's father has to go away. John takes the opportunity to celebrate his engagement to pink with a wild party. Alma calls Dr. Buchanan and alerted him who hurries back then. With Mr. Zacharias he is in dispute and is accidentally shot. John is shocked by the tragedy and assumes his father's practice. With time, Almas love into an obsession. She is looking at John and offers him. But now it is John who wants to consummate their relationship on a spiritual level.
When Alma learns that John is planning to marry Nellie Ewell, wanders around in frustration. In a park she makes the acquaintance with the traveling businessman Archie Kramer. Archie asks her about the city's attractions. Alma smiles and proposes to take a taxi to the casino. As they drive off, Alma looks at the leaves falling from the trees.
Criticism
The lexicon of the International film wrote about the film: " The film production coarsened the more inward- tone of the play by Tennessee Williams, but offers considerable Entertainment Notable:. ., The finely tuned interplay of actress Geraldine Page "
Bosley Crowther criticized by the New York Times that only a few hints of the poignant loneliness of the play in the bright oversized and overcrowded film is available ..
In contrast was the Variety considers director Glenville have a solid sketch drawn with the support of effective guided occupation.
Awards
The film was awarded the 1962 four nominations for the Oscar in the category Best Actress ( Geraldine Page ), Best Supporting Actress ( Una Merkel ), Best Original Score ( Elmer Bernstein) and Best Art in Color (Hal Pereira, Walter H. Tyler, Sam Comer and Arthur Krams ).
Just as the NBR Award for Best Actress Geraldine Page also won the Golden Globe for best actress in a drama. For the Golden Globe Elmer Bernstein also were nominated for best film music and Pamela Tiffin as best young actress.
Peter Glenville was also not nominated for the DGA Award from the Directors Guild of America and for the Golden Lion at the International Film Festival in Venice.
Background
The film had on 16 November 1961 in New York 's premiere. In Germany he appeared on 13 April 1962 in the cinemas.
The stage play by Tennessee Williams, in which Geraldine Page also played the lead role, was premiered on October 6, 1948 on Broadway and had 102 performances. The British stage version of the play staged the director of the film adaptation, Peter Glenville.
Geraldine Page returned after a break of eight years, where she worked for television, back to the big screen.