The Roman Spring of Mrs. Stone (1961)

Director:

José Quintero

Writers:

Gavin Lambert (writer)
Jan Read (additional writing)

Release Date:

28 December 1961 (USA)

Genre:

Drama | Romance

Plot:

Critics and the public say Karen Stone is too old -- as she approaches 50 -- for her role in a play she is about to take to Broadway...

Plot Keywords:

Widow | Nobility | Intimacy | Unrequited Love | Age Difference

Awards:

Nominated for Oscar. Another 1 nomination

Cast

  (Cast overview, first billed only)

Vivien Leigh	...	Karen Stone
Warren Beatty	...	Paolo di Leo
Coral Browne	...	Meg
Jill St. John	...	Barbara Bingham
Jeremy Spenser	...	Young man
Stella Bonheur	...	Mrs. Jamison-Walker
Josephine Brown	...	Lucia
Peter Dyneley	...	Lloyd Greener
Carl Jaffe	...	Baron Waldheim
Harold Kasket	...	Tailor
Viola Keats	...	Julia McIlheny
Cleo Laine	...	Singer
Bessie Love	...	Bunny
Elspeth March	...	Mrs. Barrow
Henry McCarty	...	Campbell Kennedy (as Henry McCarthy)

Also Known As:

The Widow and the Gigolo

Runtime:

103 min

Country:

UK | USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color (Technicolor)

Aspect Ratio:

1.37 : 1

Sound Mix:

Mono (RCA Sound System)

Certification:

UK:12 (re-rating) (2005) | UK:X (original rating) | Canada:14+ (Ontario) | Australia:M | Finland:K-16

Filming Locations:

Associated British Elstree Studios, Shenley Road, Borehamwood, Hertfordshire, England, UK

Company:

A. A. Productions

Trivia:

Last full-length feature film of Ernest Thesiger.

Quotes:

Karen Stone: You see... I don't leave my diamonds in the soap dish... and when the time comes when nobody desires me... for myself... I'd rather not be... desired... at all.

Movie Connections:

Referenced in Nancy Drew (2007)

Interesting Tennessee Williams tale...good performances...

There's a haunting, poetic quality to some of the lines in 'The Roman Spring of Mrs. Stone' and this is as it should be--for the author is none other than Tennessee Williams.

Once again, Vivien Leigh is perfectly cast as a sadly adrift Williams heroine and she is still a fragile looking beauty as the aging actress who finds herself strangely attracted to gigolo Warren Beatty, just one of the studs under the employ of the Contessa (Lotte Lenya). Leigh gives her role all the nuances she could always bring to a part and finally throws caution to the wind when she throws her keys to a man who has been following her, waiting for his chance while keeping a discreet distance. The ending is sheer Williams and does not disappoint.

Ironically, at the same time this was being filmed in Italy, Olivia de Havilland (Vivien's co-star in 'GWTW') was doing an entirely different sort of Italian romance called 'Light in the Piazza' which also made handsome use of Italian locations. In 'Roman Spring' Warren Beatty assumes an Italian accent that is not quite convincing. In 'Light in the Piazza' George Hamilton assumes a somewhat better one and has fun in a more humorous role. Both pictures are entertaining and deserve wider recognition.

Final note: As usual, in 'Light' de Havilland played a more wholesome role. In 'Roman Spring' Vivien was decidedly neurotic.