Summer and Smoke (1961)

Plain, repressed spinster falls for a dashing young medical student, but he prefers the wilder life, until it's too late.

Director:

Peter Glenville

Writers:

Tennessee Williams (play), James Poe (screenplay),

Stars:

Laurence Harvey, Geraldine Page, Rita Moreno

Nominated for 4 Oscars. Another 4 wins & 5 nominations.

Cast

Complete credited cast:
Laurence Harvey	...	John Buchanan, Jr
Geraldine Page	...	Alma Winemiller
Rita Moreno	...	Rosa Zacharias
Una Merkel	...	Mrs. Winemiller
John McIntire	...	Dr. Buchanan
Thomas Gomez	...	Papa Zacharias
Pamela Tiffin	...	Nellie Ewell
Malcolm Atterbury	...	Rev. Winemiller
Lee Patrick	...	Mrs. Ewell
Max Showalter	...	Roger Doremus (as Casey Adams)
Earl Holliman	...	Archie Kramer

Storyline

Since childhood, spinster Alma Winemiller has loved handsome young Dr. John Buchanan, Jr.. But John has fallen hard for Rosa Zacharias, the town's sultry vamp, and descends into a seamy nightlife while ignoring Alma's dreams of romance and possible marriage.

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Plot Keywords:

spinster | death | inhibition | seduction | love triangle | 

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Taglines:

Why do some women turn a beautiful thing into something no better than the mating of beasts?

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Genres:

Drama | Romance

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Details

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Release Date:

April 1962 (Austria)

Also Known As:

Sommer und Rauch

Filming Locations:

Paramount Studios - 5555 Melrose Avenue, Hollywood, Los Angeles, California, USA

Company Credits

Production Co:

Hal Wallis Productions

Technical Specs

Runtime:

118 min

Sound Mix:

Mono (Westrex Recording System)

Color:

Color (Technicolor)

Aspect Ratio:

2.35 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

Hal Wallis Productions bought the film rights to play in 1952, shortly before its Off-Broadway revival, for $100,000.

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Connections

Version of Great Performances: Eccentricities of a Nightingale (1976)

User Reviews

Summer and Smoke ***1/2

Tennessee Williams is at his best here in this great play made into a startling motion picture.

The phenomenal Geraldine Page is absolutely brilliant here as a repressed spinster who finds love with the doctor next door only to throw it away.

Williams continues his never ending attack on religion, rebelliousness, drug addiction and dysfunctional love.

Una Merkel, who received a supporting Oscar nomination for her role as Alma's (Page's) mother, is excellent here. She is weird, a manipulator and pulls out every stop in a very good performance. Too bad that her role was concentrated solely at the beginning of the film.

Laurence Harvey has what it takes as the wild doctor brought down to reality when his lifestyle causes the tragic demise of his father.

Miss Page exhibits every nuance in playing the part that made her such a great actress- a neurotic woman, in conflict with society, or is she a victim of it?