Summer and Smoke (1961)

A sultry, clammy celluloid adaptation of Tennessee Williams' searing gender study SUMMER AND SMOKE directed by the UK thespian-turned-stage-regisseur Peter Glenville (his third feature film). Living in Glorious Hill, Mississippi in the early 20th century, Alma Winemiller (Page, parlays her stage success into cinema), a minister's daughter, has been carrying a torch for her neighbor John Buchanan, Jr. (Harvey) ever since she was a little girl. Weaned on a puritanical upbringing and encumbered with a kleptomaniac mother (Merkel, facing off grandly with a full-throttle Page, and is given a career-commemorating Oscar nomination) who is off her trolleys, a maiden Alma dreads that her youth will soon get shrouded into spinsterhood. One summer, when Johnny, now a medical practitioner like his father (McIntire), the prodigal son returns to Glorious Hill, Alma's feelings for him are rekindled, but for a gadabout Johnny, Alma's modesty cannot rival the exotic allure of Rosa Zacharias (Moreno, oozing strangely touching empathy in her feral presence), a wild Mexican girl who revels in their carnal knowledge, and affectionately admits that he smells really good, their liaison is basically corporeal but there is candor in it.Be that as it may, Johnny is not at all chaste towards Alma, but makes a blunder when he tries to liberate her torrid soul (Alma means "soul" in Spanish) from her prissy manacles. A consequential tragedy further drifts them away (from our vintage point, Alma is quite blameless for its unexpected but vacuous fallout) but subliminally the disparity between them starts to squarely influence their respective perspectives about themselves (although in Johnny's case, his metamorphosis is obviously more associated with his personal loss).Therefore, emboldened by a trading-places scenario, the drama takes a heart-rending turn in the "right people, but wrong time" finale, which bestows Ms. Page a crowning showpiece of self- liberation mingled with a smorgasbord of emotions, her rejoicing aspiration, segueing to a heart- opening tête-à-tête, then following by revealing dismay and heartbreaking, the karma is holy stiltedly designed, but Ms. Page's flair holds its own when her southern mannerism is sublimated into something like a tenable institution, a flesh-and-blood being. Laurence Harvey, on the other hand, beautifully plays out his raffishness and ekes out sensitive gesticulations incessantly, but most of the time, he keeps Johnny's morality ambiguous. In company with Elmer Bernstein's bespoke score measuring up protagonists' internal flickers, SUMMER AND SMOKE is humble in its material construction but a deep-fish psychological balancing art between two polarized species inhabiting in the same biome, a bone-fide heartstring-tugger among Mr. Williams' canon.

Tennessee Williams brilliant and expertly told tale of a woman and man whose moral standards or lack of standards never meet as they they both journey to opposite extremes. The story is set in 1916. The lead role of a meticulous yet nervously self conscious reverend's daughter is skillfully portrayed by Geraldine Page. Her name is Alma, as she indicates early on, is Spanish for soul. Too highly moral minded to act on or even think of the physical acts of pleasure she exists in a fantasized world of the romanticized connection of souls. The realities of her life justify her mental escape. Her mother(Una Merkel) had a nervous breakdown some years back and is childishly stubborn. Alma to the outside observer purposely projects a maturity beyond her age as she has taken over many duties usually the responsibilities of a preacher wife. She also bears the duty of disciplinarian to her bratty, shoplifting, and childlike mother. She lives up to the responsibilities thrust upon her. Also she provides public vocal performances at special events and gives voice training lessons. In her fantasy she loves the young doctor next door with whom she grew up.Her handsome neighbor John(Lawrence Harvey)is the son of the town doctor. He has recently finished his medical internship. He is morally the extreme opposite of Alma. He is a drinker, womanizer, gambler, and lacks any sense of responsibility. He has just returned to town and shows Alma a bit of interest but is is distracted by newest town slut Rosa Zacharius whose father owns a nearby casino featuring drinking, gambling, and what else one can only imagine. He is bewitched by Rosa(Rita Moreno). He still shows a mild interest in Alma.He takes Alma to the Casino one night and she is horrified by the activities there. She is with John watching a cock fight and is sickened. Suddenly a spot of blood from the fighting roosters splashes on her blouse. She screams. Brilliant T.W. symbolism! The pure spinster being marked with the symbol of original sin. John and Alma walk outside to a secluded spot. They become rather excited by one another. Alma is about to give in to her physical desire but her pure and high morals overtake the moment and she runs off.John and Rosa become engaged. One wonders why he thought he had to marry her since her character was one of the easiest conquests ever depicted.John's father is in another part of the state treating victims of a deadly outbreak of illness as a volunteer, Alma alerts him about a wild party at his house. He returns home to find drunk people all over his property. He sees Rosa's father and starts beating the passed out man with his cane. He wakes up and shoots John's father. His father linger a few days and dies stating he does not forgive his son. Alma tells John she alerted his father to return home. John verbally assaults her with insulting dialog and blames her for his father's death.Alma descends into deep and dark depression. Meanwhile John is shocked into the reality of the situation and takes up his father's volunteer work at the clinic. He returns a hero to take over his fathers practice as town physician.Alma at this point has taken a dark journey. Her father asks her why she never dresses during the day and where she has been disappearing to at 2:00am. She reminds him of all the chores she does everyday and says,"what more do you want of me?" He says, "what will I tell people that ask about you?" Her startling reply is, "You can tell them I have changed. You don't yet know, how or why... but you may wish that I hadn't. The most important key scenes follow filled with amazing emotion and dialogue. Miss Page is at the top of her game in these scenes. Believe me Alma's father would have wished she hadn't changed. The final scene is lurid. Don't miss this underrated Tennessee Williams masterpiece.

nothing new . at the first sigh. the atmosphere, the final fall, the love as ambiguous desire, the ordinary too late for the essential gesture. at the second sigh, a revelation. because Geraldine Page and Laurence Harvey are the perfect interpreters of a story who represents a fascinating game of nuances. a love story in the Williams style who conquest new nuances in the performances of the lead actors.Alma by Geraldine Page is fragile and tender and the perfect victim of her feelings, family and illusions. she is one of many victims from the Williams plays but the great familiarity with the role on the stage imposes the right tone for each gesture and word and decision. the transformation , the profound change of Alma is more than dramatic. it becomes the fall who remands so many from every day stories . and this could be the detail for impress.

In my opinion, Geraldine Page was the greatest American Actress in the 20th Century. I believe that had she not spent much of her time on the New York Stage, she would have won several more Oscars, but was considered somewhat a Hollywood outsider.She should have won for Summer and Smoke, and Sweet Bird of Youth. She carried these movies by her great acting skills and hard work.All of her movies need to be on DVD. It is particularly surprising to me that Summer and Smoke has not been converted to DVD.Does anyone know if any of her Stage Plays have been captured on video, and if so, where such videos could be obtained?