ROME ADVENTURE
US, 1961, 119 minutes, Colour.
Troy Donahue, Angie Dickinson, Rossano Brazzi, Suzanne Pleshette, Constance Ford, Chad Everett.
Directed by Delmer Daves.
Rome Adventure is one of many romantic, soap opera style melodramas that Delmer Daves directed at this time including Susan Slade, A Summer Place. They were star vehicles for actors like Troy Donahue. Angie Dickinson and Suzanne Pleshette were worldly-wise women in their characters on screen. Rosanno Brazzi specialised in suave Italians.
The film focuses on Suzanne Pleshette as Prudence who gives her romantic novel to a student and is asked to leave school. She travels to Rome, works in a bookshop, meets Troy Donahue as a young man who has broken up with his girlfriend. They travel Italy together – this gives the opportunity for many scenic vistas of Italy and the Italian countryside as well as a 1960s-style romance.
1. The emphasis of this title, the significance of the alternate title "Lovers Must Learn"? The reference to the book at the beginning, to Prudence's experience?
2. Why do audiences enjoy this kind of soap opera so much? The types of character, their crises and situations, the emphasis on love and romance? The emphasis on the young? The experience of the old? The background of travel and the scenery of Italy? Traditional values put to the test?
3. How credible are the characters and the plots of this kind of soap opera? Is this important?
4. The emphasis of the opening, Prudence's strong stand, the significance of her name? Her attack on the School Board? The motivation of her going to Rome? The reaction of her parents, seeing her off, the encounter with the men on the ship?
5. Response to the atmosphere of the trip, the encounter with Roberto and its being accidental, her relationship with Albert? Her sense of liberation as she moved towards Rome? The humour of the telegrams?
6. Her establishing herself in Rome, her encounter with the people in the guest house, the Countess? Her relationship with Roberto and Albert? Roberto and romance? The importance of getting the job? Her looking for love and wanting romance? What kind of person was she as she began her Rome adventure?
7. The role of Roberto in her life? The suave Italian background and experience, the clash with the innocent American, romance and bells ringing? The significance of her turning towards him at the end? How did he help her?
8. The role of Daisy in her life, the American with European experience, her kindness towards Prudence, her warning of Don, her role at the end?
9. How attractive a character was Don? The American hero for this film? His image, role as an artist? The significance of his relationship with Leda? The dramatic significance of their clash? His falling in love with Prudence? What brought them together, the importance of their tour together, celebrating her job, the significance of the song and the music being the theme of the film? What happened to Prudence in her experience with Don? The holiday and the various places they went to, the atmosphere and the background? The importance of meeting Albert and his mother? Prudence and her conscience? Her return to Rome?
10. The contrast with Leda and her air of sophistication? Her wilfulness in leaving Don, her wilfulness in returning, the significance of the meal and her taunting of Prudence? The significance of her summoning Don at the end, the importance of his abandoning her? how credible a character was Leda?
11. Comment on the theme of Lovers must Learn: Prudence and her gaining experience, her wanting to defy conventions in going to Roberto, his teaching her a plain lesson and her wanting to return to America? the final encounter with Albert, the return home, the discovery that Don was there, the candlesticks?
12. How conventional was the material? How enjoyable even in the conventionality?
