LIGHT IN THE PIAZZA

US, 1962, 102 minutes, Colour.
Yvette Mimieux, George Hamilton, Olivia de Havilland, Barry Sullivan, Rossano Brazzi.
Directed by Guy Green.

The Light in the Piazza is an attractive human drama, with elements of soap opera, but attractively presented and intelligently acted. The principal focus is on Olivia de Havilland who gives a warm performance as a mother with a retarded daughter. Yvette Mimieux is attractive in this central role. George Hamilton, early in his career, plays well as an earnest Italian young man who wants to marry the daughter. Rossano Brazzi and Barry Sullivan are in the supporting cast.

One of the principal effects of the film is the attractive Cinemascope photography of Florence and Rome. There is a romantic score by Mario Nascimbene. The screenplay is by veteran writer Julius J. Epstein (whose credits include Casablanca). Direction is by Englishman Guy Greene who made a number of attractive and interesting human dramas in the '60s including A Patch of Blue and A Walk in the Spring Rain.

1. A pleasing human drama? The treatment of soap opera elements? The stylish presentation of the film? Attractive for the '60s? Later audiences?

2. M.G.M. production values: Cinemascope colour photography, the picturing of Florence, the visit to Rome? The mood of the score?

3. The title and its focus on Clara (and the Italian meaning of the word ? clear. light)? The Italian setting? The element of hope?

4. The ingredients of popular melodrama - the 'woman's picture' ingredients? Heightened situations, the emphasis on sentiment and emotion, the focus on the women? The focus on Margaret and her dilemma, the focus on Clara? The type of response asked from the audience? Experiencing Margaret's problems ? and her final statement about her daughter's wedding?

5. The background of affluence, American wealth, Italian society? The cigarette business, international business interests, living in comfortable style? The Italian experience of the war, shops, villas? The life of Florence?

6. The relationship between Clara and Margaret? First impressions? Clara's prettiness then the discovery of her age? Her behaviour as a delighted child? The tours and what she looked at, her playing with the dogs, the importance of meals? The hiring of the tutor and her lessons? Her ability with the Italian language? The chance encounter with Fabrizio? His perennial popping up and checking by telephone at the hotel? Margaret's reaction? Clara's reaction? Clara's moods, the outings? Fabrizio's father meeting mother and daughter? The invitation to the villa and Clara playing with the dog? Her childlike innocence? Her story being told and audience response to her accident, the injury, the way that she had grown up? The question of a possibility of change? Her capacity for loving, marrying, raising a family?

7. The portrait of Margaret and Olivia de Havilland's warm presence? Her constant love and care for her daughter, her being ever-present? and the Italian's criticism of this? Her managing her daughter's life, the background of schools, the possibility of institutions? Her desire to give her life for her daughter? Arranging the lessons? The continual worry? Her response to Fabrizio, her amazement at his turning up all the time. her wariness? Her phone calls to her husband? The outings with Fabrizio and his father? Their discussion at the restaurant? Their going to the festival ? and the background of the death and Fabrizio's father's comment? Clara and her tantrums in the street? Her father's arrival and his response?

8. Fabrizio as a dashing young Italian, the chance meeting, his ringing the hotel, the perennial gifts, his knowledge of and lack of English, his enjoying playing with Clara, relating to her at her level, the play on the word 'fortunissimo'? Fabrizio's father testing the family? The visit to the home? The reaction of the rest of the family? His mother not speaking English? Margaret and Clara going to Rome? The humorous sequence of the stopping of the train and the kiss? His reaction to their return, the preparation for the wedding, his father's tantrum about Clara's age? The happy ending and the possibility of a married life? An attractive young man?

9. Fabrizio's father and his 'walk'? Talking with Margaret, the invitation to the festival, the visit to the villa? Questions of money, age? His reaction against Clara's age? His flirting with Margaret? His wife, her tantrums, the family and his blunt style?

10. The possibility of success for the marriage? Margaret and her wanting to inform the family about Clara, her relying on Clara's innocence, love for children? Her difficulty in expressing the truth?

11. Her relationship with her husband Noel? His arrival, his sensitivity about Clara, his plans for her going to a school, for treatment? The enjoyment of the holiday? The phone calls? Clashes with Margaret? The strain on their marriage and his wanting to preserve it? The significance of his not coming to the wedding? Margaret's assertion that she had done the right thing?

12. The romantic Italian background - the tours of Florence and Rome? The atmosphere of holiday and play? The touches of humour?

13. The issues explored in this popular style: motherhood, the protective mother, retardation, innocence, the possibility of marriage? Doing 'the right thing'?