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Summer and Smoke

DVD

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$22.49 (10% off)
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Synopsis

Based on a play by Tennessee Williams, Summer and Smoke follows Alma (Geraldine Page), who has loved John Buchanan (Laurence Harvey) since childhood. Repressed by the pressure of a minister father (Malcolm Atterbury) and a mother who has never recovered for a nervous breakdown (Una Merkel), she keeps these feelings bottled up. Her life becomes unbearable when John returns from medical school and takes up with the sultry Rosa (Rita Moreno), the daughter of the casino owner (Thomas Gomez) who is as open and willing as Alma is shy and repressed. Geraldine Page delivers a smoldering, stellar performance, which won her the Golden Globe® and the National Board of Review® Best Actress Awards. The film received 4 Academy Award® nominations, including Best Actress (Page), Best Supporting Actress (Merkel) and Best Music (Elmer Bernstein). Summer and Smoke is directed by DGA nominee, Peter Glenville (Becket).

Product Format Information

DVD : $22.49

Availability: Usually ships in
5-10 days
Region Code: 1
UPC: 887090025409

Studio : Olive Films, Paramount

Languages: English (Primary)
Aspect Ratio: Widescreen, 2.35

Keywords

Drama, Hollywood Classic, Hospital, Love Triangle, Sexual Politics, Sexual Repression, Southern Life / The American South, Stage-to-Screen: Drama, Unrequited Love, Williams, Tennessee

Genres

Drama, Gay/Lesbian, Hollywood Classics, Romance

Customer Reviews

Finally on DVD

Amos Lassen wrote on 07/30/2010:

“Summer & Smoke”

Finally on DVD

Amos Lassen

Being a big fan of Tennessee Williams, I have often wondered why “Summer and Smoke” is one of the few movies of his plays that has not been released on DVD. That is taken care of now and it is finally available and if for no other reason, it is worth seeing for the bravura performance of Geraldine Page. I can say a lot about this movie but the most important is
the performance of Geraldine Page, perhaps one of the finest female performances ever captured on film. Everything about her is perfect-- her use of her hands, a glance...every nuance imaginable yet to be matched (a Her Alma is a lot more complicated than most realize, and we see repressed rage, hopeless love, dependence on drugs. English director Peter Glenville, directed her and Laurence Harvey and it was actually a fine group of talent. Williams considered this was his best play; he re-wrote it as "Eccentricities of a Nightingale", but the new idea, though admired, and never survived. But with the mood and delivery of Glenville, and the unflinching perfection of Page's performance this play sings. It is Williams's most poetic play and is a showcase for both his words and Geraldine Page's Oscar-nominated performance. Page is a spinster and she deals with spirituality vs. carnality. She is attracted her childhood neighbor, a wild libertine. Williams was a genius and producer Hal Wallis has assembled some great artists for this film. This is Geraldine Page’s great performance and it has been noted so. The film allows close-ups and the viewer can drink all the emotions of the characters, something that cannot be done on the stage. Looking even closer one must not leave out the performance of Laurence Harvey as doctor John Buchanan. His detachments hold a stark contrast for the rest of the characters in the film which is a vital element for Alma in this tragic riddle. Elmer Bernstein’s score frames the film with a melancholy air and the movie is wonderful throughout.