If you are patient enough to sit through this adaptation of Tennessee Williams' second-tier stage play, "Summer and Smoke," I feel you will be rewarded.
One of the best things about Williams is his ability to create characters with interesting flaws and idiosyncrasies, and "Summer and Smoke" is no exception. This is crucial because not only is the narrative overly verbose due to its stage play origins, but there are no major plot twists until past the midpoint.
Set in a small Mississippi town right before World War I, the production design hits the mark, especially the costumes that capture the period perfectly.
"Summer and Smoke" tells the tale of two neighbors who have known each other since childhood: Alma Winemiller (Geraldine Page) and John Buchanan Jr. (Laurence Harvey).
Both characters have issues with their parents. Alma has become a spinster, even though she's relatively young in her 30s, forced to take care of her emotionally unstable mother, Mrs. Winemiller (Una Merkel). Alma's reticence in relationships, especially with men, is partly due to her strict minister father, Reverend Winemiller (Malcolm Atterbury).
John also struggles with his physician father, John Sr. (John McIntire), a widower who is angry with his son over his gambling and drinking habits - particularly embarrassing since John Jr. Has recently become a doctor himself.
Alma fantasizes about John, but their relationship remains platonic, even after he makes a physical advance. John believes Alma is repressed due to her puritanical upbringing, while Alma sees John as irresponsible due to his profligate ways.
John becomes attracted to the sultry Rosa (Rita Moreno), the daughter of a local casino owner, Papa Zacharias (Thomas Gomez). Unfortunately, Rosa is a completely underdeveloped character and the weakest part of the script.
Things come to a head when John hosts a drunken party with Rosa and her father in the Buchanan home. Alma calls John Sr. About the chaos, leading to a tragic chain of events. John Sr. Begins whipping Papa Zacharias, who responds by shooting him. John bitterly blames Alma for his father's death, and they remain estranged for many months.
Alma's decision to call John's father home was myopic, as she did not anticipate his extreme reaction, despite the community's knowledge of his disdain for his son's behavior, which jeopardized his reputation.
However, this tragedy ends up transforming both John and Alma. As Alma puts it, "the tables have turned." She is no longer afraid of her carnal desires and now desires a physical relationship with John.
The young doctor also undergoes a transformation and becomes a responsible member of the community, crediting Alma for turning him into a spiritual person.
In a melancholy twist, John rejects Alma's advances, as he is now committed to marrying Nellie Ewell (Pamela Triffin), a recent college graduate.
"Summer and Smoke" could have easily descended into bathos after John's rejection of Alma, but the last scene saves the picture. Alma is shown open to meeting a new man, traveling salesman Archie Kramer (Earl Holliman). It's an uplifting scene that suggests going through turbulent events in life can lead to positive transformations.
Geraldine Page delivers a great performance as the oversensitive daughter, although some argue that Laurence Harvey is miscast as the libertine young doctor. Perhaps Paul Newman might have been better suited for the role, but Harvey's performance is certainly adequate.
Among the supporting players, Una Merkel stands out with her outstanding portrayal of the emotionally challenged mother.
Overall, "Summer and Smoke" is a well-written chronicle of the transformation of platonic friends, capturing the nuances of its characters and delivering a poignant message about personal growth and resilience.
One of the best things about Williams is his ability to create characters with interesting flaws and idiosyncrasies, and "Summer and Smoke" is no exception. This is crucial because not only is the narrative overly verbose due to its stage play origins, but there are no major plot twists until past the midpoint.
Set in a small Mississippi town right before World War I, the production design hits the mark, especially the costumes that capture the period perfectly.
"Summer and Smoke" tells the tale of two neighbors who have known each other since childhood: Alma Winemiller (Geraldine Page) and John Buchanan Jr. (Laurence Harvey).
Both characters have issues with their parents. Alma has become a spinster, even though she's relatively young in her 30s, forced to take care of her emotionally unstable mother, Mrs. Winemiller (Una Merkel). Alma's reticence in relationships, especially with men, is partly due to her strict minister father, Reverend Winemiller (Malcolm Atterbury).
John also struggles with his physician father, John Sr. (John McIntire), a widower who is angry with his son over his gambling and drinking habits - particularly embarrassing since John Jr. Has recently become a doctor himself.
Alma fantasizes about John, but their relationship remains platonic, even after he makes a physical advance. John believes Alma is repressed due to her puritanical upbringing, while Alma sees John as irresponsible due to his profligate ways.
John becomes attracted to the sultry Rosa (Rita Moreno), the daughter of a local casino owner, Papa Zacharias (Thomas Gomez). Unfortunately, Rosa is a completely underdeveloped character and the weakest part of the script.
Things come to a head when John hosts a drunken party with Rosa and her father in the Buchanan home. Alma calls John Sr. About the chaos, leading to a tragic chain of events. John Sr. Begins whipping Papa Zacharias, who responds by shooting him. John bitterly blames Alma for his father's death, and they remain estranged for many months.
Alma's decision to call John's father home was myopic, as she did not anticipate his extreme reaction, despite the community's knowledge of his disdain for his son's behavior, which jeopardized his reputation.
However, this tragedy ends up transforming both John and Alma. As Alma puts it, "the tables have turned." She is no longer afraid of her carnal desires and now desires a physical relationship with John.
The young doctor also undergoes a transformation and becomes a responsible member of the community, crediting Alma for turning him into a spiritual person.
In a melancholy twist, John rejects Alma's advances, as he is now committed to marrying Nellie Ewell (Pamela Triffin), a recent college graduate.
"Summer and Smoke" could have easily descended into bathos after John's rejection of Alma, but the last scene saves the picture. Alma is shown open to meeting a new man, traveling salesman Archie Kramer (Earl Holliman). It's an uplifting scene that suggests going through turbulent events in life can lead to positive transformations.
Geraldine Page delivers a great performance as the oversensitive daughter, although some argue that Laurence Harvey is miscast as the libertine young doctor. Perhaps Paul Newman might have been better suited for the role, but Harvey's performance is certainly adequate.
Among the supporting players, Una Merkel stands out with her outstanding portrayal of the emotionally challenged mother.
Overall, "Summer and Smoke" is a well-written chronicle of the transformation of platonic friends, capturing the nuances of its characters and delivering a poignant message about personal growth and resilience.