Review of Summertime (1955) by Cecilia C — 02 Mar 2009

Far too conventional for it's own good, "Summertime" has the distinct problem of appearing great, but being nothing more than average. Let me first say that this film is absolutely gorgeous.

It might be one of the best colorized films I've ever seen. Lean really captures the city of Venice in an almost palpable way; every shot is visually stunning. On the flip side, the story is absolutely sub-par.

"Summertime" starts off very promising. We're introduced to a woman who is trying to "find a miracle." We are to infer that this lady has recently fallen into trouble with a former lover and is looking for something to happen.

What happens is she begins discovering herself through the city and its inhabitants. As the movie progresses, we meet a "love interest" who is shot only in shadow or indoors. From this, I assumed that this character was supposed to allude to Hepburn's "former lover" and that she should shy away from him.

I was wrong. This is a Hollywood film, and what would summertime in Venice be without the all too familiar love affair? It would probably be a great movie. I wish "Summertime" was like that.