Hepburn finds romance in Venice
Very often, a location is so powerful in story telling that it becomes a character in itself. Such is the case with “Summertime,” a mid-50s film that takes place in Venice. The picturesque Italian city of canals and gondolas works its magic on a spinster secretary from Akron, Ohio, who finds romance.<br /><br />Her summer in Venice is the trip of a lifetime for American Jane Hudson (Katharine Hepburn). As she explains enthusiastically to a fellow passenger, she has to enjoy her first time in Europe because she’s saved up for many years to afford it. With her movie camera in tow, she is enchanted by the beauty of the old city with its churches, piazzas, and foot bridges over canals. At the Pensione Fiorini, where she has booked accommodations, she finds herself alone among couples, both elderly and young. She develops a nice rapport with young street urchin Mauro (Gaetano Autiero), who accompanies her occasionally and is a sort of local guide.<br /><br />While sightseeing, Jane notices an unusual goblet in an antiques store and goes in to inquire about it. The shop is run by middle-aged Renato de Rossi (Rossano Brazzi), and the two find themselves attracted to one another. Renato proves to be an excellent companion for Jane as she drinks in the old world charm of Venice, and she believes that in him she has found the romance that’s been missing from her life. Eventually, she discovers that Renato is married and the father of several children. She is initially shocked and upset, but later rationalizes that, though the relationship may not be the ideal romance she dreamed of, it is a real one, and the couple spend several idyllic days on the island of Burano.<br />Katharine Hepburn’s performance is sensitive and intelligent. She’s especially effective in the film’s early moments when she conveys a nervous tension and longing. Several scenes show her alone, sitting at the Pensione after the other guests have left, strolling the narrow alleyways of the city, or sitting in a crowded piazza cafe. Her wistful expression reveals her character’s unhappiness as she longs for something more than taking pictures of Venice’s attractions. At 47, Hepburn was the right age to play a lonely spinster, and is adept at conveying Jane’s practicality, self-awareness and maturity. Her desire is not a schoolgirl’s storybook longing for a knight to sweep her off her feet. The movie’s stage origin is evident in the naturalistic dialogue, which Hepburn delivers in her distinctively clipped manner.<br /><br />Based on the Arthur Laurents play “The Time of the Cuckoo,” the film is a bittersweet modern fairy tale. Jane surrendering herself to emotion rather than grimly adhering to her puritanical upbringing may have been somewhat shocking in the 1950s but now seems less so. The clash of values and personal morality drives the dramatic conflict. Brazzi’s character is all charm, which is exactly what Jane responds to. We don’t see him as a cad, and we believe his attraction to Jane is real. But Brazzi’s low-key performance almost renders him invisible next to Hepburn’s thoughtful, emotional portrayal, and he comes off more as a convenient device to move the narrative than as a flesh-and-blood person.<br /><br />Director David Lean filmed the entire movie on location in Venice, which was unusual at the time. Generally, a second unit would film remote location footage, as in “An American in Paris,” and the majority of the picture would be shot at the home studio. Lean is known more for the Academy Award winners “Bridge on the River Kwai” and “Lawrence of Arabia” than for this modest romantic drama, but it does weave its charm, particularly with its lovely Technicolor photography, Alessandro Cicognini’s recurring romantic theme, and Hepburn’s touching performance.<br /><br />Bonus materials on the unrated Criterion Collection Blu-ray release include the following:<br />David Lean Interview<br />Melanie Williams Interview<br />Jack Hildyard Interview<br />Theatrical Trailer<br />Booklet<br /><br />“Summertime” was one of David Lean’s favorite films. Hepburn’s portrayal as a vulnerable woman contributed to the film’s being a box office success. Just as “Three Coins in the Fountain” was a love letter to Rome, so “Summertime” captured the charm, beauty, and romance of Venice.
The movie title "Summertime (The Criterion Collection) [Blu-ray]," available on Movies & TV, has received an average rating of 4.7 from 484 reviewers. 
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 {"Genre": "Drama", "Format": "Blu-ray", "Contributor": "Katharine Hepburn, David Lean, Mari Aldon, Jeremy Spenser, Jane Rose, Virginia Simeon, Macdonald Parke, Rossano Brazzi, Isa Miranda, Darren McGavin, Gaetano AutieroKatharine Hepburn, David Lean, Mari Aldon, Jeremy Spenser, Jane Rose, Virginia Simeon, Macdonald Parke, Rossano Brazzi, Isa Miranda, Darren McGavin, Gaetano Autiero   See more", "Language": "English", "Studio": "The Criterion Collection", "MPAA rating": "NR (Not Rated)", "Package Dimensions": "6.65 x 5.35 x 0.51 inches; 3.53 Ounces", "Director": "David Lean", "Media Format": "Blu-ray", "Release date": "July 12, 2022", "Actors": "Katharine Hepburn, Rossano Brazzi, Isa Miranda, Darren McGavin, Mari Aldon", "Country of Origin": "USA", "Number of discs": "1"}

Here is a brief synopsis of the title : With this sublimely bittersweet tale of romantic longing, director David Lean left behind the British soundstage to capture in radiant Technicolor the sun-splashed glory of Venice at the height of summer. In a tour de force of fearless vulnerability, Katharine Hepburn embodies the conflicting emotions that stir the heart of a lonely, middle-aged American tourist who is forced to confront her deep-seated insecurities when she is drawn into a seemingly impossible affair with a charming Italian shopkeeper (Rossano Brazzi) amid the ancient city’s canals and piazzas. Lean’s personal favorite among his own films,.