Wednesday 4 September 2019

Indiscretion of an American Wife (1953 Vittoria de Sica)

Both my Selznick books (he co-produced) contain annoyingly nothing on this, other than as Truman Capote was in Italy writing additional dialogue for the film, Selznick recommended he went to to join John Huston's merry company making Beat the Devil.

Set entirely in the main station in Rome, as married Jennifer Jones tries to end relationship with Montgomery Clift whilst bits of life happen around them (the kids given the chocolate remains an evocative scene).

We saw the re-edited 63 minute version of Statzione Termini, originally 90 minutes, though the US release didn't even include the opening - Jones approaching Clift's apartment but not being able to go through with it. (Maybe this was the UK release, though that was titled Indiscretion). The Italian version has much more of the various secondary characters (waiters etc.)

Interesting. Though when Clift hits her hard, for her saying he should go, we both wanted to push him under a train.




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