Rome Adventure (1962)
Grade: 49
"Rome Adventure" is a romantic fantasy targeted to young women and armchair tourists. The cast is lovely and the photography of Rome is interesting. However, the pace is deadly slow, and the two hour length is too long for the skimpy story.
Suzanne Pleshett, in her film debut, plays an American librarian who decides to quit her job and take an extended vacation in Rome. Apparently her parents are wealthy and obliging and pay for the associated bills. Once there, she must choose between handsome and interested suitors, and find her one true love.
Pleshett is a capable actress, but in this role she may as well be perfect. Let's see, she's educated, gorgeous, intelligent, young, of wealthy parentage, and relentlessly normal. As a result, she's also impossible to identify with. There's not much drama in which paramour she will choose, since any one of them is a reasonable choice. Anyway, it isn't revealing much to state that Troy Donahue is her favorite. They later wed in real life, just in time for his career to falter.
More trivia: The song "Al De La" featured here became a top ten pop hit in 1962.
Pleschett and Donahue spend many romantic and photogenic moments among Rome's ancient ruins, elaborate churches and fountains, and art museums. Curiously, although the weather is fine, they are always about the only people there. But when they are in a nightclub, it is always crowded.
Romans, who built and preserved the featured landmarks, are in this film reduced to the role of deferential servants. Tourists and foreigners have apparently taken control of Rome.
Jazz trumpeter Al Hirt has a cameo. His character is supposed to provide comic relief, but it just doesn't work. He's no actor, and he's not helped by the stupid lines he must deliver.
Despite all its faults, the film is not awful. What strength it has comes from the cinematography and the attractive cast.
http://members.tripod.com/~Brian_Koller/movies.html
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