Based on a novella by iconic playwright Tennessee Williams, The Roman Spring of Mrs. Stone came out around the time Williams' career was already in full decline. Williams simply could not match the terrific output he was known for including unbelievably great plays like The Glass Menagerie and Streetcar Named Desire. "Stone" represents Williams' honest attempt at conveying what it was like for a famed writer to lose his grip on his playwriting powers and enter a period in which his output was mediocre at best.
Williams' tale focuses on the fading theatrical actress Karen Stone (Vivian Leigh) who, sensing she's losing her once heralded acting abilities while performing in Shakespeare's As You Like It, decides to retire. After her millionaire husband has a fatal attack on a flight to Rome, Karen decides to stay there and rents a luxury apartment. Karen probably represents Williams at a point in his career in which he questions whether he has "anything" left as an artist.
Unfortunately Leigh's role as Karen is hardly much of a part. She's a perennial sad sack who finally gets involved with a gigolo, Paolo (Warren Beatty), whom she eventually falls in love with. Paolo asserts his independence from Contessa Magda Terribili-Gonzalez (Lotte Lenya) who is basically pimping him out to older women who seek love despite getting on in years.
Beatty has the more interesting part here as we keep guessing whether he has truly fallen in love with Karen or is just using her to financially benefit himself. Eventually he gives up on the moody Karen and falls for the up and coming American actress, Barbara Bingham (Jill St. John).
Karen has an old friend Meg (Coral Browne), who tries to warn her about Paolo's philandering ways but she continues to remain in denial as to his true motives.
The film's narrative is quite lugubrious and there's very little suspense. Only the final scene provides some ambiguity. There has been some controversy over the meaning of the final scene in which Karen throws keys down to an apparent stalker, inviting him up to her apartment after being rejected by Paolo. Some believe that the stalker is some kind of killer and Karen will be murdered.
My interpretation differs from the murder scenario. I believe Karen throws the keys down to the stranger in order to comfort herself by engaging in a sexual encounter. She stills feels the need for some kind of closeness (albeit not of an emotional nature) in order minimize the blow of being rejected by a gigolo.
Some were not impressed with Beatty and his Italian accent but I thought he did a pretty good job, given that this was his only second feature. Leigh certainly exudes her usual class as the world-weary widow, despite the limitations of the script.
While The Roman Spring of Mrs. Stone remains Tennessee Williams' favorite screen adaptation, it mainly scores points for atmosphere as well as impresive costume design. Otherwise the film proves the old dictum that those who have reached success in the entertainment industry but then lose their creative mojo, sometimes find themselves in the end "resting on their laurels" in order to maintain a coveted but underserved position in the spotlight.
Williams' tale focuses on the fading theatrical actress Karen Stone (Vivian Leigh) who, sensing she's losing her once heralded acting abilities while performing in Shakespeare's As You Like It, decides to retire. After her millionaire husband has a fatal attack on a flight to Rome, Karen decides to stay there and rents a luxury apartment. Karen probably represents Williams at a point in his career in which he questions whether he has "anything" left as an artist.
Unfortunately Leigh's role as Karen is hardly much of a part. She's a perennial sad sack who finally gets involved with a gigolo, Paolo (Warren Beatty), whom she eventually falls in love with. Paolo asserts his independence from Contessa Magda Terribili-Gonzalez (Lotte Lenya) who is basically pimping him out to older women who seek love despite getting on in years.
Beatty has the more interesting part here as we keep guessing whether he has truly fallen in love with Karen or is just using her to financially benefit himself. Eventually he gives up on the moody Karen and falls for the up and coming American actress, Barbara Bingham (Jill St. John).
Karen has an old friend Meg (Coral Browne), who tries to warn her about Paolo's philandering ways but she continues to remain in denial as to his true motives.
The film's narrative is quite lugubrious and there's very little suspense. Only the final scene provides some ambiguity. There has been some controversy over the meaning of the final scene in which Karen throws keys down to an apparent stalker, inviting him up to her apartment after being rejected by Paolo. Some believe that the stalker is some kind of killer and Karen will be murdered.
My interpretation differs from the murder scenario. I believe Karen throws the keys down to the stranger in order to comfort herself by engaging in a sexual encounter. She stills feels the need for some kind of closeness (albeit not of an emotional nature) in order minimize the blow of being rejected by a gigolo.
Some were not impressed with Beatty and his Italian accent but I thought he did a pretty good job, given that this was his only second feature. Leigh certainly exudes her usual class as the world-weary widow, despite the limitations of the script.
While The Roman Spring of Mrs. Stone remains Tennessee Williams' favorite screen adaptation, it mainly scores points for atmosphere as well as impresive costume design. Otherwise the film proves the old dictum that those who have reached success in the entertainment industry but then lose their creative mojo, sometimes find themselves in the end "resting on their laurels" in order to maintain a coveted but underserved position in the spotlight.