Memorable, crazy movie

Better Late Then Never

The film creates a perfect balance between action and depth of basic needs, in the midst of an infertile atmosphere.

The film never slows down or bores, plunging from one harrowing sequence to the next.

A sultry, clammy celluloid adaptation of Tennessee Williams' searing gender study SUMMER AND SMOKE directed by the UK thespian-turned-stage-regisseur Peter Glenville (his third feature film). Living in Glorious Hill, Mississippi in the early 20th century, Alma Winemiller (Page, parlays her stage success into cinema), a minister's daughter, has been carrying a torch for her neighbor John Buchanan, Jr. (Harvey) ever since she was a little girl. Weaned on a puritanical upbringing and encumbered with a kleptomaniac mother (Merkel, facing off grandly with a full-throttle Page, and is given a career-commemorating Oscar nomination) who is off her trolleys, a maiden Alma dreads that her youth will soon get shrouded into spinsterhood. One summer, when Johnny, now a medical practitioner like his father (McIntire), the prodigal son returns to Glorious Hill, Alma's feelings for him are rekindled, but for a gadabout Johnny, Alma's modesty cannot rival the exotic allure of Rosa Zacharias (Moreno, oozing strangely touching empathy in her feral presence), a wild Mexican girl who revels in their carnal knowledge, and affectionately admits that he smells really good, their liaison is basically corporeal but there is candor in it.Be that as it may, Johnny is not at all chaste towards Alma, but makes a blunder when he tries to liberate her torrid soul (Alma means "soul" in Spanish) from her prissy manacles. A consequential tragedy further drifts them away (from our vintage point, Alma is quite blameless for its unexpected but vacuous fallout) but subliminally the disparity between them starts to squarely influence their respective perspectives about themselves (although in Johnny's case, his metamorphosis is obviously more associated with his personal loss).Therefore, emboldened by a trading-places scenario, the drama takes a heart-rending turn in the "right people, but wrong time" finale, which bestows Ms. Page a crowning showpiece of self- liberation mingled with a smorgasbord of emotions, her rejoicing aspiration, segueing to a heart- opening tête-à-tête, then following by revealing dismay and heartbreaking, the karma is holy stiltedly designed, but Ms. Page's flair holds its own when her southern mannerism is sublimated into something like a tenable institution, a flesh-and-blood being. Laurence Harvey, on the other hand, beautifully plays out his raffishness and ekes out sensitive gesticulations incessantly, but most of the time, he keeps Johnny's morality ambiguous. In company with Elmer Bernstein's bespoke score measuring up protagonists' internal flickers, SUMMER AND SMOKE is humble in its material construction but a deep-fish psychological balancing art between two polarized species inhabiting in the same biome, a bone-fide heartstring-tugger among Mr. Williams' canon.

(Some Spoilers) Having carried a torch for John "Johnny Boy" Buchanan, Laurence Harvey, since childhood Alma Winemiller, Geraldina Page, had almost forgotten about him until he unexpectedly showed up, in his jalopy, at a Forth of July fireworks display at his and Alma's home town of Glorious Hill Mississippi.Johnny had been away for years studying medicine in order to fill his old man's Dr. Buchanan, John McIntire, shoes as the towns doctor. It doesn't take long to figure out what Johnny really is in his both arrogant and condescending display of hubris towards both Alma and his dad. Having hit every whore house gambling den and ginmill from Virginia to Mississippi Johnny got back home ten days late outraging his dad who refused to let him stay at his house.Spending the evening at the notorious Moon Lake Casino Johnny got right back into action gambling drinking and striking up a hot and heavy relationship with the joints owner Papa Zacharias', Thomas Gomez, hot to trot and hot blooded daughter Rosita, Rita Marino. Johnny in a effort to put the hurt on Alma, the town preacher's daughter, who's alway pestering and annoying him about the goodness of the soul lets it out that he plans to wed the fiery and anything goes Rosita.Angry and deeply hurt Alma gets in touch with Dr. Buchanan at his clinic about Johnny's wild and uncontrollable lifestyle that in the end might well end up killing him. Rushing home to bang some sense, and morality, into his son's head Dr. Buchanan finds the placed a total wreck. With dead drunk party goers, including Johnny Boy, and empty whiskey bottles littering the place Dr. Buchanan spots Papa Zacharias plopped down on his, Dr.Buchanan, favorite easy chair and completely loses it.Before Johnny, who's upstairs smashed on booze, could stop it Old Man Buchanan starts to beat the barley sober Papa Zacharias who in self defense pulls out a gun and blasts him away. Johnny seeing what a mess he made and not even being forgiven by his dad, on his death bed, turns over a new leaf and goes straight. Straight to his now deceased old man's clinic finishing the work, in saving the townspeople from a deadly epidemic, that Dr. Buchanan started.Alma who wanted to straighten Johnny out, in him seeing the light, during the entire movie succeeded beyond her wildest dreams! Johnny became so spiritual that he, in respecting Alma's wishes, refused to have anything psychical, or sexual, to do with poor Alma! Treating her as if she were an unapproachable and untouchable Goddess instead of a real live and wanting to be sexually fulfilled woman!Johnny throwing away his wild life of womanizing and drinking ends up marrying young, who's 19 years old compared to Alma's 35, Nellie Wells,Pamela Tiffin, who was once a student in Alma's Bible Sunday-school & singing class. Alma now left out in the cold losing the only man that she was ever in love with ends up doing what she tried to, successfully, save Johhny from doing. Alma gives into the sinful lifestyle that Johnny, with her help, just threw away! Discarding her strong religious upbringing Alma ends up going to the Moon Lake Casino with Archie, Earl Holliman, a lonely traveling salesman, whom she picked up in town, to have a wild crazy and wonderful time with!Beautifully photographed, in lushes color, the movie "Summer and Smoke" greatly benefited from the wonderful acting of Geraldine Page as the spinster religious and ultra sensitive daughter of the towns preacher Reverand Winemiller, Malcolm Attenburg. We also can't leave out the great acting contribution in the film by British actor Laureance Harvey. The very British, as well as Lithuanian/Jewish, Mr. Harvey seemed to have made a name for himself in playing Southerners as well as lovable heels all throughout his great but unfortunately short, Harvey died in 1973 from stomach cancer at age 46, movie and stage career.

"Summer and Smoke" is another Tennessee Williams southern drama that, after debuting as a play, was made into a film and later an opera. Set earlier in the 20th Century, it's the story of repressed passion, unrequited love and desperation. Geraldine Page stars as Alma Winemiller, the uptight daughter of a minister. She teaches voice, sings a little, and lives with her father and an insane mother (Una Merkel). Alma, since childhood, has been in love with the young doctor next door, John Buchanan (Laurence Harvey), the son of a doctor and a playboy. Buchanan has recently returned to town and is still a reckless playboy. Now he's involved with Rosa Zacharias (Rita Moreno), a girl from the wrong class and the wrong side of town. On the evening that something could have happened between Alma and John, she runs from him. One night, while a wild party is going on at the Buchanan house, Alma goes next door and learns that Rosa and John are going to be married. Upset, she calls John's father (John MacIntyre) at the hospital and urges him to return home. The result is tragedy.This is a very powerful and poignant story of two people, one interested in earthly pleasures and one focused on the soul and spirit. Neither one is entirely right or wrong, but it creates a chasm between them. When each realizes what the other has been saying, it's too late for them.Geraldine Page, who played this role to great acclaim on stage, brings her magnificent portrayal to the screen. The role was based on Williams' sister, who eventually went insane. If physically Page is a little less delicate looking than one imagines Tennessee Williams' female characters, her portrayal contains all of the fragility of the role. The final scene between Alma and a salesman, played by Earl Holliman shows the shocking contrast between Alma in the beginning and at the end of the film. Geraldine Page gave us all too few gems on films, as she concentrated on the stage. We have to savor what we have.Laurence Harvey is very handsome and desirable, but probably a little too refined for the role of John. The role needs someone whose sexuality is less ethereal and more earthbound. Una Merkel is excellent as Alma's mother, a truly disturbed and frightening woman.Very good film based on a Williams play, worth seeing for the wonderful Geraldine Page and its thought-provoking story.

This is one of the most underrated Films from a T. Williams source. Its star , sadly is Laurence Harvey and even more underrated actor.Many folks had such huge hopes for a long career for Mr Harvey when it was cut so short we often ponder " what would have been" This film gives us some wonderful insight as to the heights that could have been.Harvey plays Dr. Buchannon on a multitude of levels of emotional detachment..and is superb. Fitzgerald delivers in her role as the tortured Alma and stalwarts, John MCintyre and Rita Moreno supply the sparks.Lost in all of this is a fine performance by the large version of Thomas Gomez..who proves again his versatility. I love the irony of the ending with the appearance of Earl Holliman as ' Archie" Good Drama is never dated and Peter Glenville (dir) makes it all happen..also ..one wouldn't be surprised to note that Hal Wallis is the producer..one of the all time best that Hollywood has ever had.C Pope