ManiakJiggy This is How Movies Should Be Made

Hadrina The movie's neither hopeful in contrived ways, nor hopeless in different contrived ways. Somehow it manages to be wonderful

Janis One of the most extraordinary films you will see this year. Take that as you want.

Delight Yes, absolutely, there is fun to be had, as well as many, many things to go boom, all amid an atmospheric urban jungle.

vincentlynch-moonoi In this film, Yvette Mimieux plays a beautiful young lady who, as a child, was kicked in the head by a horse, and whose mental development has been slowed to the level of a 10 year old...except when she is rapidly picking up a new language and in certain other social settings. (Interestingly, just one year later, Mimieux played the socially slow and naive wife of Dean Martin in "Toys In The Attic"). That's the first problem with this film -- an inconsistency with Mimieux's character.She is in Florence, Italy with her protective mother (the grand and gracious Olivia de Havilland). While there, they are stalked...well in 1962 it wouldn't be considered that...by an Italian suitor -- George Hamilton. Hamilton's limited ability as a serious actor was beginning to show by the time he made this -- his ninth credited film...but he gets by here. Is Hamilton on the level? Apparently so, since his family is relatively wealthy. His father is played by Rossano Brazzi. Barzzi is his normally suave self here, and rather enjoyable, although this film is not one of the highlights to his career.And then along comes Daddy...a very worn-out looking Barry Sullivan, long past his prime in film (if there ever was one). Apparently he was gotten on the cheap here, and they didn't even want to spend money for a little makeup. Daddy, by the way, wants to put daughter in a "country-club" institution.As a result of Daddy's plans, with a couple of stumbles along the way, Mama does everything she can to make the wedding happen, and when it does she says, "I know I did the right thing!" It's a bit distracting in places to watch this film due to what may be a deterioration in the film, or as shown on TCM, a bad print. Nevertheless, despite its flaws, this is an interesting film worth a couple of hours of your viewing time.

Tim Kidner I saw Light in the Piazza ten years ago and gave it 4/10 then and since saw IMDb's score and thought I should see it again. When it came on TCM I re-watched it, to see if time and maturity on my part would be more kind to it.Normally, Americans vacationing in either Paris or Italy are an instant turn-off for me (unless it's Roman Holiday). There is an added moral sinew to this one and so, despite the frothy music and never ending over-polite native service staff, there is an extra dimension to this travelogue. Some have cited that the sunny widescreen vistas are the only real reason to see Light in the Piazza and it is possible to switch off the dialogue and gently dream of such, if one so wishes.That extra muscle in the body of this film might seem a minor dilemma except to those afflicted, for whom it must be all consuming. Not being a parent, it could be difficult for me to sympathise with Olivia de Haviland's continual fussing over her brain damaged daughter, damage which only manifests itself in social situations as she has the mental age of a ten year old, yet is sexy, blonde and vivacious enough to turn the heads of young, virulent men. Including one Italian young man, Fabrizio, who is in actual fact American George Hamilton, turning up the accent to annoying levels and this miscasting effectively kills the film for me. Every time he pops up, which is often, I want to throw something at the screen because of this falsity. But, as the flirting couple get ever closer, the question as to whether to call off the holiday early, forbid Clara (the daughter) in seeing her beau or to simply let it run its course, whatever the outcome is dealt with gently but in some detail by de Haviland, her working, absent businessman husband and others. Not boringly done, but a definite sidetrack if one only wanted a vacant sights-show.To reveal which of the three courses that I outlined de Haviland chooses would necessitate a spoiler and so you'll have to see it for yourself. There are worse things to waste time on, but you may feel rather uneasy that you had.

fedor8 I didn't realize this was supposed to be a tear-jerker until I read some of the comments here. LITP is an okay little cheesy film to waste one's time to, but it didn't jerk any tears. Not even close. (But maybe when one is a jerk, tears cannot be jerked out of oneself?) Emotionally the movie is rather flat, resembling a casual picture-postcard stroll through the streets of Florence i.e. not at all a storm of gut-wrenching plot-twists played by over-actors. LITP has a very convincing De Havilland, plus a relatively cute Mimieux being good playing a somewhat retarded woman. (We're told it's an IQ of a 10 year-old, in other words somewhat higher than Tom Cruise's and slightly lower than Sean Penn's.) Of course, before you shower Mimieux with undue praise, keep in mind that nearly all Hollywood bimbos have very low IQs (WITHOUT having been hit in the head by ponies) hence portraying such characters is like shooting fish in a barrel for them. Even easier than couch-casting.And of course I mustn't forget George Hamilton. What a legend. What a presence. No, not really... Casting this Anthony Perkins Clone School reject as a flirtatious Italian is the height of silliness. Sure, compared to casting Di Caprio as a man or Jennifer Aniston as a "hot babe" it's nothing dramatically bad, but it still makes you wonder how it's possible that they couldn't find a dark-haired, big-nosed Southern-looking chappy to play Mimieux's love-interest. Even Charles Bronson looks more the part than Hamilton. John Cassavetes? Why not. That snide grin would have given this story a whole new perverted twist...LITP has the usual old-school Hollywood clichés about Italians: charming, fun-loving, always thinking about sex, etc. The movie even suggests in a very subtle way (barely noticeable) that Italy might be a great place for a retarded American woman to blend in perfectly. I mean, no-one noticed that there's something wrong with her! Now, if that isn't insulting, I don't know what is...

edwagreen Excellent supporting performances are given in this 1962 film by Yvette Mimieux, as a mentally impaired young lady and by George Hamilton as her Italian suitor.The subject nature of the film is most interesting. A woman, whose own marriage is faltering, takes her daughter to Italy where the latter unexpectedly finds romance. What is difficult to take is that the young Fabrizio(Hamilton) and his family fail to realize that Clara (Mimieux) is mentally impaired. The dialogue reveals this in about 10 minutes into the film.Barry Sullivan has the under-stated role of Olivia De Havilland's husband, a tobacco executive, who briefly appears when he is summoned to Rome. What is also hard to embrace is the very sudden turn around by the mother (De Havilland) who at first does everything possible to break up the romance only to wholeheartedly endorse it.Some major social problems are dealt with here, especially what to do with mentally impaired children when the parents are no longer here.I found the ending to be more of a cop-out.