User reviews

Great looking, idiosyncratic movie with a fascinating cast and the kind of painterly imagery that lingers in the memory, but the story is a jumble and unwisely structured around a limp, spineless, infuriating character. There are so many terrific little details on the fringes that so powerfully convey a sense of time and setting (an outdoor wedding on a windy day in a bombed out Italian village, overheard conversations through thin walls on a walk up the steps of a cramped New York apartment building, an exuberant mob of WWII servicemen reuniting with their wide-eyed war brides the moment they step off the boat - sprinting to meet them and gather them up in their arms as each bride's name is called out on a loudspeaker to wild applause) that it's a shame they're attached to such a diffuse storyline.

John Ericson is a revelation (to me, at least) as the smothered, neurotic veteran (with similarities to "REBEL WITHOUT A CAUSE", as others have pointed out). He looks astonishingly like Marlon Brando in many shots, and he IS a good, sensitive actor in the classic brooding mold. His scenes with the angelic Pier Angeli (future love of James Dean) are unusually tender and achingly romantic and he does an excellent job in one agonizing scene where he bombs in an ill-advised effort to make a living as a door to door salesman. The problem isn't really with his performance; it's just that his character is written in such a way that many of his actions don't seem to mesh with what's going on around him. The character loses our respect early with a terrible act of cowardice and seems to possess mild (at best) interest in getting it back. His behavior towards Angeli at one point late in the movie, is impossible to accept, as is the slushy resolution.

Extremely interesting cast if you're a movie buff. There's Ralph Meeker, the actor who replaced Brando in the stage version of "STREETCAR", if I'm not mistaken. There's Angeli and her association to Dean. And then there's Rod Steiger in his film debut, a five or so minute part as a psychiatrist. Not realizing he was in it going in, I was floored to see him turn up here and was certain at first it must just be some other actor who looked like him.

Really good movies just "nail it" somehow. Despite all its strengths, "TERESA" never quite zeroes in on what it's trying to say. It never quite achieves lift-off. Nevertheless, it's well crafted by Fred Zinnemann and parts of it really stick in the mind.

A movie of note only because it stars a 19 year old Pier Angeli, who plays an Italian girl who meets an American solider (John Ericson) during the war, and marries him shortly thereafter. Angeli is bright-eyed and radiant, and I loved her conversations with her family in Italian, even if they weren't subtitled (maybe even more so because they weren't). Briefly seeing some of the sites in Rome was also nice. Unfortunately, Ericson is not nearly as good as Angeli. His character is admittedly difficult to play and not all that likeable, suffering from panic attacks, lack of confidence, and overall wishy-washiness. I loved how the film is honest in its depiction of war, showing us fear and cowardice, but unfortunately there are no real consequences to it. There are hints at the generation gap of the 1950's, but Ericson is no James Dean. The story telling from director Fred Zinnemann is too segmented and scattered, shifting from war film, to war bride film, to domineering mother film. Patricia Collinge is brilliant as the mom, particularly as we come to understand just how controlling she is, but it's at a point in the film where we just don't see the focus. The ending is also abrupt and unbelievable, as if the filmmakers didn't where to go with it either.

My main reasons for seeing 'Teresa' were for Fred Zinnemann and the subject. Zinnemann made a number of great films, 'High Noon', 'The Day of the Jackal', 'A Man for All Seasons' and 'From Here to Eternity' and was a fine director. The subject was a bold one at the time and the studio could never be commended enough for tackling difficult contemporary issues for the time (some still relevant now) and mostly handling them uncompromisingly. The mixed reviews weren't enough to deter me.

On the most part, to me 'Teresa' was a very sincere and brave effort. A well done film with a lot of merits, the best of them quite brilliantly executed. It is not great and has a few big drawbacks, and as far as Zinnemann's films go it towards the lesser end. That 'Teresa' did so courageously in tackling a subject as tough as this and generally not doing too bad a job with it is to be applauded in my view, even if it doesn't completely succeed (which was a bit of a shame).

'Teresa's' biggest issue is John Ericson, who did not have an easy role admittedly but was clearly over-parted by it. He didn't have the charisma, intensity or pathos for the role and often seemed unsure of how to play the character or what to do with him. The whole character came over as muddled, with such all over the place motivations and such it was very difficult to feel anything for him.

Do agree too with those that have said that the ending was very abrupt and too mawkish, which did feel at odds with the tone of the rest of the film. The script is not always very focused and could have gone into more depth in places.

Generally though, that it pulled no punches, was intelligently written and was written with honesty and respect was much appreciated. The story, regardless of any slightness, mostly does very well executing such a bold subject, and does so so sincerely and so movingly. It had hard-hitting tension and also poignant pathos, nothing is sugar-coated here. Zinnemann's direction is understated which did suit the film and to me it didn't go overboard on that and he didn't seem disinterested or uncomfortable with the material.

Visually, 'Teresa' is very well made with an effective documentary-like approach to the filming. The locations are nice too. The score is moody without being intrusive. The supporting cast are very good, with two of the most interesting characters being those for Ralph Meeker and Patricia Collinge. Rod Steiger is also very good in a very early role and one of his more subdued ones. Best of all is a truly touching Pier Angeli, whose performance and presence is always genuine with nothing ringing false.

All in all, a lot to recommend but with a better male lead and ending 'Teresa' could have been a winner. 7/10

This movie launched the feature film debut of four actors that would later go on to reach some success: Pier Angeli, John Ericson, Ralph Meeker, and Rod Steiger. It was also the first of three films for Bill Mauldin, a famous illustrator for "The Stars & Strips" (the military's newspaper during World War II). The only known actors in the movie were Patricia Collinge (The Little Foxes) and Peggy Ann Garner (A Tree Grows in Brooklyn).

The movie begins with Philip Cass (John Ericson) in a session with his VA psychologist, Frank (Rod Steiger), after returning from the war in Italy. He is having trouble fitting in with civilian life.

His story is related to us in flashback— While serving in Italy, Philip is clearly scared and unable to fight the German enemy until Sgt Dobbs (Ralph Meeker) steps in to guide him to fight. During a battle with the Germans, Philip's assignment is to hide in the bushes and let the Germans pass him by and then shoot up a flare for US soldiers to be ready to fight them down steam Unable to do even this, he is sent to a local hospital with battle fatigue. There he learns that Dobbs had been killed in the fight. Filled with guilt and shame, he hides his head in the pillow and cries.

While in Italy, he and a group of US soldiers are assigned to bivouac in an Italian home. There, he meets, dates, and falls in love with a young Italian girl, Teresa (Pier Angeli). They get married and have a honeymoon in Rome. When he ships out for the US, he must leave his war bride behind until she is authorized to join him.

This brings us back to his private battle in the US: He must find a job and make his own home. But, to do this, he must face his possessive mother, Patricia Collinge, and spineless father, Richard Bishop. There are some fine scenes in this movie, especially between, John Ericson and Pier Angeli. However, there is nothing subtle about the story, which "hits us over the head" rather than simply indicating its meaning.

This is a Tough One to Like because while it is Filmed Exquisitely and the Performances are Top Notch, it is a Movie that has some Very Unlikable Characters. Necessity Determined to Show the Flaws in these Folks, because that's the Story being Told, it is Nevertheless Not Very Entertaining.

Film Noir can Approach the Angst and Suffering of Returning Vets with Stylistic Flourishes and a Snappy Script. But here it is the Drumbeat of Dreadful Psychological Impairment Suffered by John Ericson from Frame One that is a Heavy Load and is Never Lightened by the Angelic Pier Angeli.

She has a Viginal Charm Combined with a Worldly Wisdom brought on by the War and Her Family's Condition. They Live in a Bombed Out Building, Her Brother has an Amputated Arm, and They are All Next to Starvation.

So After She Marries this Basket Case with a Mother Fixation She is Believably Up to the Task of Supporting His Debilitating Condition Until the Inevitable Hollywood Happy Ending that is Typical of MGM's Take on Film-Noir and Socially Relevant Stories.

Overall, Above Average and should be Given Kudos for an Attempt to take a Look at some Disturbing Psychological Impairments that were Never MGM's Strong Suit.

Teresa was one of several marvelous 1951 films that fell off the radar screen.

Others were 'Night and the City', Jules Dassin's best film and possibly the best "film noir" ever made; 'Bullfighter and the Lady' (forget the "B" picture title, it was far better than the more famous 'The Brave Bulls'; and 'The Sound of Fury', titled also later the same year 'Try and Get Me'.

Teresa joins this list of scarcely seen gems. It was John Ericson's first film, but also his best. It does (as your reviewer says) resemble, in its depiction of parental smothering, 'Rebel Without a Cause'. However, Teresa was better. It does Fred Zinnemann proud. It was more sensitive than his touching film of two years earlier, 'The Search'.

What a year 1951 was for forgotten films that were better than many well-known, fondly remembered ones.

Extremely moody melodrama (told mostly in flashback) has young war veteran struggling to adjust to civilian life, bringing over Italian bride to live with him and his parents. Trouble begins almost immediately, however, because of the soldier's mother, who is a neurotic mess. Film takes an eternity setting up its story (which is pretty basic) and John Ericson is terribly miscast in the leading role (when trying for seriousness, this well-scrubbed youth only looks petulant and selfish). Rod Steiger fans might want to take a look; this was his first movie, and he's very good as a psychiatrist. *1/2 from ****

"Teresa", is a movie that is time well spent for several reasons. Patricia Collinge delivers a performance atypical of the most memorable characters she had played to that point in her career. When I think of Collinge, I think of her as the quintessential, albeit clueless mother in Hitchcock's, "Shadow Of A Doubt". The other character was the sympathetic, "Aunt Birdie", from the director, William Wyler's classic film, "The Little Foxes". Collinge, in "Teresa", is spine chilling as a domineering mother / mother-in-law from Hell. She is a great performer. The next reason to recommend spending time viewing this film is for the fine effort by the brilliant director, Fred Zinneman. His talents lend a positive element which makes the film artistically better than good. He was truly a great director. Finally, there is the powerful, yet poignant performance by Pier Angeli. She was perfectly cast as the young girl from post war Italy, who falls in love with an American soldier. Angeli was young, pretty and believable in her role. Zinneman really squeezed a gem of an acting performance from Pier Angeli that left me most moved. The story itself is good, with some predictability, but not to a degree that would make one roll their eyes. I saw this movie just once, several years ago. I am more critical than most when I watch a film. I have been hoping TCM would run it again, as this movie, "Teresa", left a very favorable impression on me. I wholeheartedly recommend this film to lovers of classic films, and to those who like stories from the post WWII era. The other elements are that, "Teresa", offers a good viewing for fans of love stories and stories involving strong, heroic female characters.

Fred Zinnemann's attempt at Neo-Realism is a drab story about a soldier who brings his war bride back to America to live with his disappointment of a father and his overbearing mother. Pier Angeli, as the bride, is lovely, but John Ericson, as the soldier, isn't up to the acting challenge asked of him. Patricia Collinge is decent as his mom, but everyone is done a disservice by Zinnemann's detached direction. I think he was going for understated realism but everything is so understated as to be lacking in any kind of emotional impact whatsoever.

"Teresa" received a 1951 Oscar nomination for Best Motion Picture Story, a category that later was absorbed into the Original Screenplay Oscar.

Grade: C

This is one depressing movie. So many of the lead characters are unpleasant, it really is difficult to know where to start. Let me begin with the most unpleasant character of all. John Ericson. He began as a Mama's Boy, joined the Army and became a misfit and coward, married and was a lousy husband, and finally walked out on his responsibilities as a father. Throughout the movie he whines, cries, and bitches about his lot in life. One has to wonder, even with the demands of war, how he ever got into the service. In his first encounter with the enemy - he is reduced to a quivering blob crying for his buddy and finally ending up in the loony ward with "battle fatigue".

He gets married to Pier Angeli (more later) in Italy just as the war ends. It baffles me how the Army would ever give permission to a guy like him to marry anyone. Once he rotates and his child-bride joins him at home in New York, we begin to discover what a worm he really is.

His mother dominates him and his father is a total wimp. His sister is a totally unlikable snot. The movie keeps flashing forward to his visit with a mental health pro at the VA. I don't know why. There is nothing they could do for him, although the writers would like you to think so. His problem is his mommy, but he attaches himself to anyone he thinks can prop him up. Aggh, it irritates me just to talk about him.

Pier Angeli, on the other hand, makes this movie. Her performance (at 18 yo) is dazzling. She is beautiful, sensitive, and totally sincere. She is clearly in love with Phillip, and wise enough to understand his problem - even if he won't.

It is, as I said, an unpleasant movie. But it was well shot and, I have to admit, a thoughtful movie. All in all, it was worth watching.

It resembles REBEL because the same guy wrote both movies. Rod Steiger's okay because he's only in it for five minutes. He was also pretty good as a shrink in THE MARK (1961), but Rod's just about the worst movie actor of his entire generation. John Ericson was always terrible, no matter what. Bland, whiny, weak, untalented; a drag on the market. In the leading role, of which he had very few, fortunately; he was a disaster. Just like this over the top in all ways and cliched in every manner possible Very Terrible movie. MGM kicked John loose, fast; four years. Gee, Mom's the Culprit. There's a new one. Or an old one; See also REBEL. The only reason on Earth to watch the unending 103 minutes of this turkey is the lovely Pier Angeli. But she has what amounts to a secondary role. Nonetheless, when she takes Philip back at the end, you want to scream Teresa, throw a dart and find a better man. Sheesh. Which was what I tried to tell her when she married Vic Damone. Fatal taste in men, onscreen or off. TERESA's not quite Bad enough for my Worst of 1951 List, but it's on Dis-Honorable Mention '51, for sure.

I recognized Pier Angeli from "Somebody Up There Likes Me" with Paul Newman, which is reminiscent of this film and John Ericson from "Rhapsody" with Elizabeth Taylor. In that film he does a wonderful job of playing a confident, returning G.I. and brilliant concert pianist who has other doubts. In this movie he's a self doubting child/man and she, a radiant child/woman who helps him grow up. Few films deal with so many human issues and frailties as well as this one does: civilians in war, soldiers' doubts and fears, the camaraderie of war, returning home, true love, family resentments, etc., etc. It combines the best elements of "The Best Years Of Our Lives" and "Battleground", but does the latter one better with none of the silly G.I. patter - a small film with an enormous heart. It also reminds me of "Hell to Eternity" (not "From Here To Eternity"), another forgotten movie gem which comes after this one, that deals with war and cross-cultural, family dilemmas. "Teresa" could have been made into three distinct movies - a trilogy - as we follow Teresa and Philip through their lives.

Soldier boy meets local Italian girl falls in love, he suffers shell shock, they marry. The trials of the War Bride forms the basis of this emotional drama. Pier Angeli, plays the young woman starving in war torn Italy. She is excellent having the audience viewer wrapped around her finger, John Ericson plays the mentally fragile, returned soldier. This is their love story. Ericson's character is a classic case of a son being overly mothered by a woman who refuses to let him leave the family nest. Angeli's character is as committed to her marriage, as her mother in law commits to breaking it up. That forms the conflict, which woman wins? I'm sure that the war in Europe produced thousands of similar stories

John Ericson may have had Marlon Brando's looks but none of his talent so his debut performance as a young soldier returning from WW2 with an Italian bride proved not to be the launch-pad for superstardom that it might have been and "Teresa" remains one of the least, and certainly one of the least known, of Fred Zinnemann's films. If it isn't exactly a bad movie it's certainly an unexciting one. The inexperience of both leads shows, (Pier Angeli is Teresa, the young bride), and it's left to the supporting cast, (Patricia Collinge as the clinging mother, Peggy Ann Garner as the sister, Ralph Meeker and Bill Mauldin as soldiers), to try to carry the film. Had it been shorter, tighter and concentrated more on life in post-war New York it might have worked but Zinnemann gives us a very long introductory section in war-torn Italy. These scenes are fine in themselves but they belong in a different picture. For Zinnemann completists only.

There are moments of great power in this film. It starts out very strong, and without giving the story entirely away brings you in. The feel is very much like Italian post-war neo-realism which was unexpected upon viewing.

The performances are great. Erickson is very sympathetic as a tortured soul, and Angeli is fantastic as the young but strong Italian war bride. I would say that the first part set in Italy is the stronger part of the film but while I was a little frustrated with aspects of the story set in America, overall it is a film I will remember for some time. Patricia Collinge and the rest of the supporting cast all do a great job.

This is a quiet film but that tells a powerful story in a way that few American films do. I do recommend it.

Although Pier Angeli appeared in this movie this long lost film also starred my angel Peggy Ann Garner.My Peggy Ann was only 19 year old when she appeared but one could tell that she was an accomplished star. If she did not say one word all you had to do is look into the eyes of my angel and you would know that Peggy Ann was a star. Peggy Ann and Pier were born the same year-1932 but Pier died in 1971. My Angel PEGGY Ann passed away on Tuesday evening October 16,1984. When my angel Peggy Ann passed Hollywood died. Peggy Ann and Pier are gone but they will never forget that long lost movie Teresa which they starred a long time ago. God bless Pier and my angel Peggy Ann Garner.

"Teresa " is akin to other Zinnemann's movies: "the search "was about a relationship between a German kid and a private (Montgomery Clift) who taught him English so that they could communicate ; "the men" dealt with "the soldier has come home" subject :but he's sometimes disabled (Brando) and the doctor had to tell the wife (Teresa Wright ) that she would have to arm up with patience.

"Teresa" combines the clash between two languages -although the fact that two persons can speak English in Teresa's family is hardly gullible- and two ways of life and the soldier's life after the war ; when he returns home, Philippe (Ericson) finds it hard to adjust himself to the land and the over possessive mom he left behind ("you treat me like a two- year old"); and his difficulties to find a new job because he's got a wife to feed (thus the impossibility to go to college). As for the heroine(Angeli) ,not only she left her homeland and her own family but in New York ,she becomes a rival for the mother and soon she realises she's outstayed her welcome.

I have a tendency to prefer the sequences in Italy ,influenced by the Neo-realism of De Sica , Visconti and Rossellini ;the depiction of Teresa's family with the macho brother who displays hostility ; the food the private spoils and the starving children gathering among the soldier to get their share ; the wedding in a church in ruins.

Fred Zinnemann's pictures are always interesting and rewarding for their sincere and thorough psychology. His characters are always convincing, and they always have interesting stories to tell. This is no exception, although it is a rather humdrum and common tale, about a young American soldier who gets a wife in Italy and brings her over to America, with complications, especially concerning relationships, since his mother is reluctant to let him go for a life of his own. She breaks down when she learns he had married in Italy. What is most interesting Is the character roles. John Ericson is no good for anything, he is too sensitive and nervous to be a soldier, he can't fight, and he constantly keeps running away from any challenge. Pier Angeli on the other hand is the stronger in both character and integrity for her weakness - she is just a frail young innocent Italian girl, with whom this immature American soldier happens to get involved, and she just accepts it and makes the best of it, and when the unavoidable challenges come, especially when she finds herself an alien in America, she deals with them in a very Italian and rational way without any unnecessary fuss. She is the gem of the film, while John Ericson is in constant need of support, but he couldn't have acted the role better. The best scenes are those in Italy just after the war when everything is in ruins, the Italians struggling against hunger and poverty to make a life after all, while the Americans just come blundering in. It's not a great picture, but it is of immense interest as a psychological documentary.