Regina Roma

Altho it doesn't really matter, the geographcal location of this domestic crash and burn is perplexing, to say the least. The production was apparently filmed in Italy, and the characters are maybe meant to be an Italian family somewhere in Louisiana - mention made of Baton Rouge and sepia tinted flashbacks to New Orleans style cemeteries and Spanish Moss draped oak trees. But no one is affecting Louisiana southern accents, so, yeah, perplexing.

Actually all the acting is fine - Anthony Quinn is simply excellent as "Papa", Ava Gardner, "Mama" is iconic-ly neurotic and the son and fiancé play their roles as intended, I think.

The narrative is straight Tennessee Williams southern family gothic - Mama, Papa and Son, only child, have lived as a tight - claustrophobically tight - family unit for 37 or so years. So, you won't have to stretch your imagination to imagine Mama's reaction to Sonny walking in the front door with a Fiancé, out of the blue (altho, it's raining outside, with thunder cracking at all the right times, no less). And, also, a/la Tennessee Williams southern gothic, there are a LOT of innuendoes and dramatic freeze-frame cross stares as among Mama, Papa, and Sonny Boy as the tensions gain steam - you know what I'm talking about.

It might be said that Eva Gardner's performance is a tad too theatrical for a filmed production in basically a one-room indoor setting - but that's the director's fault, he should have guided her as to hitting the right tenor which I sure she could easily achieved, she's clearly 100% the great actress that the name Ava Gardiner evokes.

Well, bottom line, I recommend this as a quite worthwhile "curiosity" piece; I don't think you'll regret it and it is a close-up prolonged glimpse of two very great actors - Gardiner and Quinn - in a tight little bare bones production where their acting has to carry the whole thing.

:-)

"Regina Roma" is a film which looks much like a play, as the entirety of the story takes place in a home...and mostly in the living room. It also has a small cast of four and in style it sure looks like "Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf?". It also seems like it as well, as during the course of the story, you see just how screwed up these four people are...and it's pretty painful to watch (which is why I am not a fan of "Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf?"). But before the pain sets in, the film is quite slow...so much so I had a hard time sticking with it...and it then morphed into the Christmas from Hell!

This film marks the final big screen appearance by Ava Gardner. Her co-star is Anthony Quinn. Both are good with what they are given. But the script is slow, depressing and claustrophobia-inducing. In other words, it's NOT a pleasant movie to watch.

"Regina Roma" is one of the last films starring Ava Gardner and Anthony Quinn. Alas, it proves a disappointment,a one-set drama of the old "kitchen sink" variety. Gardner plays the smothering mother of the late Ray Sharkey who brings home his fiancée,Regina, played by the legendary European actress Anna Karina. Gardner, Quinn and Sharkey mouth clichéd dialogues. Only Karina emerges unscathed because she is kept silent most of the time! And she has been de-glamourized, hiding her big beautiful blue eyes behind chunky frames and sheathing her splendid body in dowdy clothes. The movie seems padded out with flashbacks that don't match the main action.The DVD I bought lists (quite improbably) a famous orchestra conductor as the movie's producer.

if you like "Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf?" then you'll love this offbeat, interesting little movie that's more like a play than a film. 4 actors in one room, that's it! A great script, fantastic acting by all involved. It's a look at a tense family relationship with an overly doting mother (Ava Gardner), her beaten-down husband (Anthony Quinn) and her 36 year old son who returns after being away from home for 3 months. He brings his shy new girlfriend (Anna Karina) home with him and that's what fuels the dialogue and action of this movie. If you're a fan of any of the actors in this definitely buy the DVD. So what if it's a cheesy DVD, this is one rare movie so we're lucky it's available at all!

I found this film to be incredibly irritating. The film, adapted from a play, has not been translated to the screen well at all. We are stuck inside one room for the entire duration of the film, listening to the irritating bickering of an elderly couple and their sheltered son.

Gardner's acting is ridiculously over the top, reciting one shrill speech after another.

I bought the film because Anna Karina played the role of Regina but was greatly disappointed. I found it unbelievable that despite being in almost the entire film she had only ONE line right at the end. Despite the potential with three great actors, their talents are entirely wasted.