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The Roman Spring of Mrs. Stone

  • TV Movie
  • 2003
  • R
  • 1h 54m
IMDb RATING
6.3/10
1.9K
YOUR RATING
The Roman Spring of Mrs. Stone (2003)
Trailer
Play trailer1:19
1 Video
3 Photos
DramaRomance

A failing star is faced with a lifestyle change when her rich husband suddenly dies while they are en route to Italy. She then sets off in a series of flings with gigolos found for her by an... Read allA failing star is faced with a lifestyle change when her rich husband suddenly dies while they are en route to Italy. She then sets off in a series of flings with gigolos found for her by an aging contessa. Each contact spirals further out of control until she becomes obsessed wi... Read allA failing star is faced with a lifestyle change when her rich husband suddenly dies while they are en route to Italy. She then sets off in a series of flings with gigolos found for her by an aging contessa. Each contact spirals further out of control until she becomes obsessed with one young man, who initially treats her well, but then with disdain.

  • Director
    • Robert Allan Ackerman
  • Writers
    • Martin Sherman
    • Tennessee Williams
  • Stars
    • Helen Mirren
    • Olivier Martinez
    • Anne Bancroft
  • See production info at IMDbPro
  • IMDb RATING
    6.3/10
    1.9K
    YOUR RATING
    • Director
      • Robert Allan Ackerman
    • Writers
      • Martin Sherman
      • Tennessee Williams
    • Stars
      • Helen Mirren
      • Olivier Martinez
      • Anne Bancroft
    • 47User reviews
    • 20Critic reviews
  • See production info at IMDbPro
    • Nominated for 5 Primetime Emmys
      • 1 win & 17 nominations total

    Videos1

    The Roman Spring of Mrs. Stone
    Trailer 1:19
    The Roman Spring of Mrs. Stone

    Photos2

    View Poster
    View Poster

    Top cast22

    Edit
    Helen Mirren
    Helen Mirren
    • Karen Stone
    Olivier Martinez
    Olivier Martinez
    • Paolo di Lio
    Anne Bancroft
    Anne Bancroft
    • Contessa
    Rodrigo Santoro
    Rodrigo Santoro
    • Young Man
    Brian Dennehy
    Brian Dennehy
    • Tom Stone
    Roger Allam
    Roger Allam
    • Christopher
    Victor Alfieri
    Victor Alfieri
    • Lorenzo
    Suzanne Bertish
    Suzanne Bertish
    • Julia
    Jane Bertish
    • Karen's Secretary
    Tara Lynne O'Neill
    • Angel Hunter
    Salvatore Lazzaro
    • Barber
    Sara James
    • Hairdresser
    Riccardo Sardonè
    • Marco
    • (as Riccardo Sadroné)
    Dona Granata
    • Mama Pepisco
    Aldo Signoretti
    • Papa Pepisco
    Ángel Alonso
    • Guido
    • (as Angel Alonso)
    Frank Crudele
    Frank Crudele
    • Peppo
    Genevieve Mackenzie
    • Maid
    • Director
      • Robert Allan Ackerman
    • Writers
      • Martin Sherman
      • Tennessee Williams
    • All cast & crew
    • Production, box office & more at IMDbPro

    User reviews47

    6.31.8K
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    Featured reviews

    10DiAyn

    Helen Mirren Brings Karen Stone's Passion to Life

    I am old enough to remember when Vivien Leigh starred in The Roman Spring of Mrs. Stone. Although I was a fan of Ms Leigh, I remember that I was quite unimpressed with the film. It was not particularly well-received. It was not one of Ms. Leigh's greatest roles. It is not a classic. This version of Roman Spring starring Helen Mirren and Olivier Martinez harkens back to the original novella by Tennessee Williams. The setting is returned to post-war Italy, and the story is told with great passion and drama. The plight of the Contessa and Paulo is much more understandable in that setting. The greatest difference is in the performance of Helen Mirren. In Mirren's capable hands, Karen Stone is shown as a woman who has known love but never real passion. In spite of her intelligence and common sense, Karen cannot resist Paulo, and her life changes irrevocably. In Mirren's performance, the transformation of Karen Stone is revealed in her actions, her clothes, and every nuance of face and voice. I think Tennessee Williams would approve.
    Ripshin

    Prefer the 1961 version

    Since the other users have provided details, ad nauseam, I will only say that Mirren seems to be channeling Vivien Leigh at times, especially in the last half. Many mannerisms are nearly identical to Leigh's actions in the 1961 studio version.

    Also, strangely enough, I prefer the sound stage artifice of the 1960s. This cable movie was actually filmed on location, but in muted, boring colors. The 1961 feature has the wonderful Technicolor hues.

    I found the actor portraying The Young Man/stalker to be far more sexy than Martinez's Paolo, even though he eats food off the ground, urinates in public, hacks up phlegm and never speaks.

    Bancroft is fine, although I would have loved to have seen Sophia Loren take a stab at it.

    And will you cable movie directors STOP overusing the "atmospheric" smoke machines?!! It looks like your entire film crew was smoking cigarettes during the interior scenes.
    grahamclarke

    A pale and spiritless facsimile

    The remaking of an old movie is justified if something is brought to it which was lacking in the original. The 1961 "Roman Spring of Mrs. Stone" was not an entirely successful venture. Unlike most of the other legendary Tennessee William's screen adaptations, "Roman Spring" originated as a novella rather than a play, making it trickier work for screenwriter Gavin Lambert. The relationship between ageing star and young gigolo could have been explored with greater candor. Despite the start quality of both Vivien Leigh and Warren Beatty there was a distinct lack of chemistry between the two.

    There is no way a remake can escape comparison with the original. In every conceivable way this television remake is totally inferior. Casting Vivien Leigh in the role would have been mandatory at the time. Her unforgettable Blanche du Bois in William's "Streetcar Named Desire", together with her real life mental problems plus the last vestiges of her famed beauty would seemingly portend a great performance. But this all seemed to play against her in a mannered and predictable performance. Surely there is no lack of glamorous ageing stars of yesterday who could have had a field day with this role. Instead we have the distinctly unglamorous Helen Mirren, hopelessly miscast in a role she should have had the sense to turn down. A young Warren Beatty, working desperately hard at his Italian accent at least possessed virile sexiness, the stock of any self respecting gigolo. Here we have the pretty faced yet completely uncharismatic Olivier Martinez. There are hordes of spunky, hunky, and hopefully talented actors who could have injected a much needed dose of youthful bravado in this limp intergenerational affair. With this lackluster couple given center stage the movie is hopelessly sunk.

    In the original, the Contessa, a pimp of inordinate greed, was played by Lotte Lenya with a thin veneer of social grace masking a menacing viciousness. Her scenes are the finest in the movie. Whoever cast the role in this remake must have thought the choice of Anne Bancroft as the Contessa especially adroit, with the expectation that she would tap into her Italian heritage. What they did not take into account were the many years spent in the company of Mel Brooks, plus a number of Jewish mother roles under her belt. There are moments when you may expect her to offer the gigolo in her stable a bowl of chicken soup while bemoaning the starving children in some far off country. It's a performance that makes one wince, especially with the memory of the inimitable Lenya.

    Despite it's faults, the original "Roman Spring of Mrs. Stone" remains completely untouched by this pale and spiritless facsimile.
    8jnaylor284

    An intelligent and thought provoking treatment of classic Williams

    An intelligent and multi-layered treatment of the 1961 film classic from Tennessee Williams. Helen Mirren gives one of her best performances. All the casting works well. The pacing and cinematography is beautiful. John Altman's music is brooding and portends of the emptiness and tragic self-discovery that Mrs. Stone will ultimately find herself facing. Nice job Showtime. Please consider a DVD offering.
    Osibi

    Oh No !!

    Tenesee Williams is marvelous, but this is really awful.I am a huge Mirren fan but she is miscast as an ageing fading "beauty".Olivier is' way too old at pushing 40 to be a young gigilo and I have real problems with his "acting" and not just in this movie.I have seen all his early French movies as well as his newer ventures into English.There is a harsh cold arrogance within him that yells male macho pig that lacks any depth or finer feelings.He seems always so stiff and unnatural,his acting is really wooden.( The scene where he lifts his hand to hit Helen/Karen had me in stitches ) The Santoro chap without uttering a word, was truly mesmerising and far more of a breathtaking hunk,one wonders what all the fuss over OM is really all about.The entire movie was wooden and forced.I truly loathed it.I am old enough to remember the original which was not that brilliant either, but knocked the socks of this sad re-make.I felt sorry for Mirren selling her huge talent up the river in this bilge and OM needs roles wherein he is and acts his 40 rather than this 'nonsense in this, and Unfaithful, of being a cheeky 23 year old which he patently is not.he looks his age.He seems very arrogant vain cold in all his movies..the French press call him the "Mannequin who wants to act".. which may be a bit harsh as they loathe him for his misogyinist treatment of their divine la Binoche..but grains of truth maybe.Given that I do admit as a TW fan this is the hardest story to get right on screen it seems..or maybe no-one can get the 'casting just right? Borrow it it is harmless viewing, but do not waste money buying DVD

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    Related interests

    Mahershala Ali and Alex R. Hibbert in Moonlight (2016)
    Drama
    Ingrid Bergman and Humphrey Bogart in Casablanca (1942)
    Romance

    Storyline

    Edit

    Did you know

    Edit
    • Trivia
      Anne Bancroft's last live-action movie.
    • Goofs
      When Paolo takes off his shirt in the car, the blue tattoo on his chest shows through the makeup intended to conceal it.
    • Quotes

      Karen Stone: Beauty is a world of its own. It has a godly license. I know it only too well, I possessed it once. And then the license was revoked.

    • Connections
      Featured in The 55th Annual Primetime Emmy Awards (2003)
    • Soundtracks
      Strange Fascination
      Written and Produced by John Altman

      Performed by Joan Viskant

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    Details

    Edit
    • Release date
      • May 4, 2003 (United States)
    • Countries of origin
      • United States
      • Ireland
    • Languages
      • English
      • Italian
    • Also known as
      • Римська весна місіс Стоун
    • Filming locations
      • Dublin, County Dublin, Ireland
    • Production companies
      • Showtime Networks
      • Blackjack Productions
      • Irish Film Industry Investment Incentives
    • See more company credits at IMDbPro

    Tech specs

    Edit
    • Runtime
      • 1h 54m(114 min)
    • Color
      • Color
    • Sound mix
      • Stereo

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