IMDb RATING
6.8/10
2.1K
YOUR RATING
A plain, repressed spinster falls for a dashing young medical student who prefers the wilder life, until it's too late.A plain, repressed spinster falls for a dashing young medical student who prefers the wilder life, until it's too late.A plain, repressed spinster falls for a dashing young medical student who prefers the wilder life, until it's too late.
- Nominated for 4 Oscars
- 4 wins & 10 nominations total
Max Showalter
- Roger Doremus
- (as Casey Adams)
Rico Alaniz
- Knife Thrower
- (uncredited)
Cheryl Anderson
- Alma as a Girl
- (uncredited)
Lon Ballantyne
- Orderly
- (uncredited)
John Barton
- Townsman
- (uncredited)
Ray Beltram
- Cantina Patron
- (uncredited)
Marjorie Bennett
- Saleslady
- (uncredited)
Dick Bernie
- Drummer
- (uncredited)
- Director
- Writers
- All cast & crew
- Production, box office & more at IMDbPro
Storyline
Did you know
- TriviaHal Wallis Productions bought the film rights to the play in 1952, shortly before its Off-Broadway revival, for $100,000.
- GoofsWhen Nellie Ewell first comes to Alma's house, Nellie's ponytail changes from waist length to mid back length in between shots.
- Quotes
John: Eternity? What does it mean?
Alma as a Girl: It's something that goes on and on - when life and death and everything else, is all through with.
John: Aw, there's no such thing.
Alma as a Girl: Oh, but there is. It's what people's souls live in. When they leave their bodies.
- ConnectionsFeatured in Cinema: Alguns Cortes - Censura III (2015)
Featured review
Schleppy Tennessee
Unfortunately, unlike gems like "Streetcar Named Desire," "Cat on a Hot Tin Roof," "Suddenly Last Summer," and "Sweet Bird of Youth," "Summer and Smoke" doesn't have their intensity of character and situational conflicts.
I love the actors, but Laurence Harvey, so great in movies like "The Manchurian Candidate," lacks the cocky heat, swagger, and desperation of Paul Newman. On the other hand, Una Merkel all too briefly steals the show as the mentally troubled mother--her performance is sly from within and totally believable.
Geraldine Page is always a treasure, but here she's slogged down a bit by an all-too-literal and preachy script and sluggish direction. Yes, it's Williams' play, but the script could have been better altered for a screenplay, and all the scenes, even the most intense, lacked a spark and sense of danger. Rita Moreno was simply gorgeous and effective in a pretty thankless role; her talent was more than evident.
The ending is very effective, and while I won't give it away, I'll just say that it made me wonder if Alma Winemiller was on her way to becoming another incarnation of Blanche DuBois. But I'll leave that for others to ponder.
Seven stars for being, well, Tennessee Williams and Geraldine Page and Una Merkel and another tale of family dysfunction, mores, and hypocrisy. But I had to shave off some due to its unfortunate sluggishness, unnecessary length, and over-talky, over-preachy and explanatory script.
I love the actors, but Laurence Harvey, so great in movies like "The Manchurian Candidate," lacks the cocky heat, swagger, and desperation of Paul Newman. On the other hand, Una Merkel all too briefly steals the show as the mentally troubled mother--her performance is sly from within and totally believable.
Geraldine Page is always a treasure, but here she's slogged down a bit by an all-too-literal and preachy script and sluggish direction. Yes, it's Williams' play, but the script could have been better altered for a screenplay, and all the scenes, even the most intense, lacked a spark and sense of danger. Rita Moreno was simply gorgeous and effective in a pretty thankless role; her talent was more than evident.
The ending is very effective, and while I won't give it away, I'll just say that it made me wonder if Alma Winemiller was on her way to becoming another incarnation of Blanche DuBois. But I'll leave that for others to ponder.
Seven stars for being, well, Tennessee Williams and Geraldine Page and Una Merkel and another tale of family dysfunction, mores, and hypocrisy. But I had to shave off some due to its unfortunate sluggishness, unnecessary length, and over-talky, over-preachy and explanatory script.
helpful•41
- Schmoozette
- Jun 12, 2021
- How long is Summer and Smoke?Powered by Alexa
Details
- Release date
- Country of origin
- Languages
- Also known as
- Sommer und Rauch
- Filming locations
- Production company
- See more company credits at IMDbPro
- Runtime1 hour 58 minutes
- Aspect ratio
- 2.35 : 1
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