preppy-3 This takes place in Florence Italy and was shot on location. American Meg Johnson (Olivia deHavilland) is visiting with her 26 year old daughter Clara (Yvette Mimieux). They meet handsome Italian Fabrizio (George Hamilton) and Fabrizio and Clara fall madly in love together. The problem is that Clara had an accident as a child and is emotionally at the age of 10. Meg protects her and is constantly with her. However she realizes Fabrizio and Clara really do love each other. What to do?The plot is interesting, the scenery is beautiful and it's very colorful. Also deHavilland has a different gorgeous dress for each scene...but this just doesn't work. It moves VERY slowly and turns into little more than a travelogue of Italy. There's not enough material here for a full movie...and it shows. Also Hamiltons' attempts at an Italian are downright hysterical. Also I didn't buy the final happy resolution for one second. Still the acting by Mimieux, Rossano Brazzi and especially deHavilland is great and it LOOKS good...but I found it incredibly dull. According to IMDb this lost money at the box office. It's easy to see why.It was revived as a Broadway musical in 2005 which was a modest hit and won a few Tonys. I didn't like that either.

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.

wes-connors While vacationing in beautiful Italy, Olivia de Havilland (as Meg Johnson) watches lovely daughter Yvette Mimieux (as Clara) and handsome Italian George Hamilton (as Fabrizio Naccarelli) fall hopelessly in love. Although the two seem perfect for each other, Ms. Mimieux suffers from a secret disability. Aching for her daughter to lead a normal life, Ms. de Havilland is unable to tell Mr. Hamilton or father Rossano Brazzi about Mimieux' condition. Father of the potential bride Barry Sullivan (as Noel Johnson) is against the wedding...You've got to stop wondering why nobody but her parents seem to notice or care about Mimieux' delicate condition, especially Hamilton; and, moreover, since it's not a problem, how it could matter. Director Guy Green and cinematographer Otto Heller give "Light in the Piazza" some beautiful scenery. Hamilton and Mimieux are an incredibly good-looking couple. And, de Havilland is marvelous to watch, filling her conflicted wife and mother character with enough to have warranted some "Best Actress" consideration.******* Light in the Piazza (2/7/62) Guy Green ~ Olivia de Havilland, Yvette Mimieux, George Hamilton, Rossano Brazzi