Dreaming of Summer

Yesterday it was pissing down rain, so TCM nicely programmed two films to take my mind off the ark that I might have to build. The first film was Summertime, starring Katherine Hepburn and Rossano Brazzi. Katherine Hepburn played Jane, a lonely middle-aged spinister who finally takes her dream trip to Europe. While staying at a lovely Pensione, she meets a hot, age appropriae Italian played by Rossano Brazzi. She falls for him but he turns out be married (of course he does!). He accuses her of being afraid of life so she finally falls into his arms. But the idea of having an affair with a married man is too painful so she leaves Venice. He runs to say good-bye but just misses her. She sees that he's brought her a gardenia as a parting gift.

The film is actually shot in Venice which is one of my favorite places on earth, although I've only been there in the wintertime. While I was watching it, I thought that this would be a good film to remake, perhaps with Kathy Bates or Frances McDormand. It's a great role for an actress of a certain age. The male role is trickier, the only Italian actor I can think of who is well known is Roberto what's his face who won Best Actor for Life is Beautiful, and he would be awful in the role. Unfortunately Giancarlo Giannini and Marcello Mastroianni are dead. I suppose Jean Reno could play Italian.

The next film I watched was pure cheesy fun. Where The Boys Are is set during spring break in Fort Lauderdale in 1960.  This movie must have been cheesy even back then. 4 college girls head south to have fun and meet men. My impression is that they go to an all girl's college. The men they meet are a motley crew, one beatnik musician, another guy who calls himself TV, a rich guy, and Ivy leaguer who turns out to be a jerk. Dolores Hart plays Merrit who thinks there is nothing wrong with pre-marital sex although she realizes that she is not ready. Connie Francis is the ditzy one, Paula Prentiss plays the really tall athletic girl who gets dumped (briefly) for a bimbo, and Yvette Mimieux is the sweet, sexy one, who (although the film is not clear on this one) gets sexually assaulted by a friend of the guy she was dating.

This is another film that could be remade, say for ABC Family, starring Amanda Bynes and the bitchy chick from the remake of 90210.  Perhaps mix it up a little and make it multicultural. It's been a long time since I went to college, but I'm sure East Coast kids flee the frozen north during Spring break if not for FL than for the Carribbean or Mexico.