While on a train to Florence, Alan meets a man who suggests to stay away from the big cities. He comes from a place, Rocca, which he makes sound like a small paradise, near the shore, with a cool flowing river, so what else could anyone want for a nice holiday. There is one problem, Alan is traveling with Sheila, an attractive woman, dead set into taking all the cultural sites a city like Florence offers the visitor.
It is clearly Alan is bored stiff. He decides he wants to explore the little town his friend suggested. Sheila is not too pleased, but goes along. There is a ship anchored near the beach, the Gibraltar, owned by a an attractive rich woman, Anna, who everyone knows as the "American". It does not take too long for Alan to connect with the mysterious lady. He realizes the thing he had with Sheila is over, so he decides to break with her.
Anna has an interesting offer for Alan: how about coming along as she cruises the Mediterranean looking for the man that once broke her heart. The voyage takes them all over that part of the world, but the search proves to be fruitless. In the process, Alan falls in love with Anna, as she realizes her dream will never come true, so she better hold on to the reality at hand rather than a probability that is elusive, at best.
Tony Richardson directed and contributed to the adaptation of Marguerite Duras novel of the same title. Christopher Isherwood and Don Magner were on board to help with the screenplay. The novels of Ms. Duras are not easily transferred to the screen. One guesses Mr. Richardson potential in the material he contributed to create as a vehicle for an actress who he was infatuated at the moment, the great Jeanne Moreau. But who can blame him. The actress was a favorite personality that dominated the screen during those years and whose presence produced great results for those who engaged her services. Ms. Moreau's performance is basically the sole reason for watching this picture. In it, her beauty shows at the height of her beauty. It is clear to see how the camera adored the actress and the way she seemed to go throughout the picture effortlessly and with complete confidence.
The action is basically at sea while the ship that is taking her stops at different ports looking for the man that never turns up. A young Ian Bannen plays Alan. Vanessa Redgrave, who was Mrs. Richardson, must have been living her last days with the director, for they got divorced in 1967, the same year this film was released. Orson Welles, Hugh Griffith, Umberto Orsini, and even a young John Hurt are seen briefly in the film.
It is clearly Alan is bored stiff. He decides he wants to explore the little town his friend suggested. Sheila is not too pleased, but goes along. There is a ship anchored near the beach, the Gibraltar, owned by a an attractive rich woman, Anna, who everyone knows as the "American". It does not take too long for Alan to connect with the mysterious lady. He realizes the thing he had with Sheila is over, so he decides to break with her.
Anna has an interesting offer for Alan: how about coming along as she cruises the Mediterranean looking for the man that once broke her heart. The voyage takes them all over that part of the world, but the search proves to be fruitless. In the process, Alan falls in love with Anna, as she realizes her dream will never come true, so she better hold on to the reality at hand rather than a probability that is elusive, at best.
Tony Richardson directed and contributed to the adaptation of Marguerite Duras novel of the same title. Christopher Isherwood and Don Magner were on board to help with the screenplay. The novels of Ms. Duras are not easily transferred to the screen. One guesses Mr. Richardson potential in the material he contributed to create as a vehicle for an actress who he was infatuated at the moment, the great Jeanne Moreau. But who can blame him. The actress was a favorite personality that dominated the screen during those years and whose presence produced great results for those who engaged her services. Ms. Moreau's performance is basically the sole reason for watching this picture. In it, her beauty shows at the height of her beauty. It is clear to see how the camera adored the actress and the way she seemed to go throughout the picture effortlessly and with complete confidence.
The action is basically at sea while the ship that is taking her stops at different ports looking for the man that never turns up. A young Ian Bannen plays Alan. Vanessa Redgrave, who was Mrs. Richardson, must have been living her last days with the director, for they got divorced in 1967, the same year this film was released. Orson Welles, Hugh Griffith, Umberto Orsini, and even a young John Hurt are seen briefly in the film.