THE ROSE TATTOO (1955) B/W widescreen 117m dir: Daniel Mann

w/Anna Magnani, Burt Lancaster, Marisa Pavan, Ben Cooper, Virginia Grey, Jo Van Fleet, Sandro Giglio, Mimi Aguglia, Florence Sundstrom, Dorrit Kelton

From The Movie Guide: "Tennessee Williams wrote 'The Rose Tattoo' as a stage vehicle for Anna Magnani several years before this film appeared, but at that time she was still struggling with English and declined the role. Five years later, after a fairly successful run, Williams did the screenplay and Mann, the director of the stage production, handled the directing. Magnani, by this time, had more confidence in her command of the language (plus the safety afforded by retakes) and took the role, her first US job. The result was a hit.

"Magnani, a Sicilian-born widow with a 15-year-old daughter (Pavan) encounters Lancaster, a banana hauler like her late husband who (also like her husband) sports a rose tattoo on his chest, symbolizing virility. She's drawn to Lancaster but reveres her late husband's memory so much that she holds her emotions in check --- until she discovers the truth about her late spouse.

"Magnani later appeared opposite Marlon Brando in THE FUGITIVE KIND, another Williams piece, but never came close in any of her other US pictures to her dynamic performance here. [Alex] North's excellent music helps the mood enormously. Pavan, the sister of the tragic Pier Angeli, later married Jean Pierre Aumont."

THE ROSE TATTOO won Oscars for Best Actress (Magnani), Cinematography (James Wong Howe), and Art Direction (Hal Pereira, Tambi Larson, Sam Comer, Arthur Krams). It was also nominated for Best Picture, Supporting Actress (Pavan), Editing (Warren Low), Score (North), and Costume Design (Edith Head).