Movie review - "Light in the Piazza" (1962) ***

What sounds like an unpromising subject matter - a slightly retarded girl falls for a rich Italian - is given sensitive and intelligent treatment resulting in a smart film. It's helped by Olivia de Havilland's performance as the girls' mother and Yvette Mimieux's beauty as the girl. Mimieux wasn't the best actor in the world but she suits the part of a pretty dumb thing. De Havilland's dilemma is well done - does she keep watching over her daughter, join her husband (Barry Sullivan) or let her get married and not tell the in-laws, so she can live life in spoilt happiness, chatting inanely with dumb friends... I don't think I've ever seen a film which put forward this as a genuine option. But then - is it so wrong?

George Hamilton is believable Italian. I didn't quite buy Rosanno Brazzi cracking on to de Havilland - she's too much an American matron. There are some pleasing views of Rome and it's never predictable - they keep throwing in weird curve balls, like Hamilton being too young, and de Havilland basically paying off the family. Worth watching.