''Rome Adventure'', also known as ''Lovers Must Learn'', is a 1962 romantic drama film, based on the 1932 novel ''Lovers Must Learn'' by Irving Fineman. It was directed by

Delmer Daves Delmer Lawrence Daves (July 24, 1904 – August 17, 1977) was an American screenwriter, film director and film producer. He worked in many genres, including film noir and warfare, but he is best known for his Western movies, especially '' Br ...

and stars

Troy Donahue Troy Donahue (born Merle Johnson Jr., January 27, 1936 – September 2, 2001) was an American film and television actor and singer. He was a popular sex symbol in the 1950s and 1960s. Biography Early years Born in New York City, Donahue was ...

Angie Dickinson Angeline Dickinson (née Brown; born September 30, 1931) is an American actress. She began her career on television, appearing in many anthology series during the 1950s, before gaining her breakthrough role in ''Gun the Man Down'' (1956) wit ...

, and

Suzanne Pleshette Suzanne Pleshette (January 31, 1937 – January 19, 2008) was an American theatre, film, television, and voice actress. Pleshette started her career in the theatre and began appearing in films in the late 1950s and later appeared in prominent ...

Plot

After quitting her job as school librarian, Prudence Bell (

) leaves

New England New England is a region comprising six states in the Northeastern United States: Connecticut, Maine, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, Rhode Island, and Vermont. It is bordered by the state of New York to the west and by the Canadian provinces ...

for a vacation in Rome. On the boat over, she befriends Roberto Orlandi (

Rossano Brazzi Rossano Brazzi (18 September 1916 – 24 December 1994) was an Italian actor. Biography Brazzi was born in Bologna, Italy, the son of Maria Ghedini and Adelmo Brazzi, an employee of the Rizzoli shoe factory. He was named after Rossano Vene ...

), a philandering middle-aged Italian who upon their arrival in Rome introduces her to a countess who rents out rooms in her villa to tourists. Once Prudence settles in, she finds employment at an American bookstore and later encounters handsome architectural student Don Porter (

), one of several Americans also rooming at the villa. Don, who is recovering from a failed relationship with a blonde temptress named Lyda (

), keeps his distance at first. But he slowly looks on Prudence as a refreshing curiosity with her adventurous outlook on life. Weeks later, Don and Prudence tour the garden spots of northern Italy. But upon their return to Rome, Prudence meets Don's old flame Lyda, who has recently become embroiled in an abusive relationship with a cruel, possessive Italian industrialist. It is obvious Lyda wants to rekindle her affair with Don when she trades insults with Prudence at dinner one evening. Not hearing from Don for three days after, Prudence assumes Lyda has won Don back, and she decides to move on. She consents to sex with Roberto, the aggressive Italian she first met on the boat over. But Roberto reveals to her that Don had stayed with him (and not Lyda) the previous three days in order to think things through. Don had told Roberto of his love for Prudence, but he then received an urgent telegram from Lyda, summoning him to a hotel. After hearing this, Prudence makes plans for her return to America. Cut to Don arriving at the hotel, where Lyda confesses she married the industrialist for money and position only. She begs Don to help free her from her palatial prison. Realizing Lyda plans to use him for selfish ends, Don bolts for Rome. But on his arrival, he discovers Prudence has taken a ship back to the States. Days later, arriving in New York City's port, Prudence finds Don there to greet her. They embrace as he tells her of his love and asks her to marry him.

Cast

as Don Porter *

as Lyda Kent *

as Roberto Orlandi *

as Prudence Bell *

Constance Ford Constance Ford (born Cornelia M. Ford; July 1, 1923 – February 26, 1993) was an American actress and model. She is best known for her long-running role as Ada Lucas Hobson on the daytime soap opera '' Another World'', which she played from 1 ...

as Daisy Bronson *

Al Hirt Alois Maxwell "Al" Hirt (November 7, 1922 – April 27, 1999) was an American trumpeter and bandleader. He is best remembered for his million-selling recordings of "Java" and the accompanying album '' Honey in the Horn'' (1963), and for the them ...

as Himself *

Hampton Fancher Hampton Lansden Fancher (born July 18, 1938) is an American actor, screenwriter, and filmmaker, best known for co-writing the 1982 neo-noir science fiction film ''Blade Runner'' and its 2017 sequel ''Blade Runner 2049,'' based on the novel ''Do ...

as Albert Stillwell * Iphigenie Castiglioni as La Contessa *

Chad Everett Raymon Lee Cramton (June 11, 1937 – July 24, 2012), known professionally as Chad Everett, was an American actor who appeared in more than 40 films and television series. He played Dr. Joe Gannon in the television drama '' Medical Center'', wh ...

as Young man * Gertrude Flynn as Mrs. Riggs *

Pamela Austin Pamela Austin (born Pamela Joan Akert, December 20, 1941) is an American actress. Early life Austin was born in Omaha, Nebraska. She spent part of her childhood in Europe, as her father served a tour of duty with the Air Force there. Austin ...

as Agnes Hutton * Lili Valenty as Angelina

Background

''Lovers Must Learn'' was published in 1932. ''

The New York Times ''The New York Times'' (''the Times'', ''NYT'', or the Gray Lady) is a daily newspaper based in New York City with a worldwide readership reported in 2020 to comprise a declining 840,000 paid print subscribers, and a growing 6 million paid ...

'' called it a "workmanlike production". Unlike the film, the novel was set in Paris. Delmer Daves purchased the rights to the novel in 1957 and announced plans to make a film version in France, Copenhagen and Switzerland.

Natalie Wood Natalie Wood ( Zacharenko; July 20, 1938 – November 29, 1981) was an American actress who began her career in film as a child and successfully transitioned to young adult roles. Wood started acting at age four and was given a co-starring r ...

was at one stage announced for the lead. Troy Donahue was announced for the male lead relatively early. Eventually Natalie Wood dropped out and

was signed in September 1961. The film was known during production as ''Lovers Must Learn''. Donahue and Pleshette fell in love while filming, and eventually wed, though the marriage lasted less than a year. The song "

Al di là "Al di là" ("Beyond") is a song written by Italian composer Carlo Donida and lyricist Mogol, and recorded by Betty Curtis. The English lyrics were written by Ervin Drake. The song was the entry in the Eurovision Song Contest 1961, perfo ...

" featured in the film and performed by

Emilio Pericoli Emilio Pericoli (7 January 1928 – 9 April 2013)) was an Italian singer. He was born in Cesenatico, Romagna, Italy. Pericoli's success was closely tied to the Sanremo Festival. He recorded a cover version of the song, " Al di là", by festival ...

was originally recorded by

Betty Curtis Roberta Corti, better known by her stage name Betty Curtis (21 March 1936 – 15 June 2006), was an Italian singer active from 1957 to 2004. Curtis grew up in the Zone 8 of Milan's borough Cagnola. She started singing in night clubs at an early ...

and

Luciano Tajoli Luciano Tajoli (17 April 1920 – 3 August 1996) was an Italian singer and actor. Music festival Luciano Tajoli participated several times (1961, 1962, 1963, and 1970) in the Sanremo Music Festival, winning in 1961 with the song Al di là.Mar ...

and winner of the 1961 edition of the

Sanremo Festival The Sanremo Music Festival, officially the Italian Song Festival () and commonly known as just (), is the most popular Italian culture, Italian song contest and awards ceremony, held annually in the city of Sanremo, Liguria. It is the longes ...

, subsequently becoming Italy's entry to the

Eurovision Song Contest 1961 The Eurovision Song Contest 1961 was the 6th edition of the annual Eurovision Song Contest. Once again, the contest was held in the French seaside city of Cannes, having also hosted the . Organised by the European Broadcasting Union (EBU) and ho ...

. The song became an international hit with a

cover version In popular music, a cover version, cover song, remake, revival, or simply cover, is a new performance or recording by a musician other than the original performer or composer of the song. Originally, it referred to a version of a song release ...

Connie Francis Concetta Rosa Maria Franconero (born December 12, 1937), known professionally as Connie Francis, is an American pop singer, actress, and top-charting female vocalist of the late 1950s and early 1960s. Called the “First Lady of Rock & Roll” ...

. Most of the interior scenes were shot at Warner Bros, Burbank. The Library and Port of Entry sets were originally constructed for the film ''

The Music Man ''The Music Man'' is a musical with book, music, and lyrics by Meredith Willson, based on a story by Willson and Franklin Lacey. The plot concerns con man Harold Hill, who poses as a boys' band organizer and leader and sells band instruments and ...

'' (1962).

Soundtrack

#"Rome Adventure" #"Lovers Must Learn" #"Tarantella" #"Al Di La" #"Serenade" #"Prudence" #"Rome Adeventure" #"Oh Marie" #"Mattinata" #"Arrivederci Roma" #"Come Back to Sorrento" #"Santa Lucia" #"Volare"

References

External links