Summertime

An American woman in her middle age arrives in Venice for her first vacation in Europe. She tries to amuse herself but repeatedly feels the weight of loneliness. Her situation changes when a local man’s gaze catches hers in a café at Piazza San Marco. She initially avoids his stare, but the next day they meet again, and this time she’s ready to surrender. Despite the man being married with children, they spend a few happy days together on a Venetian island. Eventually, the burden of the impossible situation overwhelms her, and she returns home. Summertime explores American Puritan morality versus the decadence of the old world, but above all, it offers a remarkable human and cinematic experience, thanks to Hepburn’s incredible performance. She skillfully conveys the American character’s inner turmoil, with the events unfolding against the stunning backdrop of Venice.