Dunham16 Review of The Roman Spring of Mrs. Stone

The Roman Spring of Mrs. Stone (2003 TV Movie)

a new spin on a famous novel

[7/10 · 17 March 2017]

THE ROMAN SPRING OF MRS STONE is the first published work of Tennesee Williams to survive as a hit novel more than once professionally filmed. The ionic 1961 Jose Quintero filming follows the novel exactly focusing on William's thoughts wealth and fame bring the ability to pay for ease and luxury but not the ability to hang on to what you enjoyed in life before changing the public perception of yourself. this 2003 remake has a different focus. The name stars familiar to most are Helen Mirren as the title character and Brian Dennehy who is given more screen time than in most filmings because he is a relatively minor personage in Williams. Williams himself seems to appear on stage in the 2003 made for television film as Christopher saying many of the speeches in the novel representing the author's perceptions though in this case said by the author who is not a named character in the novel merely personified as the fictitious Karen Stone. The homeless streetwalker who is her alter ego is portrayed in the 1961 film more as what Williams had in mind namely needing what Karen has in terms of wealth, security and comfort but possessing what Karen mourns when she lost namely youth joi de vivre and physical attractiveness. In this 2003 remake he is ill and disturbed not behaving socially as someone merely down on his luck.