Watch Three Coins in the Fountain For Free

hyped garbage

Bad Acting and worse Bad Screenplay

There is, somehow, an interesting story here, as well as some good acting. There are also some good scenes

It is neither dumb nor smart enough to be fun, and spends way too much time with its boring human characters.

"Three Coins in the Fountain" is a romantic film of 1954 that especially appealed to young women (and some men) who dreamed about love matches in the romantic 1950s. Today, it might be called a chick flick by the would-be macho set. It's based on a 1952 novel by John Sedondari, "Coins in the Fountain." He was a Rome-born writer, producer and director who also co-wrote the screenplay for this film. The movie is a light comedy and drama, and is about three American women working in Rome, each of whom seems spurned or ignored at first but then finds "true" love. The film has a fine cast, and the story is so-so. The movie also spurned a hit song by the same title, sung by Frank Sinatra in the film. It won the Academy Award for best original song. Julie Styne wrote the music and Sammy Cahn the lyrics. The Four Aces turned it into a number one hit on the 1954 U.S. pop chart. Several other recordings were made after that. While the story is okay, a big plus for the film is its cinematography and scenic shots of and around Rome. The best of these are scenes of some of the many glorious fountains of the eternal city. The granddaddy of them all, the Trevi Fountain, is center stage for the opening and closing. One interesting aspect of the story is with the lead male and female characters. Clifton Webb plays John Shadwell, an expatriate American who has lived in Rome most of his adult life. Dorothy McGuire plays Miss Frances, his secretary for the past 15 years. That means that she was in Rome since 1939, and the two of them lived through World War II. That would have included the early years when Benito Mussolini's Italy was allied with Nazi Germany, and the later German occupation of Rome. I don't know how Sedondari treated that in his novel, but it seems strange that there's not a hint of the war having just been over less than nine years, or of Miss Frances having been there during that time. It seems that Anita (Jean Peters) and Maria (Maggie McNamara) would have asked Frances about that at some point. A funny line by Shadwell stands out. He says to Prince Dino di Cessi (played by Louis Jordan), "These girls in love never realize they should be honestly dishonest instead of being dishonestly honest.

I anxiously anticipated all those kids to fall off the picnic bench in the lovely sloped hillside scene. Who would go all that distance and considerable trouble to enjoy a few sandwiches? Well, artificial methods led to some genuinely gorgeous vistas of Rome and Venice.Sixty years hence and it shows how crowded each city was and nary plant even a single tree?? I was hoping to see more of Venice and other location shots versus the trite dialog within interior shots. The Villa Eden palace was affordable for these three lowly secretaries was so believable due to the favorable exchange rates, although I doubt they meant the lira!Louis and Rossano make up for the ditsy chicks and delighted to see one of their youngest versions to date. I have been all over Italy, the men really do pinch your derriere, despite your husband at your side. I was supposed to be a good sport about it but wanted to smack the creep nonetheless.The most amusing aspect of the film was the new girl waited an ENTIRE month to find a husband, after all that training to give up and go back to the States humiliated. That's true grit girlfriend. And so the rest of the film manages to surprise with major plot twists and inordinate moments of shocking behavior. I thought Europeans were more open minded about male friends and public mingling. Perhaps they will make FOUR COINS IN THE FOUNTAIN?? Hope to get my many suspenseful questions answered!High recommend for Italy in Technicolor and those two gorgeous men to save the day for us poor womenfolk.

50s fluff that did extremely well at the box office and won 2 Oscars... one for cinematography and one for the musical score.3 American secretaries in Rome find the perfect husbands for themselves...Apparently the "favorable exchange rates" allows them to live like Queens. Although there is some truth to this during the early post war years Americans in Europe did very well for themselves.I watched it for views of Rome in the 50s.... as another reviewer notes the interior scenes are all balsa wood sets--that look like Hollywood's idea of Nero's palace. That was a major disappointment but par for the course in 50s Hollywood. Squeezed in between the interior action there are some street scenes with cars and other fun period nostalgia--so it wasn't a total loss.The story isn't worth repeating....a maudlin marriage (the man finds out he has a year to live)....true happiness with working class cartoon Italian and his family singing as they drive through the streets of Rome..and a Cinderella--marriage to a prince--complete the ensemble.It is trite unbelievable but doesn't annoy in any way... I did like the sound track.RECOMMEND

Three well-mannered American secretaries seek husbands in Rome. Arriving last is Maggie McNamara (as Maria), who is set to replace Jean Peters (as Anita), who rooms with Dorothy McGuire (as Frances). Their respective romantic interests are prince Louis Jourdan (as Dino), translator Rossano Brazzi (as Georgio) and writer Clifton Webb (as Shadwell). The most striking part of this bland picture is the wide-screen color photography by Milton Krasner. It opens with Frank Sinatra singing the title song. Written by Jule Styne and lyricist Sammy Cahn, "Three Coins in the Fountain" became a million-selling #1 hit for The Four Aces (featuring Al Alberts); it was rare for another version to outperform an original Sinatra title song. According to the lyrics, only one romantic wish will be granted. That may not be entirely accurate. Also, although only two of the women throw coins in the Trevi Fountain, we can be fairly certain a third coin joined them at some point.***** Three Coins in the Fountain (5/20/54) Jean Negulesco ~ Maggie McNamara, Jean Peters, Dorothy McGuire, Louis Jourdan