The Rose Tattoo (1955)

While this may not be my favourite movie ever, for some reason when thinking about which movie I wanted to discuss first, this film came to mind.

This was a film that somehow escaped my notice until about 15 years ago, when I finally saw it for the first time. I've watched it several times since, and I now own a  copy of it.


This 1955 motion picture adaptation of Tennessee Williams’ 1951 broadway play is an important film for one reason—Italian actress, Anna Magnani. I can only imagine what a revelation she must have been to American audiences when this movie, her first English speaking film role, was released.

While not Hollywood-beautiful by any means, she has a genuine passion and fire that smoulders in every scene she’s in. By the end of the picture, I did see the true depth of her beauty.

Ms. Magnani won a well-deserved Oscar for this role, which incidentally Tennessee Williams wrote just for her. She chose not to play the role on Broadway, as she felt her English was not good enough at the time. Luckily she agreed to take the film role.

She plays Serafina Delle Rose, a widowed Sicilian immigrant living in Louisiana. She idolized her husband so much that after his death she becomes a virtual shut-in, rarely getting out of her dressing gown, but she does manage to keep up a little business doing dressmaking. She has a teenaged daughter, but she represses her daughter by expecting her to live as sheltered a life as she might have in the old country.

Suddenly things change, as her daughter Rosa tries to exert some independence, and as Serafina learns things about her late husband that she refuses to believe. At the same time she meets Alvaro, a nice, but somewhat simple truck driver, who still lives in his childhood home. Her life is about to change radically.

Sadly, the biggest flaw in this film is the casting of Burt Lancaster as Alvaro. He plays his character as such a puerile buffoon that it is difficult to imagine Serafina having anything more than sexual attraction for him. His performance is way over the top, and I have to admit that there were times that I felt embarrassed for him.

The rest of the cast is excellent, however, particularly Marisa Pavan as young Rose, and Virginia Grey as Estelle. We can look past Burt.

The story is well written, but Anna Magnani elevates this film to much more than just what’s in the script. As a viewer, all I wanted was for her tortured loneliness to be put to an end and to see a smile on her face. Seeing her finally laugh moved me far more than words could say.

I recommend this movie to anyone who enjoys seeing an excellent acting performance, or for anyone who loves the classics, but has yet to see this movie.


Starring: Anna Magnani, Burt Lancaster
Director: Daniel Mann

'Til next time, movie lovers!