TERESA

US, 1951, 102 minutes. Black and white.
Pier Angeli, John Ericson, Patricia Collinge, Richard Bishop, Peggy Ann Garner, Ralph Meeker, Bill Mauldin, Rod Steiger.
Directed by Fred Zinnemann.

Teresa is a story about World War Two and the aftermath. It has a setting in Italy towards the end of the war, the plight of the Italians, the lack of food, the ruins of their houses and towns. However, it is also a romantic story, the GI falling in love with the local girl, coming back to court her, the marriage.

However, there are complications, because the GI has been coddled as a boy and has not fully grown up, finds himself in distress at having to exercise violence, go into combat, and collapses, needing treatment after the war.

The film is also about the war brides coming to the United States, the difficulties in the GIs getting jobs, finding a place to live. There are also the complications for this family with the possessive mother.

The film was directed by Fred Zinnemann, emerging from small-budget MGM films to bigger-budget films. His next films included High Noon and From Here to Eternity for which he won an Oscar (winning a second Oscar in 1966 for A Man For All Seasons).

Pier Angeli was at the beginning of her American career. John Ericson was a stalwart of American films and television for many decades. The film is also an introduction to Ralph Meeker and to Rod Steiger who appears at the beginning and the end of the film as a psychiatrist.

Some of these themes were taken up five years later in Nunnally Johnson’s The Man in the Grey Flannel Suit – where Pier Angeli’s twin sister, Marisa Pavan, portrays a young girl in a similar situation in Italy during the war.

1. A film of the post-war era? American problems? The war, the focus on Italy, the war brides and their arrival in America? The GIs settling back, families, jobs?

2. Italy, the war, the occupation, the damage, the liberation, action?

3. The contrast with New York in the 1940s, apartments, ordinary life? Institutions for the returning soldiers? The musical score?

4. Audience attitude towards the veterans, the quality of recruiting, psychologist difficulties, fears, damage? Sympathy for Philip or not?

5. The opening, Philip and his return, his home, relationship with his parents, not relating to his father, the domination of his mother, fondness for his sister? In the institution? Upset? The psychologist, listening, the treatment? The flashbacks?

6. Philip in Italy, the village and the occupation, the American troops? His saving the fellow soldier under fire? His relationship with Dobbs, Dobbs and his interest and concern? The food, his spitting it out, the reaction of the hungry people watching, his apology? Going into action, his fears, drinking the water, panic, rushing around, seeking Dobbs, Dobbs’s death, his collapse? In the hospital, asking what had happened?

7. Teresa, her age, the attraction between herself and Philip, her family? The mother and her kindness? Mario, his lost arm, his bitterness? The little boy, his reaction to Philip spitting out the food? The visit, the reconciliation, giving gifts of food, the three soldiers able to stay the night? The soldier and his antagonism towards the Italians?

8. Philip and his being welcomed by the family, the drink, the discussions, going for the walk with Teresa, sharing, the return back, the kiss? His coming back after the war, courting her, the marriage in the open air, the commitment, the honeymoon and the sights of Rome?

9. Philip and his return to the United States, his mother and her domination, treating Philip as a boy? His not telling his family about the marriage, the photo, his mother finding it and being upset?

10. Teresa, the information about her being taken to the US, Philip meeting her at the wharf? Taking her home? The father and sister and their warm welcome? The mother’s reaction, changing the rooms, the awkwardness, the domestic tension?

11. Teresa finding the mother difficult, pleading with Philip? His trying to get a job, the scene of his trying to sell equipment and his sense of failure? Teresa and her pregnancy? Leaving, Philip’s reaction, drinking?

12. Philip and the psychiatrist, the psychiatrist and his listening, questions, helping Philip to be aware of what happened? His realisation that he hadn’t grown up, the influence of his mother?

13. His father coming to get him, their going to the hospital, the birth of the child?

14. Philip coming to terms with his family, with his own life, his fears, his love for Teresa? The prospects for the future?