Original Title: Terminal Station (Italian: Stazione Termini)
Director: Vittorio De Sica
Genre: Romance, Drama
Language: Italian/English
Notable Cast: Jennifer Jones, Montgomery Clift
Festival Recognition: Official Selection, 1953 Cannes Film Festival
Overview
Indiscretion of an American Wife (originally Terminal Station) is a 1953 romance drama directed by the legendary Italian filmmaker Vittorio De Sica. The film explores the emotional complexities of an affair between an American woman and an Italian man, set against the bustling backdrop of Rome’s Termini Station. Known for its troubled production and polarized reception, the movie stands as a fascinating artifact of international collaboration and creative conflict.
Plot Summary
The story, based on Cesare Zavattini’s Stazione Termini, follows Mary Forbes (Jennifer Jones), an American woman visiting her relatives in Rome. While in Italy, she becomes entangled in a passionate affair with Giovanni Doria (Montgomery Clift), a charming Italian man. Their love, however, is doomed from the start: Mary is married and must soon return to her life in America.
The narrative unfolds during Mary’s final hours in Rome, as she and Giovanni meet at Termini Station to say goodbye. They navigate a mix of longing, guilt, and heartbreak, grappling with the impossibility of their love. As their time together slips away, Mary faces a series of moral and emotional dilemmas that force her to confront the choices she has made. The crowded and impersonal setting of the train station mirrors the chaos of their feelings, culminating in a poignant, bittersweet farewell.
Production Notes and Behind-the-Scenes Drama
The film was conceived as an international co-production between De Sica and Hollywood mogul David O. Selznick, who envisioned it as a showcase for his wife, Jennifer Jones. However, the production was fraught with difficulties:
•Screenwriting Chaos: Truman Capote is credited with the screenplay, though he later claimed to have written only two scenes. Writers like Carson McCullers, Paul Gallico, and Alberto Moravia were brought in and dismissed, reflecting Selznick’s relentless micromanagement.
•Creative Clashes: De Sica aimed to create a raw and emotionally authentic portrayal of a failed romance, while Selznick pushed for a polished Hollywood love story. Their conflicting visions resulted in daily disputes, with Selznick sending lengthy notes to De Sica—despite the director’s limited understanding of English.
•On-Set Tensions: Montgomery Clift supported De Sica’s artistic vision but clashed with Selznick. Clift described the film as depicting the “ludicrous, painful, and gigantically disappointing” nature of love, a perspective at odds with Selznick’s glossy sensibilities.
•Personal Struggles: Jennifer Jones faced personal turmoil during production, mourning the recent death of her ex-husband Robert Walker and dealing with marital tensions with Selznick.
Release and Reception
The original cut of Terminal Station ran for 89 minutes but was drastically re-edited by Selznick for its U.S. release, reducing the runtime to just 64 minutes. Retitled Indiscretion of an American Wife (and Indiscretion in the UK), the reworked version was widely panned by critics:
•Critics’ Verdicts: Reviews at the time were harsh, with many calling the film disjointed and emotionally flat. Clift himself denounced the project as “a big fat failure.”
•Legacy: Over the years, some critics have revisited the film with a more favorable lens, appreciating De Sica’s attempt to convey the melancholic realities of human relationships. Both the original and edited versions are available on DVD via The Criterion Collection, allowing audiences to compare the two cuts.
Critical Themes and Analysis
At its heart, the film is a meditation on the fleeting nature of love and the moral complexities of human connection. De Sica’s neorealist touch is evident in his use of authentic locations and emphasis on emotional realism. The train station itself becomes a symbolic liminal space—a setting where lives intersect briefly before parting forever.
Montgomery Clift and Jennifer Jones deliver nuanced performances that capture the inner turmoil of their characters. While the film’s artistic intentions are sometimes overshadowed by its production woes, it offers an intriguing exploration of love’s impermanence and the societal constraints that shape personal choices.
Remake
A 1998 made-for-television remake, also titled Indiscretion of an American Wife, sought to reimagine the story for a modern audience but failed to achieve the emotional depth or cultural impact of the original.
Modern Reception: While still divisive, Indiscretion of an American Wife has garnered a cult following among fans of Italian cinema and Hollywood’s golden age, serving as a fascinating example of artistic collaboration—and conflict—across cultures.
