'O CANDELABRO ITALIANO' (Rome adventure) - 27 February 1963

24 February 1963 - It was a Sunday before Carnaval... 'O candelabro italiano' (Rome Adventure) would open exactly on Ash Wednesday - 27 February 1963 at Cine Astor and Cine Paisandu. The columnist at newspaper 'O Estado de S.Paulo' wrote a lot of non-sense about the movie he had not seen yet even saying Suzanne was French when everyone knows Ms Pleshette was born in Brooklyn, New York, on 31st January 1937.

Nothing of that really matters. What we're interested in is that 'O candelabro italiano' despite having opened at Carnaval's low season went on to become one of the most popular movies shown in 1963... sending 'Al di là' sung in the sound-track by Emilio Pericoli to Number One in the Brazilian charts which went on to open the flood-gates to the insuing Italian music invasion of Brazil.

Historia de um quarteto amoroso que se complica e também encontra sua solução em meio as atrações turísticas de Roma. Como diretor, Delmer Daves não inspira nenhuma confiança, mas pelo produtor sabe como dar certa classe a seus filmes. Este marca a estreia de Suzanne Pleshette, uma francesinha parecida com Elizabeth Taylor, e que vem causando sensação nos Estados Unidos.

19 May 1963 - Correio da Manhã's columnis seems more up-to-date than his Paulista counterpart at Estadão's; he knows what the director Delmer Daves was all about and also knew Suzanne Pleshette was an American actress. Here's what Wikipedia wrote about the director: Delmer Daves (*24 July 24 1904 +17  August 1977) was an American screenwriter, director, producer, and actor. Daves wrote, produced and directed a series of films with Troy Donahue at Warners: 'A summer place' (1959) with Sandra Dee, 'Parrish' (1961) with Connie Stevens, 'Susan Slade' (1961) with Connie Stevens again and 'Rome Adventure' (1962) with Suzanne Pleshette and Angie Dickinson.

Following the success of 'A summer place', Daves's career made an unexpected and profound shift away from the masculine action films Daves had become known for towards so-called "women's pictures." According to Daves's son, Michael Daves, this change was precipitated partly by Daves's heart attack in 1958; on his doctors’ advice, he decided to limit himself to less strenuous, studio-based productions.

'Correio da Manhã' columnist goes beyond and says Hollywood 'went Italian' with Panamanian director José Quintero shooting 'The Roman spring of Mrs Stone' in the streets of Rome in 1961. Mrs Stone, an old American actress is played by Vivien Leigh and Warren Beatty plays a local Italian gigolo who seduces the middle-aged lady. 

Vincent Minelli also shot a movie in Rome 'round 1961; 'Two weeks in another town' also dealt with former Hollywood characters trying a new lease of life in Italy. The story was seen by some as a depiction of the relationships among Tyrone Power, Linda Christian and Darryl Zanuck. Kirk Douglas, Edward G. Robinson, Cyd Charisse,  George Hamilton and Rosanna Schiaffino play the main parts. 

15 May 1963 - Rio de Janeiro saw 'Rome adventure' (O candelabro italiano) 3 months after Sao Paulo... nonetheless when the Italian pop music invasion took place Rio was as much 'flooded' with Italian hits as Sao Paulo had been...

'Lovers must learn', a book by Irving Fineman, was published in 1932. Unlike the film, the novel was set in Paris. Delmer Daves purchased the rights to the novel in 1957 and announced plans to make a film version in France, Copenhagen and Switzerland.

Natalie Wood was at one stage announced for the lead. Troy Donahue was announced for the male lead relatively early. Eventually Natalie Wood dropped out and Suzanne Pleshette was signed in September 1961.

The film was known during production as 'Lovers must learn'. Donahue and Pleshette fell in love while filming.

The song "Al di là" featured in the film and performed by Emilio Pericoli was originally recorded by Betty Curtis and Luciano Tajoli and winner of the 1961 edition of the San Remo Festival, subsequently becoming Italy's entry to Eurovision 1961. Connie Francis recorded it too.

22 December 1963 - by the end of 1963 Alberto Lattuada's 1962 production 'Mafioso' which had Norma Benguel in the female-lead was released with pomp & circumstance... in the Brazilian ad Norma Benguel's name tops that of Alberto Sordi's which is a contradiction in itself since the movie's title referred to his portrayal not hers... well, Brazilians were proud of its country woman starring in such an important foreign movie and couldn't contain their enthusiasm.

In the meantime one could hear Rita Pavone sing 'La partita di pallone' or 'Cuore' on the radio waves... Emilio Pericoli's 'Al di là' had reached the top of the charts around July... Nico Fidenco's 'Legata a un granello di sabbia' was high in the charts... and RCA Victor was preparing its onslaught of Italian hits releasing its music catalogue as soon as Carnaval was over after Fat Tuesday, 11 February 1964 and Ash Wednesday, 12 February 1964.

Suzanne Pleshette married her 'Rome Adventure' co-star Troy Donahue in Los Angeles on 4 January 1964.  It was a short affair though for it ended acrimoniously after only 8 months.