It was nominated for an Academy Award as best picture. Later that evening at a party, Maria is attracted by the handsome Prince Dino di Cessi (Louis Jourdan), despite being warned by Frances and Anita about him being a notorious womanizer. Get This Movie It took 30 years to build the Trevi Fountain but just a minute of screen time for the monument to be immortalized. Three Coins in the Fountain is a 1954 American romantic comedy film directed by Jean Negulesco and starring Clifton Webb, Dorothy McGuire, Jean Peters, Louis Jourdan, Rossano Brazzi, and Maggie McNamara. The unsold pilot set on NBC's shelf for four years before finally being aired in 1970. Shadwell tells Dino he is leaving for the United States, where he will marry Frances. Frances returns home to comfort the guilt-stricken Maria, who is also determined to leave Rome because Dino has not contacted her since her admission. Maria even lies about her background, telling Dino she is three-quarters Italian. Three Coins in the Fountain FXM Oscars went to Milton Krasner's location photography and to the title song of this romance about three young American women looking for love in Italy. The next day, Shadwell learns that he is terminally ill and has less than a year to live unless he goes to America for experimental treatment. My dreamboat sailed off in another direction, and I am married to a very solid Engineering type. Meanwhile, Maria sets out to attract Dino's affections. Be on the lookout for your Britannica newsletter to get trusted stories delivered right to your inbox. At the 27th Academy Awards in 1955, the film received two Academy Awards for Best Cinematography and Best Song, and received an Academy Award Nomination for Best Picture.[5]. Anita reluctantly agrees.   |  User Polls. When they are joined by Frances, however, the water springs up again and the women are thrilled by its beauty. The first was the 1964 musical The Pleasure Seekers starring Ann-Margret. After Shadwell leaves, Frances learns from his doctor the truth about Shadwell's condition, and then follows him to a café, where she proceeds to match him drink for drink while bickering about whether he should pursue treatment. By signing up for this email, you are agreeing to news, offers, and information from Encyclopaedia Britannica.   |  Later, Dino confides in Maria that she is the only girl who he has ever completely trusted. He uses reverse psychology to provoke Dino into realizing that he loves Maria. Maria senses that Anita and Giorgio are attracted to each other, though Anita states that the agency forbids its American and Italian employees to fraternize. Rome. Shadwell returns to his villa and coldly breaks off his engagement with Frances. From Infogalactic: the planetary knowledge core, "Full cast and crew for Three Coins in the Fountain", https://infogalactic.com/w/index.php?title=Three_Coins_in_the_Fountain_(film)&oldid=62003, Films that won the Best Original Song Academy Award, Films whose cinematographer won the Best Cinematography Academy Award, Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License, About Infogalactic: the planetary knowledge core, 1955 Academy Award for Best Music, Original Song (Jule Styne, Sammy Cahn), 1955 Academy Award Nomination for Best Picture (Sol C. Siegel). The film starred Kristen Bell and Josh Duhamel. In 1954, Hollywood descended upon Rome to film “Three Coins in the Fountain.” Other films — Roman Holiday and Three Coins in the Fountain — featured Nicola Salvi’s 18th century masterpiece, but its most celebrated role was in Federico Fellini’s [ITALIC “La dolce vita”] . It was made in Italy during the "Hollywood on the Tiber" era. https://www.britannica.com/topic/Three-Coins-in-the-Fountain-film-by-Negulesco, Jean Negulesco: Millionaire and Three Coins. This page was last modified on 31 August 2015, at 07:57. TV Short Upon its theatrical release, the film received generally positive reviews, particularly for its color and CinemaScope wide-screen cinematography of Italian filming locations. At the agency on Monday, Burgoyne questions Maria about Anita's weekend with Giorgio, and although she maintains that Anita did nothing wrong, Burgoyne assumes Anita is having an affair with Giorgio. Upon its theatrical release, the film received generally positive reviews, particularly for its color and CinemaScope wide-screen cinematography of Italian filming locations. When Anita finds out, she blames Maria for betraying her confidence and insists on moving out of their apartment. However, the nonsense of its fable tumbles nicely within the picture frame." Language. The story was adapted by John Patrick from the novel Coins in the Fountain by John H. Secondari. In his review in The New York Times, Bosley Crowther wrote, "Three Coins in the Fountain is quite clearly a film in which the locale comes first. She learns about the modern art he loves, his favorite food and wine, and pretends to learn the piccolo (his favorite instrument). Other articles where Three Coins in the Fountain is discussed: Jean Negulesco: Millionaire and Three Coins: Three Coins in the Fountain (1954) was also a hit, with its Rome locations, Oscar-winning theme song (by Jule Styne and Sammy Cahn), and fine cast (Webb, Jean Peters, Dorothy McGuire, and Louis Jourdan). The following day he fires Giorgio. His girlfriends become known as "Venice girls" after he takes them to Venice for romantic trysts. She's leaving because she believes she has a better chance of finding a husband in America; wealthy Italian men are not interested in mere secretaries, and the men who are interested are too poor. Filming Locations Rome, Lazio, Italy. Country of Origin USA . Louis Jourdan, RIP. Italy has long been a destination for location filming – from romantic comedies to action epics. Shadwell, unaware that Frances has been deeply in love with him for fifteen years, offers her a marriage of convenience, based on mutual respect. Meanwhile, back at the apartment, Dino calls for Maria and asks if she will accompany him to Venice. Storyline Plot Summary Genres Comedy | Romance Details Release Date: 10 August 1970. Short, Comedy, Romance, Three young American women living in Rome seek romance and adventure. For an enhanced browsing experience, get the IMDb app on your smartphone or tablet. The second was a 20th Century Fox movie filmed in 1966 as the pilot for an unsold television series. Frances and Anita tell Maria that according to legend, if she throws a coin in the fountain and makes a wish to return to Rome, she will. "[8], On the review aggregator web site Rotten Tomatoes, the film has a 63% positive rating based on 8 reviews.[9]. The third was the 1990 television film Coins in the Fountain starring Loni Anderson. The film was directed by Hal Kanter, written by Kanter and Melville Sherelson, and starred Cynthia Pepper, Yvonne Craig, and Joanna Moore. Frances meets with Anita, who admits that she and Giorgio are in love but will not marry because he is too poor. A young American secretary, Maria Williams (Maggie McNamara), arrives in Rome and is greeted by Anita Hutchins (Jean Peters), the woman she is replacing at the United States Distribution Agency. The television film was finally broadcast in 1970. Three Coins in the Fountain was actually filmed in Technicolor and Cinemascope on location at various spots around Italy, like the Trevi Fountain in Rome, the Dolomite Mountains and Venice, with interiors done at Cinecitta Film Studios in Rome. When they arrive, Maria and Anita are disappointed to see the fountain emptied for cleaning. I also threw my three coins in the Trevi Fountain, fell in love with a luscious Italian man, however, never did return to Rome. View production, box office, & company info. After Anita and Maria are packed and ready to leave, Frances telephones and asks to meet them at the Trevi Fountain. It was nominated for an Academy Award as best picture. After the party, Anita and Maria walk home and Anita admits that she has no fiancé waiting back in the United States. 30 min Sergio Franchi sang the title song. Giorgio has no regrets. Anita then climbs into the truck and is almost killed when it rolls down the hill. English . [7], The review in Variety noted that the film "has warmth, humor, a rich dose of romance and almost incredible pictorial appeal. From The Virgin Suicides and Lost in Translation to On the Rocks, IMDb dives into the cinematic stylings of Academy Award-winning writer and director, Sofia Coppola. The next morning, Giorgio picks Anita up in his cousin's dilapidated truck. On their way out of town, they are spotted by her boss, Burgoyne (Howard St. John). The next morning, however, Frances suddenly announces to Shadwell that she is returning to the United States, explaining that she does not want to wind up an old maid in a foreign country. Anita takes Maria to the agency and introduces her to Giorgio Bianchi (Rossano Brazzi), a translator with whom she works. After Shadwell takes her back to the villa and tucks her in, he goes to see Dino at the di Cessi palace. Three other films based on the same novel have been released. Crowther underscored the film's visual appeal to the audiences of his time. He angrily takes her home. The trick is to underpin the picture with flimsy and harmless accounts of the plainly romantic adventures of three American girls in Rome and then chase them with the camera around the Eternal City as they pursue their destinies. Maria and Francis throw in their coins, but Anita, who is returning to the United States to marry, declines. Written by John Patrick, the film is about three American women working in Rome who dream of finding romance in the Eternal City.[4].