I was 16 when Rome Adventure was in the theaters. I did not see it at that time but had a movie magazine with a picture of Angie Dickinson on the back. In the article, she talked about how much fun she had in making the movie and riding around Rome on motorcycles. Rome Adventure typifies the innocence and naivete of the early 1960s. It is almost a travelogue. Suzanne Pleshette plays librarian Prudence Bell on her big trip to Rome. She is looking for love and finds it in Troy Donahue. Angie Dickinson is a third party and potential spoiler in the triangle. Finally, true love wins out. Al Di La is the theme song, one of the most romantic pieces of music ever written. Emilio Pericoli sings it. We just want to float away, "beyond the beyond." The scenes of ancient Rome transport us to another time and place. The Kennedy assassination and Vietnam were right around the corner, so we had to enjoy this while we could. Rome Adventure is one of my favorite movies.

In Connecticut, the twenty-one year-old assistant librarian Prudence Bell (Suzanne Pleshette) is summoned by the board of the Briarcroft College for Women to explain why she had lent the forbidden romance "Lovers Must Learn" to a senior student. She gives a lecture about love to the old and lonely teachers and resigns from her position.

Prudence travels to Italy expecting to find independence and the true love. Along her trip, she befriends the experienced and mature Italian Roberto Orlandi (Rossano Brazzi) and the boring student of Etruscology Albert Stillwell (Hampton Fancher). In Rome, Roberto brings Prudence and Albert to the boarding house of and old Countess (Iphigenie Castiglioni).

Prudence finds a job in and American bookstore in Rome and she celebrates with the brokenhearted guest of the Countess Don Porter (Troy Donahue),whose girlfriend Lyda Kent (Angie Dickinson) has just broken up with him and traveled to Switzerland. Prudence and Don spends a holiday touring through Italy and she fall in love with him. But when they return to Rome, Lyda is waiting for Don.

"Rome Adventure" is one of the most romantic films from the 60's. The story is simple and naive, but supported by wonderful landscapes in Italy; a haunting music score with the song "Al Di La"; and the gorgeous Suzanne Pleshette. The witty lines and the voice of Prudence Bell are delightful. Troy Donahue was successful with the women..

The unforgettable music score was a hit in Brazil when I was a child and "Rome Adventure" was a great success in my country. I had seen this film for the last time on 22 April 2001 on VHS and today I have just seen it again on DVD. I like also the Brazilian title, "Candelabro Italiano", meaning "Italian Candlestick", since it represents the integrity and the love of the youngsters. My vote is eight.

Title (Brazil): "Candelabro Italiano" ("Italian Candlestick")

Prudence, Assistant Librarian, Suzanne Pleshette (The Birds, Newhart) resigns from the preppie and all women school Braiarcroft because of the book "Lovers Must Learn" that she lends to a student. The Faculty Board did not approve, and she was forced to resign. She wants to live her life and to really fall in love as the book has inspired her. She goes to Italy and she gets a job at a book store run by an American woman who lives in Italy.

When in Italy she meets, Don, Troy Donahue (The Godfather Trilogy, Imitation of Life),a graduate student in Architecture, who is working on his thesis, in Italian architecture. They fall madly in love. He had this mistress Lydia, Angie Dickinson(Dressed to Kill). Rossano Brazzi plays this really lovable Italian gentleman (Roberto) whom Prudence meets on her way to Italy. He is really a nice guy and also friends of Don. Don and Prudence go on a tour around Italy by bus and then on his Vespa. It is a beautiful love story!. It is a love story, an old fashion love story as the people in love still sleep in separate beds and rooms. My favorite scenes in this movie are: the fluffy dog, Don playing with a piece of grass and caressing Prudence's face with it, the scenery of Italy, the friendliness of the Italian people, and their "savior de vivre," and ultimately when Don meets Prudence back in the States with this huge candelabra in his hands! I have such good memories of this movies that I have to give it a ten. The chemistry between Pleshette and Donahue is outstanding. They fall in love in real life in this movie. I was very disappointed when Suzanne and Troy were separated after a short marriage, I believe they were married one month. But I guess some love stories only have happy endings in the movies. I have the video, but the video it is not easily available at your rental video store. I highly recommend this gorgeous love story!