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The Rose Tattoo Overview:

The Rose Tattoo (1955) was a Drama - Romance Film directed by Daniel Mann and produced by Hal B. Wallis.

Academy Awards 1955 --- Ceremony Number 28 (source: AMPAS)

AwardRecipientResult
Best ActressAnna MagnaniWon
Best Supporting ActressMarisa PavanNominated
Best Art DirectionArt Direction: Hal Pereira, Tambi Larsen; Set Decoration: Sam Comer, Arthur KramsWon
Best CinematographyJames Wong HoweWon
Best Costume DesignEdith HeadNominated
Best Film EditingWarren LowNominated
Best Music - ScoringAlex NorthNominated
Best PictureHal B. Wallis, ProducerNominated
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The Rose Tattoo BlogHub Articles:

The Rose Tattoo (1955) (2)

on Dec 3, 2013 From Journeys in Classic Film

You always notice the fingerprints of a Tennessee Williams production: An exotic locale within the US, unrepentant sexual longing bound up within questions of femininity and masculinity.  The Rose Tattoo bears all of these marks, as well as explores the generational gap in courtship and romance.  ... Read full article

The Rose Tattoo (1955) (1)

By Brandy Dean on Nov 7, 2013 From Pretty Clever Films

Roberto Rossellini’s neorealist Open City first brought Italian actress Anna Magnani to the attention of Americans and, legend has it, Tennessee Williams penned the lead role in his play The Rose Tattoo specifically with Magnani in mind. Maybe or maybe not, but she did find her way to the pa... Read full article

The Rose Tattoo

By Alyson on Sep 30, 2010 From The Best Picture Project

The Rose Tattoo is a compelling story, by Tennessee Williams shot in such beautiful black and white that all the color of 1955 cannot compare.  This was Anna Magnani first English speaking role and ended up winning the Oscar for Best Actress.  If you want to see some real acting in the 1950’s, M... Read full article

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The Rose Tattoo Quotes:

No Quote for this film.
The Rose Tattoo Facts
Although Tennessee Williams wrote the role of Serafina in his 1951 Broadway play for Anna Magnani, her English skills were too limited and Maureen Stapleton played the role instead to great acclaim. Stapleton also would originate the role of Lady Torrance in Williams' "Orpheus Descending", a role Magnani also would play on film.
Though the script places the location in a small Mississippi Gulf town, exteriors were shot in Key West. When scouting for locations, a perfect fit was found for the exterior of the house owned by Serafina Delle Rose on Duncan Street. A fence indicating a goat paddock was needed next door and the crew was worried the owner may object to the filming nearby and the addition of a ramshackle fence on his property. They needn't have worried - the house and property next door at 1431 Ducan was the home that Tennessee Williams shared with his lover Frank Merlo himself who happily agreed to its use even inviting Magnani (close friends of Merlo and Williams) and Lancaster to use it as their dressing rooms. In later years, Williams had an enormous mosaic of a rose tattoo embedded in the floor of the pool behind the house, which is still there today.
The original Broadway production of "The Rose Tattoo" by Tennessee Williams opened at the Martin Beck Theater in New York on February 3, 1951, ran for 308 performances and won the 1951 Tony Award for the Best Play.
Written as a promotional song which wasn't heard in the movie, "The Rose Tattoo" (music by Harry Warren, lyrics by Jack Brooks) provided Perry Como with a best-selling single on the RCA Victor label.
In The Mardi Gras Club scenes, there are a few familiar faces amongst the extras. As Serafina storms by the men on bar stools, Tennessee Williams himself can be seen sitting at the bar in a striped shirt. The man beside him is producer Hal B. Wallis. The shorter man in the white shirt standing directly behind Estelle Hohengarten (actress Virginia Grey) helping to restrain her is Frank Merlo - William's long-time companion and lover.
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