Watch Spring Night, Summer Night

Based on the 1953 play "The Dispossessed" by famous playwright and screenwriter Joseph Hayes, Spring Night, Summer Night is a 1967 drama film that tells a story of a family in a rural town in Ohio. It was directed by J.L. Anderson and starred Larue Hall, Ted Heimerdinger, and Marjorie Johnson. The film is narrated by the 21-year old Jessie (Larue Hall), who is struggling with her feelings towards her stepbrother Carl (Ted Heimerdinger). She still has feelings for him since their childhood days, but it seems like her love is unrequited. Her mother (Marjorie Johnson) is married to Carl's father (John Crawford), and they seem not to give each other romantic attention. Jessie is frustrated with her mother's neglect and spends most of her days wandering in the fields.

The story takes place over a holiday weekend, where the town is preparing for a festival. Jessie's family is planning on attending, but an unexpected visit from Carl's old flame, Rachel (Ruth White), takes them on a journey filled with struggles and secrets.

As the family prepares to make their way to the festival, Carl insists on taking Rachel with them. The arrival of Rachel creates chaos as she disrupts the family dynamics, complicating Jessie's feelings towards Carl. The family outing is cut short when the car breaks down, leaving Carl and Jessie behind while the others go ahead.

The siblings' loneliness and isolation in the countryside lead to their introspection and emotional revelations. They confront their long-time unspoken feelings, and for Jessie, a possible rejection awaits. Carl, on the other hand, has always seen Jessie as a little sister and is puzzled by her sudden declaration of love.

The film's visual style is noteworthy. It is shot in black and white in a way to accentuate the light and the textures of the rural landscape. The camera angles are unconventional and add to the sense of disorientation in a narrative that lacks a linear storyline. The use of natural lighting and live sound enhances the authenticity of the storytelling, creating an almost documentary-like effect.

The screenplay by J.L. Anderson and the original author, Joseph Hayes, is insightful in creating a vivid sense of place, which moves beyond the physical space to explore characters' psychological and emotional territories. The characters are psychologically complex and intriguing, and their conversations seem realistic and thought-provoking.

Although the film did not gain much commercial success upon its release, it garnered critical acclaim for its direction, cinematography, and performances. It is a film that explores the complexities of human relationships in rural communities through a lens of understated realism.

In summary, Spring Night, Summer Night is a compelling drama of family dysfunction and secret desires, set in a small town in rural Ohio. The film's focus on character development and exploration of complex emotions make it a striking piece of cinema, which is as relevant today as it was over fifty years ago.

Spring Night, Summer Night is a 1970 drama with a runtime of 1 hour and 22 minutes. It has received mostly positive reviews from critics and viewers, who have given it an IMDb score of 7.1.