Three Coins in the Fountain (1954)

Three American women working as secretaries at the US embassy in Rome throw coins into the city’s Trevi Fountain in the hope of meeting the men of their dreams. Their wishes are answered in the shape of an Italian translator, a successful writer and a debonair prince.

Milton Krasner’s cinematography won an Oscar, as did the (uncredited) Frank Sinatra title song, even though lyricist Sammy Cahn resorted to the meaningless coda “Make it mine, make it mine, make it mine” when he was unable to rhyme “fountain” with anything sensible. It sold a million.

In its day, the movie’s dialogue was considered quite risqué, and the clothes and performances were the very epitome of sophisticated chic. And it’s all filmed in glorious early CinemaScope.

Director Jean Negulesco remade the film in 1964 as The Pleasure Seekers.

Shadwell
Clifton Webb
Miss Francis
Dorothy McGuire
Anita
Jean Peters
Prince Dino Di Cessi
Louis Jourdan
Maria
Maggie McNamara
Georgio
Rossano Brazzi
Burgoyne
Howard St John
Mrs Burgoyne
Kathryn Givney
Principessa
Cathleen Nesbitt
Dr Martinelli
Vincent Padula

Director
Jean Negulesco