Indiscretion of an American Wife (1954)

Director Vittorio de Sica's first English language film, INDISCRETION OF AN AMERICAN WIFE, examines the personal romantic crises of a woman caught between romantic love and her duties as a wife and mother. The film takes place over a few hours in Rome's Terminal Station, where Mary (Jennifer Jones) is preparing to leave her Italian lover Giovanni (Montgomery Clift), who begs her to stay with him. While considering her options, Mary and Giovanni sneak off to an empty railroad car for one last passionate fling, but are soon discovered by a railway worker and arrested for indecent conduct. Mary must escape the charges to catch her train--unless she'd prefer to stay in Rome and never return to her family. Jones plays the role deftly, showing the clear pain that either decision will bring upon her, while De Sica firmly plants her dilemma against the swirl of activity and life in the Roman train station.