Summertime was one of the first British films to be shot entirely on location.

There were complaints from the local Catholic Church that Katharine Hepburn had appeared outside St. Mark's Basilica in a sleeveless dress. Lean reshot the scene with long-sleeves to appease the church.

Darren McGavin, beloved by millions for his roles in television's Kolchak: The Night Stalker and as the father in A Christmas Story (1983), was cast in his first major movie role as artist Eddie Yaeger in Summertime.

The boy who played Jane Hudson's tour guide, Mauro, was discovered by David Lean in Venice. The part was the only one that had not yet been cast. The child actor would only make two more movies before abandoning film work - Scandal in Sorrento (1955) and I girovaghi (1959).

David Lean stayed at the Grand Hotel in Venice to work on the script of Summertime. Staying there as well was Charles Chaplin, whom Lean greatly admired. Lean was excited to meet him and tell him how much of an inspiration he was.

In the final scene, David Lean was thrilled to see that Hepburn had no trouble tearing up as she waves goodbye to her lover. He didn't realize it was a result of the conjunctivitis she had contracted from backing into the Venetian waters at his insistence.

The film's producer Ilya Lopert submitted the play to the Production Code Administration, the American censor board, for approval and was told that it was "in violation of the Production Code, and a motion picture based upon it could not be approved by us." Joseph Breen, the head of the organization, objected to the play's "promotion and acceptance of adultery." As late as May 1955, the new censor Geoffrey Shurlock would not approve Summertime for release until certain scenes, including the consummation of the affair by Jane and Renato, were trimmed down, along with several lines about adultery. The film was finally approved for American audiences in June 1955.

Some of the taglines for Summertime included "It happens to Hepburn - It happens in Venice!", "She came to Venice as a tourist - and went home a woman!", "All the pent-up yearning of her life was finally fulfilled ... amid the splendor of the world's most fabulous city!" and "What 3 Coins in the Fountain did for Rome ... ... Summertime does for Venice!"

Memorable Quotes from SUMMERTIME

Man on train: "Is this your first visit to Venice?"
Jane Hudson (Katharine Hepburn): "Yes, is it yours?"
Man on train: "No, I've been here several times."
Jane Hudson: "Several times? You have?"
Man on train: "Yes, I hope you're going to like it."
Jane Hudson: "Like it? I've got to. I've come such a long way. I've saved up such a long time for this trip."

Jane Hudson: "I'm the independent type, always have been."

Signora Fiorini (Isa Miranda): "In Italy you sit down to eat and you eat a meal. In Paris you sit down to eat and what do you eat? A sauce."

Jane Hudson: [upon being pulled out of the canal] "You should have seen me in the Olympics."

Jane Hudson: "I don't know what your experience has been with American tourists."
Renato de Rossi (Rossano Brazzi): "My experience has been that tourists have more experience than I."

Renato de Rossi: "I am a man and you are a woman. But you say, 'It's wrong...' You are like a hungry child who's been given ravioli to eat. 'No,' you say, 'I want beefsteak.' My dear girl, you are hungry. Eat the ravioli."
Jane Hudson: "I'm not that hungry."

Renato de Rossi: "You Americans get so disturbed about sex."
Jane Hudson: "We don't take it lightly."
Renato de Rossi: "Take it. Don't talk it."

Compiled by Greg Ferrara