Teresa (1952)

Celebrated director Fred Zinnemann (High Noon, From Here to Eternity) delves into territories pioneered by the postwar Italian neorealists for this tale of a traumatized GI (John Ericson) and his Italian war bride (Pier Angeli, in her American film debut). Careening between crisis points in the life of Philip Cass (Ericson), Zinnemann unspools Philip’s war story through his counseling with Frank (Rod Steiger), his Veterans Affairs officer. Young Philip is not well-prepared for the life of a trooper, his only bright spots a kindly sergeant (Ralph Meeker) and Teresa (Angeli), the daughter in an Italian family that houses his squad. After Philip’s worst fears are realized in battle, he returns to Teresa’s village and marries her. The couple moves into Philip’s home and finds a very different sort of battle waiting. Although Ericson’s vet is the protagonist, Angeli anchors the film with her astonishing and heartfelt performance.