Editing Olivia de Havilland (section)

=== 1953–1962: New life in Paris ===
{{Quote box|align=left|width=36%|salign=right|quote=Of course the thing that staggers you when you first come to France is the fact that all the French speak French{{nsmdns}}even the children. Many Americans and Britishers who visit the country never quite adjust to this, and the idea persists that the natives speak the language just to show off or be difficult.|source=— Olivia de Havilland in ''Every Frenchman Has One''{{sfn|De Havilland|1962|p=31}}}}

In April 1953, at the invitation of the French government, she travelled to the [[Cannes Film Festival]], where she met Pierre Galante, an executive editor for the French journal ''[[Paris Match]]''.{{sfn|Thomas|1983|pp=41–42}} Following a long-distance courtship and the requisite nine-month residency requirement, de{{nbsp}}Havilland and Galante married on April 12, 1955, in the village of [[Yvoy-le-Marron]], and settled together in a three-storey house near the [[Bois de Boulogne]] park in Paris' [[16th arrondissement of Paris|16th ''Arrondissement'']].<ref>{{cite magazine |url=http://www.lepoint.fr/invites-du-point/jean-noel-mirande/olivia-de-havilland-une-americaine-a-paris-22-07-2012-1488046_572.php |title=Olivia de Havilland, une Américaine à Paris (Olivia de Havilland, an American Woman in Paris) |first=Jean-Noël |last=Mirande |date=July 22, 2012 |magazine=[[Le Point]] }}</ref><ref name="latimes-tartaglione"/>{{sfn|Thomas|1983|p=42}} That same year, she returned to the screen in [[Terence Young (director)|Terence Young]]'s period drama ''[[That Lady]]'' (1955), about a Spanish princess and her unrequited love for [[King Philip II of Spain]], whose respect she earned in her youth after losing an eye in a sword fight defending his honor.{{sfn|Thomas|1983|pp=225–226}} According to Tony Thomas, the film uses authentic Spanish locations effectively, but suffers from a convoluted plot and excessive dialogue, and while de{{nbsp}}Havilland delivered a warm and elegant performance as [[Ana de Mendoza, Princess of Eboli|Ana de Mendoza]], the film was disappointing.{{sfn|Thomas|1983|pp=225–226}} Following her appearances in the romantic melodrama ''[[Not as a Stranger]]'' (1955){{sfn|Thomas|1983|p=227}} and ''[[The Ambassador's Daughter (1956 film)|The Ambassador's Daughter]]'' (1956){{sfn|Thomas|1983|p=229}}{{nsmdns}}neither of which was successful at the box office {{nsmdns}}de{{nbsp}}Havilland gave birth to her second child, Gisèle Galante, on July 18, 1956.{{sfn|Thomas|1983|p=42}}
[[File:Olivia de Havilland and Pierre Galante with Child 1956.jpg|thumb|upright=0.75|alt=Smiling while holding her newborn child with her husband|With Pierre Galante and daughter Gisèle, 1956]]

De Havilland returned to the screen in Michael Curtiz's Western drama ''[[The Proud Rebel]]'' (1958),{{sfn|Thomas|1983|p=231}} a film about a former Confederate soldier ([[Alan Ladd]]) whose wife was killed in the war and whose son lost the ability to speak after witnessing the tragedy. De{{nbsp}}Havilland played Linnett Moore, a tough yet feminine frontier woman who cares for the boy and comes to love his father.{{sfn|Kass|1976|p=117}} The movie was filmed on location in Utah, where de{{nbsp}}Havilland learned to hitch and drive a team of horses and handle a gun for her role.{{sfn|Thomas|1983|p=232}} ''The Proud Rebel'' was released May 28, 1958, and was well received by audiences and critics. In his review for ''The New York Times'', A. H. Weiler called the film a "truly sensitive effort" and "heartwarming drama", and praised de{{nbsp}}Havilland's ability to convey the "warmth, affection and sturdiness needed in the role".<ref name="nytimes-pr-weiler"/>

One of de{{nbsp}}Havilland's best received performances during this period was in [[Guy Green (filmmaker)|Guy Green]]'s romantic drama ''[[Light in the Piazza (film)|Light in the Piazza]]'' (1962) with [[Rossano Brazzi]].{{sfn|Thomas|1983|p=235}} Filmed in [[Florence]] and [[Rome]],{{sfn|Thomas|1983|p=235}} and based on [[Elizabeth Spencer (writer)|Elizabeth Spencer]]'s [[The Light in the Piazza (novel)|novel of the same name]], the film is about a middle-class American tourist on extended vacation in Italy with her beautiful 26-year-old daughter ([[Yvette Mimieux]]), who is [[Intellectual disability|mentally disabled]] as a result of a childhood accident.{{sfn|Thomas|1983|p=235}} Faced with the prospect of her daughter falling in love with a young Italian, the mother struggles with conflicting emotions about her daughter's future.{{sfn|Thomas|1983|pp=235–236}} De{{nbsp}}Havilland projects a calm maternal serenity throughout most of the film, only showing glimpses of the worried mother anxious for her child's happiness.{{sfn|Kass|1976|p=124}} The film was released on February 19, 1962, and was well received, with a ''[[Hollywood Reporter]]'' reviewer calling it "an uncommon love story ... told with rare delicacy and force", and ''Variety'' noting that the film "achieves the rare and delicate balance of artistic beauty, romantic substance, dramatic novelty and commercial appeal". ''Variety'' singled out de{{nbsp}}Havilland's performance as "one of great consistency and subtle projection".<ref name="variety-piazza"/>

In early 1962, de{{nbsp}}Havilland traveled to New York City, and began rehearsals for [[Garson Kanin]]'s stage play ''A Gift of Time''. Adapted from the autobiographical book ''Death of a Man'' by Lael Tucker Wertenbaker, the play explores the emotionally painful struggle of a housewife forced to deal with the slow death of her husband, played by Henry Fonda. The play opened at the [[Ethel Barrymore Theater]] on Broadway to positive notices, with de{{nbsp}}Havilland receiving her best reviews as a stage actress.{{sfn|Thomas|1983|p=42}} Theater critic [[Walter Kerr]] praised her final scene, writing, "As darkness gathers, the actress gains in stature, taking on the simple and resolute willingness to understand."{{sfn|Kass|1976|p=127}} The ''[[New York World-Telegram and Sun]]'' reviewer concluded: "It is Miss de{{nbsp}}Havilland who gives the play its unbroken continuity. This distinguished actress reveals Lael as a special and admirable woman."{{sfn|Kass|1976|p=127}} She stayed with the production for 90 performances.{{sfn|Thomas|1983|p=42}} The year 1962 also saw the publication of de{{nbsp}}Havilland's first book, ''[[Every Frenchman Has One]]'', a lighthearted account of her often amusing attempts to understand and adapt to French life, manners, and customs.{{sfn|Thomas|1983|p=42}} The book sold out its first printing prior to the publication date and went on to become a bestseller.{{sfn|Kass|1976|p=120}}<ref name="latimes-tartaglione"/>