Tea with Mussolini (1999)

Wonderful character development!

Memorable, crazy movie

i must have seen a different film!!

A film with more than the usual spoiler issues. Talking about it in any detail feels akin to handing you a gift-wrapped present and saying, "I hope you like it -- It's a thriller about a diabolical secret experiment."

Despite the cast, this isn't a Merchant/Ivory production. Franco Zeffirelli's autobiographical film of his youth spent amongst the English "Scorpioni" in Florence before and during WWII is a very heartfelt piece of work. In the hands of three British ex-pats (Maggie Smith, Judi Dench, and Joan Plowright), young "Luca" is raised to appreciate art and life...and to tolerate A LOT! Also in the mix is Cher, as an American showgirl/benefactor with the exhaustive name of Elsa Morganthal Strauss-Armistan, and Lily Tomlin as a free-spirited archaeologist. The acting by all is exceptional, with Plowright a real standout as the Earth mother of the group. Cher has the longest name, but the briefest role. It does, however, turn out to be very pivotal. Dench is very funny as a ditsy culture vulture and Smith is perfect as the uptight (self appointed) leader of the den. Zeffirelli's script (co-written by John Mortimer) is funny (is there really a tea with Il Duce?), suspenseful, and even a little scary. This is the director's finest film in years. The great cinematography is by David Watkins.

I was really disappointed with this film. The only reason I watched it was because of Dame Maggie Smith (who I adore) and Cher (because I was intrigued). I felt as though the director wanted to create a mass-murder using boredom. The plot is bizarre. Consider the grandson (or whatever the hell he was - he rarely spoke) of Dame Maggie's character. They dressed him as a girl so he would be imprisoned with the old ladies in the tower. It was slightly amusing at first, but he somehow manages to continue the deceit to the point that one of the guard's wanted to date him - despite his totally unconvincing appearance as a woman. If this was a comedy, that might be funny a la 'Some Like It Hot'. But this is supposed to be a drama? The kid (and later teenager) Luca was boring and clearly included in the story to make old ladies go 'awwwww'. I always cringe when I see the period piece British snob living abroad parading around like they are god while declaring the 'natives' are backwards. Just awful. The only bright spot was, astonishingly, Cher. The artistic and highly ostentatious character she played suited her - in fact you could believe it was Cher 1940's style. Dame Judy Dench looked weird. Lily Tomlin looked as though she stepped out of 'Raiders of the Lost Ark'. I found myself wanting something awful to happen to these old ladies, which is mean, but I couldn't help it. I actually laughed when the 'facists' threw their tea and paintings out the window (and I secretly wished that dog had gone as well - despite being a dog lover). The locations and scenery are beautiful though.

Young boy from a broken home is 'adopted' by a group of elderly British women in pre-WWII Florence, Italy. Director Franco Zeffirelli's rather self-conscious valentine to his own childhood is slushed with poetic sentimentality, most of which feels distinctly artificial. The young lad at the heart of the piece isn't at all memorable, and the ladies unfortunately fare no better (but where else can you find Cher, Judi Dench, Joan Plowright, Lily Tomlin and Maggie Smith together on-screen?). Some of the more subtle moments (such as the child waiting for someone to pick him up after school) touch on a velvety kind of youthful longing that is rather sweet, but the drippy dialogue and obvious "scene stealing" opportunities for the femme stars drain much of the sincerity from the mix. ** from ****

I found this movie grand. The casting awesome. Cher balanced against the best of England was perfect. It was like watching a fascinating piece of music, like jazz. It all went together beautifully, everyone knew the chords and when to come in. Great harmony and melody also. A delightful story. Hurray to the Independents again. Maybe someday the US film industry will learn, most of us enjoy a good story and a good cast. The violence is in this picture, and it is a threat. It is how it effects these individuals, each in their own way and how they relate that makes the movie. If you have yet to see this film - take a break and enjoy.