Tea With Mussolini

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Tea with Mussolini

Year: 1999
Classification: Drama

Actors/Actresses:
- Cher
- Judi Dench
- Lily Tomlin
- Maggie Smith
- Joan Plowright

A Great Bunch of Dames

This film tells the story of a young man in Italy and the English and American women who had a profound impact on his life. When his father wants little do to with his illegitimate son, he is taken care of by his father's English secretary Joan Plowright and her art-loving friend Judi Dench. A friend of his late mother, wealthy American Cher, becomes a benefactress. Since the story takes place in the 1930s and 1940s, WWII figures prominently into the film, as the women assume that Mussolini isn't as bad as the press outside of Italy report. Chief among his supporters is Maggie Smith, the widow of the former British Ambassador. The women all learn truth about Mussolini as their young charge learns how to be a man. With a cast like this one (Cher, Dench, Plowright, Smith, and Lily Tomlin), of course the acting is very good. Director Franco Zeffirelli does a terrific job establishing the atmosphere and mood of the time, with beautiful shots of Florence, the Italian countryside, and great works of art. The film does tend to wander a bit and does lack credibility in a few places. But this is a rare chance to see such great actresses together, and with a few good moments of dramatic tension, it's an easy film to watch.

Great actors. Lovely Italy. Slow and not always credible.

"Tea with Mussolini" portrays the beautiful Italian landscape and the superb acting of the incredible Maggie Smith, Judy Dench, Joan Plowright, Lilly Tomlin and the lovely Cher; however, in spite of these virtues the movie can be quite slow and even tedious at times and does not have the magic of other "Italian" films that come to mind such as "Enchanted April" and "A room with a view". BR>This is a story of a few lives intertwined by circumstance and World War II. Luca, an illegitimate child, unwanted by his father, is raised by the loving and patient Mary Wallace who is helped by a group of English ladies. Luca's father has a notion of making him "an English Gentlemen", a notion that soon changes according to the new political winds to become a wish of making him a "German businessman".... We meet the "Scorpions", a group of British ladies living in pre world war II Florence, headed by Maggie Smith who plays the widow of the British Ambassador - as she never fails to remind everyone. Scorpions is a nickname invented by Elsa, a rich American performer (Cher) who both laughs at and likes the group. Elsa becomes the benefactor of Luca and opens a trust for him, a favor he will return in the years to come. BR>I confess that the mixture of Italian charm with British ladies usually works for me and any film bringing us this excellent group of actors cannot be bad. However, "Tea with Mussolini" is not always credible and the characters are somewhat exaggerated. The war remains in the background, as something nor the ladies nor the viewers are able to fully grasp. The ladies would not leave Italy due to their love of the place and their naïve belief in Mussolini and an effort is made to show how their lives are affected. We are supposed to understand the dreadfulness of war from the cruel separation of one British lady from her dog, or from the fact that they are supposed to sleep in a dirty crowded place. On the other hand, an effort is made to show the viewers that the ladies "cannot be given orders". I do wish that would have be
Duane carries around his hideously deformed evil twin Belial in a large, padlocked basket. Equally gruesome and funny, this cult film truly deserves its reputation. Fans will oooh and aaah at the generous extras included, especially the outtakes, behind-the-scenes footage, and
all races (except the Narns) add more colour. Intrigue, smuggling, dealing, double-dealing, romance, all leavened with humourous touches throughout - what more could you ask!
For the first four years, the hardest part of being a B5 fan was FINDING it. (Our local station played ping-pong with its time slot.) To own uncut, widescreen versions on DVD o
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