Under the Tuscan Sun (2003)

Director:

Audrey Wells

Writers (WGA):

Frances Mayes (book)
Audrey Wells (screen story)
(more)

Release Date:

26 September 2003 (USA)

Genre:

Comedy | Drama | Romance

Tagline:

The Only Thing More Surprising Than The Chance She's Taking...Is Where It's Taking Her

Plot:

While on vacation, a just-divorced writer buys a villa in Tuscany on a whim, hoping it will be the start of a change for the better in her life.

Plot Keywords:

Writer | Love | Villa | Tuscany | Vacation

Awards:

Nominated for Golden Globe. Another 4 nominations

Cast

Diane Lane	...	Frances
Sandra Oh	...	Patti
Lindsay Duncan	...	Katherine
Raoul Bova	...	Marcello
Vincent Riotta	...	Martini
Mario Monicelli	...	Old Man with Flowers
Roberto Nobile	...	Placido
Anita Zagaria	...	Fiorella
Evelina Gori	...	Nona Cardinale
Giulia Steigerwalt	...	Chiara
Pawel Szajda	...	Pawel
Valentine Pelka	...	Jerzy
Sasa Vulicevic	...	Zbignew
Massimo Sarchielli	...	Nino
Claudia Gerini	...	Signora Raguzzi
Laura Pestellini	...	Contessa
David Sutcliffe	...	Ed
Kate Walsh	...	Grace
Don McManus	...	Nasty Man
Matt Salinger	...	Colleague
Elden Henson	...	Author
Johnny Radzik	...	San Francisco Guy (as John Radzik)
Geoffrey Rivas	...	Head Mover
Jack Kehler	...	Apartment Manager
Dan Bucatinsky	...	Tour Member Rodney
Kristoffer Ryan Winters	...	David Tour Guide (as Kristoffer Winters)
Sean Kaplan	...	Seat Mate
Jeffery Jones	...	Gay Tourist
Giuseppe Buondonno	...	Gay Tourist
Vittorio Pecchillo	...	Gay Tourist
Andrea Saran	...	Gay Tourist
Giulia Bernardini	...	Gay Tourist
Marco Fubini	...	Rome Man #1
Davide Paganini	...	Rome Man #2
Pierfilippo Macchiavelli	...	Rome Man #3
Nuccio Siano	...	Gianni
Malva Guicheney	...	Gianni's Daughter
Marit Nissen	...	German Woman
Ralph Palka	...	German Man
Marco Bonini	...	Dinner Guest
Salvatore Lazzaro	...	Contractor #1
Sandro Dori	...	Contractor #2
Marcello Marziali	...	Contractor #3
Domenico Gennaro	...	Marcello's Cousin
Romina Cansanella	...	Marcello's Niece
Emiliano Novelli	...	Positano Policeman
Francesca Petrucci	...	Choir Singer
Chiara Porti	...	Signor Martini's Wife
rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Jeffrey Tambor	...	Frances' Divorce Lawyer (uncredited)

Directed by
Audrey Wells

Writing credits (WGA)
Frances Mayes		(book "Under the Tuscan Sun: At Home in Italy")
Audrey Wells		(screen story)
Audrey Wells		(screenplay)

Produced by
Katie DiMento	....	associate producer
Laura Fattori	....	executive producer
Mark Gill	....	executive producer
Jon Goldman	....	associate producer
Sandy Kroopf	....	executive producer
Edoardo Petti	....	associate producer
Tom Sternberg	....	producer
Audrey Wells	....	producer

Original Music by
Christophe Beck

Cinematography by
Geoffrey Simpson

Film Editing by
Arthur Coburn
Andrew Marcus
Todd E. Miller

Casting by
John Brace
Béatrice Kruger
Linda Lowy

Production Design by
Stephen McCabe

Art Direction by
Gianfranco Fumagalli
Gianni Giovagnoni

Set Decoration by
Nick Evans
Mauro Passi
Cinzia Sleiter

Costume Design by
Nicoletta Ercole

Makeup Department
Francesco Nardi	....	makeup artist
Alessio Pompei	....	hair stylist
Raffaella Ragazzi	....	additional makeup dailies (2004)
Maurizio Silvi	....	makeup designer
Mauro Tamagnini	....	hair designer
Candy L. Walken	....	hair stylist: Diane Lane

Production Management
Brent Hall	....	post-production supervisor
Riccardo Neri	....	unit production manager
Federico Santangelo	....	assistant production manager

Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
Alberto Mangiante	....	first assistant director
Nicola Marzano	....	second second assistant director
Barbara Pastrovich	....	second assistant director
Luigi Spoletini	....	first assistant director: additional photography

Art Department
Barbara Ancarani	....	art department coordinator
Cristina Cecili	....	painter
Cristiano Donzelli	....	storyboard artist
Derrick Kardos	....	graphic designer
Letizia Santucci	....	assistant set decorator
Mark Warren	....	set dresser (uncredited)

Sound Department
Bob Beemer	....	supervising sound mixer
Aaron Glascock	....	supervising sound editor
Gary A. Hecker	....	foley artist
Howard London	....	adr mixer
Scott Millan	....	sound re-recording mixer
Oscar Mitt	....	assistant sound editor
Fred Peck III	....	sound re-recordist
Kira Roessler	....	sound editor
Katherine Rose	....	foley artist (as Catherine Rose)
Curt Schulkey	....	supervising sound editor
Greg Steele	....	adr mixer
John Joseph Thomas	....	foley supervisor
Marvin Walowitz	....	sound editor
Clive Winter	....	sound

Special Effects by
Al Broussard	....	special effects supervisor: LA reshoots
Stefano Corridori	....	special effects technician
Thomas Rasada	....	special effects technician: LA reshoots

Visual Effects by
Ozzie Carmona	....	digital artist
David Emerson	....	optical and digital line-up
Patrick Flanagan	....	digital compositor
Mark Freund	....	visual effects supervisor: Pacific Title
Jim Gorman	....	digital compositor
Bruce Harris	....	digital compositor
Brad Kalinoski	....	digital compositor
Bonnie Kanner	....	visual effects executive producer: Pixel Magic
Bill Kent	....	visual effects supervisor
George Macri	....	visual effects producer
Ray McIntyre Jr.	....	visual effects supervisor: Pixel Magic (as Raymond McIntyre Jr.)
Rodney Montague	....	visual effects producer
Reid Paul	....	digital effects supervisor
Kevin Struckman	....	CG artist: Pixel Magic
Devin Uzan	....	digital compositor
Bob Wiatr	....	digital compositor: Pacific Title
Joseph Francis	....	animator: Pacific Title (uncredited)

Stunts
Massimiliano Bianchi	....	stunt camera-vehicle assistant
Alessandro Novelli	....	stunts

Camera and Electrical Department
Franco Biciocchi	....	still photographer
Matteo Carlesimo	....	focus puller: "a" camera
Francesco Di Giacomo	....	focus puller
Giovanni Fiore Coltellacci	....	director of photography: second unit
Paolo Frasson	....	dolly grip
Massimiliano Kuveiller	....	second assistant camera
Emiliano Leurini	....	focus puller: "b" camera
Gianmaria Majorana	....	camera operator: "a" camera
Raffaele Massa	....	focus puller
Johnny Radzik	....	Steadicam operator
Johnny Radzik	....	camera operator: "b" camera
Johnny Radzik	....	director of photography: second unit
Flaviano Ricci	....	grip
Alberto Torrecilla	....	additional first assistant camera: "c" camera
Doriano Torriero	....	key grip

Animation Department
Gary Hebert	....	animator

Casting Department
Sandy Holt	....	additional special voice casting
Derek J. Marquardt	....	casting assistant

Costume and Wardrobe Department
Anna Lombardi	....	costume assistant

Editorial Department
Pasquale Cuzzupoli	....	dailies color grader
Todd E. Miller	....	additional editor
Mary Beth Smith	....	negative cutter
Yvonne Valdez	....	first assistant editor
Corinne Villa	....	assistant editor: avid
Lee Wimer	....	color timer

Music Department
Fernand Bos	....	supervising music editor
William Boston	....	orchestrator (as Bill Boston)
Bryan Clements	....	scoring crew
Sandy DeCrescent	....	orchestra contractor
Chris Douridas	....	music consultant
Mark Eshelman	....	scoring crew
Mark Estes	....	music preparation
Mark Graham	....	music librarian
Andrew Kaiser	....	orchestrator
Kevin Kliesch	....	orchestrator
Stephen Lotwis	....	music editor: temp music
Adam Michalak	....	score recordist
Steven L. Smith	....	music preparation
Casey Stone	....	music scoring mixer
Pat Weber	....	scoring technician

Transportation Department
Doug Dovichi	....	transportation captain
Edoardo Moracci	....	transportation coordinator

Other crew
Simona Batistelli	....	production coordinator
Daniela Berardi	....	payroll clerk
Kate Bowe	....	unit publicist
Betsy Chory	....	assistant: Ms. Wells, USA
Lara dall'Antonia	....	production secretary
Carol DePasquale	....	script supervisor: San Francisco
Stella D'Onofrio	....	script supervisor
Willy Faso	....	production assistant
Nicola Fedrigoni	....	assistant location manager
Alessandra Fortuna	....	office production contact: Rome
Pamela B. Green	....	producer: main/end titles
Gary Hebert	....	title designer
Jonathan Herman	....	assistant: Mr. Sternberg
Massimo Iacobis	....	location manager
Erin Kaufman	....	production coordinator: Los Angeles/San Francisco
J.C. McIlwaine	....	production assistant: San Francisco
Erik Paoletti	....	location manager
Franco Penna	....	production accountant
Roberto Penna	....	auditor
Carla Maria Perrina	....	accountant
Andrea Piria	....	cashier: Italy
Michela Prodan	....	head dialogue coach
Jennifer Rivieccio	....	personal assistant: Ms. Wells
Jay Roberts	....	accountant
Jay Roberts	....	post-production accountant
Alessandro Ruggeri	....	assistant production coordinator
Maria Assunta Sangermano	....	personal assistant: Ms. Lane
Federico Santangelo	....	production assistant
Yovel Schwartz	....	production assistant: San Francisco
Francesco Scopelliti	....	production assistant
Connie Wang	....	script clearance administrator

Production Companies

• Blue Gardenia Productions
• Tatiale Films
• Timnick Films
• Touchstone Pictures

Distributors

• Buena Vista Pictures (2003) (USA) (theatrical)
• Buena Vista International (Sweden) (2004) (Sweden) (theatrical)
• Buena Vista International Italia (2004) (Italy) (theatrical)
• Buena Vista International (2004) (Argentina) (theatrical)
• Buena Vista International (2004) (Germany) (theatrical)
• Buena Vista International (2004) (Japan) (theatrical)
• Gaumont Buena Vista International (GBVI) (2004) (France) (theatrical)
• Buena Vista Home Entertainment (BVHE) (2004) (USA) (DVD)
• Buena Vista Home Entertainment (2004) (Brazil) (DVD)
• Buena Vista Home Entertainment (2004) (Brazil) (VHS)
• Buena Vista Home Entertainment (2004) (Netherlands) (DVD)
• Buena Vista Home Video (2004) (Netherlands) (VHS)
• Gativideo (2004) (Argentina) (DVD)
• Gativideo (2004) (Argentina) (VHS)
• My Network TV (2008) (USA) (TV)
• Talpa (2006) (Netherlands) (TV) (first national airing)
• Walt Disney Home Video (2004) (USA) (DVD)
• Walt Disney Home Video (2004) (USA) (VHS)

Special Effects

• Pixel Magic (visual effects)
• Pacific Title (additional visual effects)
• Corridori G & A Cinematografica S.r.l. (special effects)

Other Companies

• Cinecittà  telecine transfers (as Cinecitta Studios)
• Hollywood Records  soundtrack published by
• Image Resolution, The  titles and opticals
• Jo Anne Kane Music Services  music preparation (as JoAnn Kane Music)
• Kaleidoscope Films Group  title design
• O'Henry Sound Studios  score mixed at (as O'Henry Studios)
• Panalight  camera, electrical and grip equipment
• Signet Sound Studio  score recording (as Signet Sound Studios)
• Sony Pictures Studios William Holden Theatre  sound re-recording
• Sony Scoring Stage  score recording

Also Known As:

Sotto il sole della Toscana (Italy)

MPAA:

Rated PG-13 for sexual content and language.

Runtime:

113 min

Country:

USA | Italy

Language:

English | Italian | Polish | French | Spanish | German

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Sound Mix:

DTS | Dolby Digital | SDDS

Certification:

Canada:14 (Nova Scotia) | Canada:G (Quebec) | Canada:PG (Alberta/British Columbia/Manitoba/Ontario) | South Korea:15 | New Zealand:M | Argentina:Atp | Australia:M | Brazil:12 | Finland:K-11 | Germany:o.Al. | Italy:T | Philippines:R-13 | Singapore:PG | Spain:7 | Sweden:Btl | UK:12A | USA:PG-13 (certificate #40079)

Filming Locations:

Cassa di Risparmio di Firenze, Florence, Tuscany, Italy

Company:

Blue Gardenia Productions

Trivia:

In the scene when Frances is talking to her divorce lawyer, the camera stays on Frances and we never see the lawyer. The script originally called for a longer scene with coverage of both Frances and the lawyer. Jeffrey Tambor, the actor who played the lawyer, was so impressed by Diane Lane's performance that he insisted to Audrey Wells that the scene would have more emotional impact if his character remained unseen. However, the DVD shows the scene in its entirety, including camera cuts between Tambor and Lane.

Goofs:

Errors in geography: When Frances returns to Positano to meet with Marcello, she is at sea-level. Most (if not all) busses to Positano come in from the hillside as most of the city is almost vertical along the cliffside. She would not have entered the city from the bottom and then climb, she would have to come in from the top and go down.

Quotes:

Frances: [in voiceover] Every day I watch for the old man with the flowers, and I wonder, was he born here? Did he love someone here? Did he lose someone here? He doesn't seem as curious about me, but that's all right. These days I'm something of a loner myself.

Movie Connections:

Referenced in Fear of Clowns (2004) (V)

Soundtrack:

Aria Il Vecchiotto Cerca Moglie

Italian for beginners...

Something very strange happened on the way to make this film. It appears as though director and adapter, Audrey Wells, threw the original text away only to create her own trip to Tuscany. With the help of her gorgeous star, Ms. Wells found backing for this pastiche she ended up presenting to us, which bears almost no resemblance to the original book by Frances Mayes.

This is a movie full of cliches: The lonely and naive American tourist that would stay in Italy, the Latin lover, the good lesbian friend, and last, but not least, the eccentric Brit living in the small town!

The best thing this film offers is the radiant Diane Lane, who is just gorgeous enough to make us forget the story and what is she doing in the mess she is in. Also, Lindsay Duncan, another great British actress doing a crude interpretation of her own "La Dolce Vita" some 44 years later.

This is a typical "date film" which will be enjoyed by those people that didn't read the book.