Tea with Mussolini (1999)

An orphaned Italian boy is raised among a circle of British and American women living in Mussolini's Italy before and during the Second World War.

Director:

Franco Zeffirelli

Writers:

John Mortimer (screenplay), Franco Zeffirelli (screenplay)

Stars:

Maggie Smith, Judi Dench, Joan Plowright

Won 1 BAFTA Film Award. Another 4 wins & 3 nominations.

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
Cher	...	Elsa
Judi Dench	...	Arabella
Joan Plowright	...	Mary
Maggie Smith	...	Lady Hester
Lily Tomlin	...	Georgie
Baird Wallace	...	Luca
Charlie Lucas	...	Luca (child)
Massimo Ghini	...	Paolo
Paolo Seganti	...	Vittorio
Claudio Spadaro	...	Mussolini
Mino Bellei	...	Cesare
Paul Chequer	...	Wilfred
Tessa Pritchard	...	Connie
Michael Williams	...	British Consul
Paula Jacobs	...	Molly

Storyline

In 1935 a group of elderly British women, whom the Italians have named the Scorpioni, have chosen Italy, specifically Florence, as a place to live to blend their proper British sensibilities with their love of Italian art and culture. One of those Scorpioni, Mary Walsh, works as the English secretary for Paolo Innocente, who, in part because of his own wife's adamant refusal, largely neglects his illegitimate adolescent son, Luca, despite Paolo's want for Luca to grow up to be a proper young man, much like the English. Luca has lived in an orphanage since his dressmaker mother's death, death a concept that Luca does not yet understand. As such, he often runs away looking for his mother. On a mutual agreement between Paolo and Mary, Mary becomes Luca's guardian, she who will receive help in raising Luca by her fellow Scorpioni and financial help from Paolo as needed. Associated with the Scorpioni is a brash younger nouveau riche Jewish-American woman named Elsa Morgenthal, who, because...

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Plot Keywords:

lesbian | italy | english | american | art | 

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Taglines:

A story of civilized disobedience

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Genres:

Comedy | Drama | War

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Motion Picture Rating (MPAA)

Rated PG for thematic elements, language, brief nudity and some mild violence

Details

Official Sites:

MGM

Country:

Italy UK

Language:

English Italian

Release Date:

14 May 1999 (USA)

Also Known As:

Tea with Mussolini

Filming Locations:

Cinecittà Studios, Cinecittà, Rome, Lazio, Italy

Box Office

Budget:

$12,000,000 (estimated)

Opening Weekend USA:

$1,633,183, 16 May 1999

Gross USA:

$14,348,123

Company Credits

Production Co:

Medusa Film, Cattleya, Cineritmo

Technical Specs

Runtime:

117 min

Sound Mix:

DTS Dolby Digital

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

The film cast includes three Oscar winners: Maggie Smith, Judi Dench and Cher; and two Oscar nominees: Joan Plowright and Lily Tomlin.

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Goofs

Elsa is referred to as "a Jew". Until long after World War II, a female Jew in Europe was referred to as "a Jewess".

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Quotes

[first lines]
Title Card: Florence 1935.
Title Card: The love affair between the artistically-inclined English community and Florence was soon to be overshadowed by the clouds of war.
Title Card: But at the moment the sun is still shining on the squares and statues, and the dictator Mussolini is the gentleman who makes the trains run on time.
Connie Raynor: Excuse me, are you the Consul?
British Consul: Yes.
Connie Raynor: Connie Raynor of the Morning Post. I'm fascinated to know what His Majesty's Consul in Florence makes of it all?
British Consul: I can't believe your readers would be ...
[...]

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Alternate Versions

The MGM DVD, ISBN 0-7928-4300-2, is missing least one shot: The original tea with Mussolini scene ends with Mussolini forcing himself upon the reporter, forcing her onto his desk (i.e., he rapes her.) This DVD omits that ending and leaves the reporter's change in behavior unexplained.

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Connections

Referenced in Texas Chain Saw Massacre: The Shocking Truth (2000)

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Soundtracks

Moonlight Magic
Written & Performed by Alan Moorhouse

User Reviews

Simply Wonderful

This film is one of the most touching and lovely films that I have seen in many years. Its gaggle of actresses are second to none and turn out excellant performance, Joan Plowright in particular brings an irresistable sweetness to the role. People who have commented on the film so far seem to have neglected to mention the soundtrack which is beautiful and inspiring with a wonderful piano piece. Criticism that the film is too old fashioned or that the characters are unappealing and pompous seems to miss the point, the very charm of Hester (Maggie Smith in particular)is how she overcomes her snobbery at the end and realises how much Elsa (Cher, who in any other film would doubtless be misplaced but in this case fits the role like a glove) has done for the Scorpioni. In short the film is a relic of a gentler age and is simultaniously uplifting, upsetting and relaxing. I implore everyone to hunt down the soundtrack on CD to the ends of the earth if necissary.