Up at the Villa (2000)

A widow finds choosing a new husband might not be her choice at all, as the actions of her various prospects confine her freedom.

Director:

Philip Haas

Writers:

W. Somerset Maugham (book), Belinda Haas (screenplay)

Stars:

Kristin Scott Thomas, Sean Penn, Anne Bancroft

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
Kristin Scott Thomas	...	Mary Panton
Sean Penn	...	Rowley Flint
Anne Bancroft	...	Princess San Ferdinando
James Fox	...	Sir Edgar Swift
Jeremy Davies	...	Karl Richter
Derek Jacobi	...	Lucky Leadbetter
Massimo Ghini	...	Beppino Leopardi
Dudley Sutton	...	Harold Atkinson
Lorenza Indovina	...	Nina
Roger Hammond	...	Colin Mackenzie
Clive Merrison	...	Archibald Grey
Linda Spurrier	...	Hilda Grey
Ben Aris	...	Col. Trail
Anne Ridler	...	Lady Trail
Ann Bell	...	Beryl Bryson (as Anne Bell)

Storyline

Superficial people are revealed and drastically changed by circumstance or luck in this a tale of death, seduction, blackmail and theft among British and Americans in Florence in the turbulent days just before World War II.

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Plot Keywords:

coverup | police corruption | flower | tree | shooting oneself | 

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Taglines:

Danger is the ultimate attraction.

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Genres:

Drama | Romance

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Motion Picture Rating (MPAA)

Rated PG-13 for thematic elements

Details

Country:

UK USA

Language:

English

Release Date:

19 May 2000 (USA)

Also Known As:

Il suffit d'une nuit

Filming Locations:

Florence, Tuscany, Italy

Box Office

Opening Weekend USA:

$339,819, 7 May 2000, Limited Release

Gross USA:

$2,927,319, 3 September 2000

Company Credits

Production Co:

October Films, Intermedia Films, Mirage Enterprises

Technical Specs

Runtime:

115 min

Sound Mix:

Dolby Digital

Color:

Color (Technicolor)

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

The novella was first optioned back in 1940. It took 60 years to reach the screen.

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Goofs

When Anne Bancroft's character is reclining in the chaise lounge, the level of her drink goes from nearly full to nearly empty and back to nearly full in different shots while she is drinking it.

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Connections

Featured in At the Movies: Gladiator/Up at the Villa/Committed/I Dreamed of Africa/The Virgin Suicides (2000)

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Soundtracks

Schatz-Walzer
Composzed by Johann Strauss

User Reviews

Dull, but Penn was not bad

I was stunned by Kristin Scott Thomas when I first saw her in The Tenth Man (co-starring with Derek Jacobi in that movie too) many years ago. I've tried to catch as many movies with her as possible since then, but she's just never been as good, not even in The English Patient. Much of her material has been extremely dull, incl. Random Hearts and yes, this one, Up At the Villa. The premise of this movie isn't bad, but for some reason it fails to create that engrossing magic that makes all the difference. Kristin's character is too timid and irrational (except for in the end). Jeremy Davies as the poor refugee is not exactly bad, but there's still something totally wrong with his role.

Bancroft is flawless, but can't save the movie. Sean Penn is actually good. I don't like most of his roles in other movies - never have -, but he played a different, more complex and realistic yet rogue-ish character here than the hysterical ones he usually embraces (for God knows what reason), and I thought this actually worked. Still, his and Kristin's characters were just too different to make their romantic tension really believable.

I will give the movie credit for its entire political dimension, though, which wasn't in the original book that this movie is based on. It's rare to see this; in most cases it's the film that leaves out the book's political content.

I rate this movie a 5 out of 10.