Tea with Mussolini (1999)

User Rating:

6.7/10   

Director:

Franco Zeffirelli

Writers:

John Mortimer (writer)
Franco Zeffirelli (autobiography)

Release Date:

14 May 1999 (USA)

Genre:

Drama | Comedy | War

Tagline:

A story of civilized disobedience

Plot:

Semi-autobiographical tale from the early life of director Franco Zeffirelli looks at the illegitimate son (Charlie Lucas as a child...

Plot Keywords:

American | Boy | Italian | Italy | Teenage Boy

Awards:

Won BAFTA Film Award. Another 3 wins & 2 nominations

Cast

Cher	...	Elsa Morganthal Strauss-Armistan
Judi Dench	...	Arabella
Joan Plowright	...	Mary Wallace
Maggie Smith	...	Lady Hester Random
Lily Tomlin	...	Georgie Rockwell
Baird Wallace	...	Luca
Charlie Lucas	...	Luca (Child)
Massimo Ghini	...	Paolo
Paolo Seganti	...	Vittorio Fanfanni
Claudio Spadaro	...	Mussolini
Mino Bellei	...	Cesare
Paul Chequer	...	Wilfred Random, aka Miss Lucy
Tessa Pritchard	...	Connie Raynor
Michael Williams	...	British Consul
Paula Jacobs	...	Molly

Also Known As:

Un te con Mussolini (Italy)

MPAA:

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

Runtime:

117 min

Country:

Italy | UK

Language:

English | Italian

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Sound Mix:

DTS | Dolby Digital

Certification:

Australia:PG | Iceland:L | Finland:K-8 | France:U | Germany:6 (bw) | New Zealand:M | Singapore:PG | Spain:T | Sweden:7 | Switzerland:12 (canton of Geneva) | Switzerland:12 (canton of Vaud) | USA:PG | Portugal:M/6

Filming Locations:

Cinecittà Studios, Cinecittà, Rome, Lazio, Italy

Company:

Cattleya

Trivia:

Last cinema film of Michael Williams.

Goofs:

Factual errors: The tanks the Germans ride in on are in-fact U.S. Army M4 Sherman's, not German Built Panzer's.

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 interested in our little ceremony.
[...]

Movie Connections:

Features A Bridge Too Far (1977)

Soundtrack:

Smoke Gets in Your Eyes

a good story

Tea With Mussolini is solid entertainment. It is not the great film so many had thought it would be, but with a true story, great casting and performances, and an interesting setting and time it is enjoyable. The whole cast particularly the Scorpioni, the older English women living in Florence, were fantastic. In particular Maggie Smith (Hester), the crusty, sharp tongued wife of the former ambassador, and Joan Plowright as Mary, the sweet but strong grandmotherly type who essentially adopts Luca were fantastic. Cher as Elsa, the brash, nouveau riche American, was well cast. The young men playing Luca as a child, Charlie Lucas, and a teenager, Baird Wallace, were terrific. Vittorio, Elsa's lover and villain, played by Paoli Seganti showed "presence" on film. All in all a good two entertainment. Three stars!!!