List Price: $14.98You Pay Only: $10.99 You Save: $3.99 (27%)Prices subject to change.
Availability: Usually ships in 24 hours
Aspect Ratio: 1.66:1
Audience Rating: PG (Parental Guidance Suggested)
Binding: DVD
EAN: 9786305600978
Format: AC-3, Closed-captioned, Color, DVD-Video, Full Screen, Letterboxed, Widescreen, NTSC
ISBN: 630560097X
Label: MGM (Video & DVD)
Manufacturer: MGM (Video & DVD)
Number Of Items: 1
Publisher: MGM (Video & DVD)
Region Code: 1
Release Date: November 23, 1999
Running Time: 117 minutes
Sales Rank: 4306
Studio: MGM (Video & DVD)
Theatrical Release Date: May 14, 1999
Related Items:
Editorial Review:
Description:
Florence, Italy, on the brink of WWII: it was a time of social unrest and, of course...afternoon tea. Join OscarÂ(r) winner* Cher and an incredible cast of leading ladies as they host this 'radiant, beautiful film' (Gene Shalit, 'Today Show') that is 'worth savoring' (Mademoiselle).Prewar Florence is the place to be for any proper British woman who relishes culture and the arts. These ladies have everything they could ever want or needincluding a promise from dictator Mussolini himself that not even the imminent world war will impose upon their lifestyle. But when itappears that his word is not kept, and these expatriateswho chose to stay in Italy instead of seeking refuge in their own countryare in trouble, it takes a young outcast boy and a brazen American woman (Cher) to keep them in the high life and out of harm's way.
Amazon.com:
In filming this semi-autobiographical account of life in Italy during the dawn of World War II, director Franco Zeffirelli imbues Tea with Mussolini with the mixed blessings of fond reminiscence. It's a warmly inviting film, as impeccable as any Merchant-Ivory production, but like a hazy memory it's uncertain in its narrative intentions. And yet with an exceptional cast to compensate, the film's as engaging as it is inconsequential.
Zeffirelli's alter ego is Luca (Charlie Lucas in youth; Baird Wallace as a teenager), who is raised in Florence by Mary (Joan Plowright), the middle-aged secretary of his absentee father. Luca lives among a loose band of British and American women, nicknamed 'Il Scorpioni' for their stinging wit in the shadows of Mussolini's thuggish dictatorship. Along with Mary there's Hester (Maggie Smith), a crusty ambassador's widow; Arabella (Judi Dench), a lively bohemian; lesbian archaeologist Georgie (Lily Tomlin); and Elsa (Cher), a flamboyant American who quietly finances Luca's education.
Il Scorpioni witness the rise of fascism and the dangers of resistance, weathering dictatorial custody and (in Elsa's case) falling prey to heartbreaking betrayal. But Tea with Mussolini carries little dramatic weight; you have to forgive its unfocused structure to appreciate its merits. Zeffirelli gently conveys the passage from pleasantry to wartime, and he's drawn uniformly fine performances from this seasoned cast. If the film is vaguely unsatisfying, it's only because it had the makings of greatness and settles instead for an ethereal quality of anecdotal enchantment. --Jeff Shannon
Customer Reviews
Average Rating: 
Rating:  - Well Worth the Watching
I'm a sucker for this type of movie. The acting was superb; the scenery very interesting; the colors and video crisp and appealing; and the story good enough. This is more a character movie than anything, and it was a pleasure to watch.
Rating:  - The most beautiful bad movie you'll see
Zeffirelli's artistic eye is evident here; there are tableaux strewn about the movie that are wonderful gems, visual little treats of costume, design, and Italy. Unfortunately, you'll have to tolerate some very spotty acting and weird pacing and awkward plot development to see them. Fortunately, you'll also be rewarded with some very lovely acting by a cavalcade of British lionesses. Look up "withering" in Wikipedia, and you'll see Maggie Smith's picture. And Joan Plowright's puppy eyes are ageless...she is so darling in this film, she acts as salve to Ms. Smith's saltiness.
Rating:  - A beautiful place going through ugly times
"Tea With Mussolini" on the surface is a women's film. The lead characters are a group of elderly English women and two Americans (Cher and Lily Tomlin). These woman have chosen to live in Florence, Italy during the 1930--1946 time frame which begins with fascism and ends with the Scottish coming to take back the city.
What makes this film is foremost the cast, and the city itself which is a gem, and finally the careful brush of history upon the women's everyday lives. "Tea" is one of the best "Coming of Second Age" films I have seen in a long time.
Rating: - Tea with Mussolini
I am a big fan of Judy Dench and Maggie Smith, and Joan Plowright. This was a great movie. Great job of casting.
Rating: - MEMOIR VALENTINE TO AN OLD ITALY
As memoirs go, this is one of those "life films", the kind that have no immediately discernible plot but ride instead on the charm of their vignettes and characters. The ensemble cast hardly needs a spiel. Suffice it to say that fans won't be disappointed as all of them realize their eccentric characters with joyfully unmitigated indulgence. They're blithe, they're insouciant, and they strut their stuff with elan. It's a comical but inspiring scene when our happy band stands up to the Germans.
What's more, the sense of time and place is impeccable. Italy itself is practically a character. Expect travelogue-worthy shots of Florence. The calendar says 1935, that haunting time of a Europe sandwiched between the wars. Even before the first sounding of tanks or dictators, in every word and deed there is just the slightest trace of irresolution, an uneasiness.
Impatient viewers stand warned: this is a mood piece that unravels quite leisurely, meanders almost, using its entire first half for character exposition and sowing little story details. But viewers with an eye for culturally uplifting entertainment will find that Tea With Mussolini hits the spot with great aplomb.
Browse for similar items by category:
|
