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Tea With Mussolini

4.6 4.6 out of 5 stars 1,520 ratings
IMDb6.9/10.0

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Additional DVD options Edition Discs
Price
New from Used from
DVD
April 3, 2012
New Box Art
1
$8.76 $2.54
DVD
1
$15.13 $13.95
Genre Drama
Format AC-3, NTSC, Multiple Formats, Closed-captioned, Letterboxed, Color, Full Screen, Widescreen
Contributor Joan Plowright, Paul Chequer, Paolo Seganti, Lily Tomlin, Judi Dench, Maggie Smith, Claudio Spadaro, Cher, Franco Zeffirelli, Massimo Ghini, Mino Bellei, Baird Wallace, Charlie Lucas, John Mortimer See more
Language English, French
Runtime 1 hour and 57 minutes

Product Description

Product Description

Here is a drama with comic accents about a group of British & American travelers going to Italy in 1935. Luca (Charlie Lucas) is a boy living in Florence whose family situation is precarious at best. Fortunately, he's a welcome guest with Mary (Joan Plowright), Lady Hester (Maggie Smith), Arabella (Judi Dench), Elsa (Cher) and Georgie (Lily Tonlin). They enjoy all Italy has to offer and their initial response to the rise of fascism is to arrange a meeting with Mussolini and make sure he means well. (1995) 116 minutes.

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

Product details

  • Aspect Ratio ‏ : ‎ 1.66:1
  • Is Discontinued By Manufacturer ‏ : ‎ No
  • MPAA rating ‏ : ‎ PG (Parental Guidance Suggested)
  • Product Dimensions ‏ : ‎ 0.7 x 7.5 x 5.4 inches; 2.4 ounces
  • Item model number ‏ : ‎ 907918
  • Director ‏ : ‎ Franco Zeffirelli
  • Media Format ‏ : ‎ AC-3, NTSC, Multiple Formats, Closed-captioned, Letterboxed, Color, Full Screen, Widescreen
  • Run time ‏ : ‎ 1 hour and 57 minutes
  • Release date ‏ : ‎ April 3, 2012
  • Actors ‏ : ‎ Maggie Smith, Judi Dench, Joan Plowright, Cher, Lily Tomlin
  • Subtitles: ‏ : ‎ English
  • Language ‏ : ‎ English (Dolby Digital 5.1), French (Dolby Digital 2.0 Surround)
  • Studio ‏ : ‎ 20th Century Fox
  • ASIN ‏ : ‎ 630560097X
  • Writers ‏ : ‎ Franco Zeffirelli, John Mortimer
  • Number of discs ‏ : ‎ 1
  • Customer Reviews:
    4.6 4.6 out of 5 stars 1,520 ratings

Customer reviews

4.6 out of 5 stars
4.6 out of 5
1,520 global ratings
One of the best
5 Stars
One of the best
Great movie Great Actress just all around awesome !
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Top reviews from other countries

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K. HARRIS-JONES
5.0 out of 5 stars Excellent film Stella cast
Reviewed in the United Kingdom on January 9, 2024
William Ian Walker
5.0 out of 5 stars The British Cast alone...will make you want to investigate "Tea With Mussonlini" amazing film!!-WIW
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Roro
5.0 out of 5 stars A voir absolument
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