TEA WITH MUSSOLINI
Italy/UK, 1998, 117 minutes, Colour.
Cher, Judi Dench, Joan Plowright, Maggie Smith, Lily Tomlin, Baird Wallace, Michael Williams.
Directed by Franco Zeffirelli.
Tea With Mussolini was made by celebrated Italian director, Franco Zeffirelli, when he was 75. It was co-written by celebrated British author, John Mortimer. Zeffirelli had enjoyed a career in theatre both in Italy and in the United Kingdom as well as being a famed opera director. He brought several operas to the screen including La Traviata and Othello. His film work began in the '60s with his versions of The Taming of the Shrew and Romeo and Juliet. Other films included Brother Sun, Sister Moon and his later biography of Maria Callas, Callas Forever. However, his international fame rests on his television series Jesus of Nazareth.
Here he looks back into his own past before World War Two and during it. While some of the facts are historical, Zeffirelli imagines his own childhood, his studies, his being part of a group of expatriate women in Florence. He also imagines the tragedies of war including deaths and internment. He also has an escape from Nazi Italy at the end of the film.
Zeffirelli is well served by his cast, although they have done these kinds of roles before. Cher is the ultimately glamorous American. Maggie Smith, yet again, the pinched snobbish English aristocrat. Judi Dench is the rather fey artist and Lily Tomlin is the macho archaeologist.
The film is easy entertainment - designed more for a women's audience than a men's audience.
1. A World War II memoir? An Italian memoir? British memoir?
2. Franco Zeffirelli, the film based on his autobiography? His life and background, character, his place in the war, his artistic training? The legacy of the war and the British influence?
3. The re-creation of Florence in the 1930s and 1940s, its elegance and art, the British colony, the fascist presence, the brutality of the fascists, the experience of war, the occupation by the Germans? The liberation? The musical score, the songs of the period, Cher singing ‘Smoke Gets in Your Eyes’?
4. The strength of the international cast, a strong cast of women?
5. The title and the indication of themes, the English and their taking tea, their style? The Italy of Mussolini, fascism and brutality? The treatment of the English, having tea – and then interned?
6. The Scorpioni, the nickname for the British women, their presence in Italy, the romantic beliefs in Italy and its art, their presumptions about their being British and their treatment by the Italians? Mussolini and his receiving the delegation? The internment in the hotel? The war and its challenge, the end of the war – and Lady Hester still giving orders?
7. Italy during the 1930s, Mussolini’s regime, fascist beliefs, the growing link with Germany? The violence of the fascist demonstrators? The male exploiters, especially Vittorio and Elsa? The military? The portrayal of Mussolini himself?
8. Luca’s story, the story of his mother and her death, Elsa telling him the story at the end, his mother wanting him despite the reaction of his father? His father as the tailor, making the clothes for the British, his wife and her dominance? Luca and his being found by Mary Wallace, his learning English, Shakespeare, mixing with the British women? His being their pet? His father’s decision that he should be a German, sending him to Austria? His experience of school there and the Nazism? His abilities, learning, the return, life in Italy, the women and their internment? Elsa and her having given him the money for his education? His jealousy about her relationship with Vittorio? His studying art, Mary challenging him to be honest with himself? Helping Elsa to escape? His continuing to learn, his military enlistment, the end of the war and the liberation? Zeffirelli’s background?
9. Mary Wallace as a good woman, sturdy British, her care for Luca, teaching him, working with his father, making his letters less flowery? Her relationship with the other women, bringing a sense to the group? Her relationship with each of them, the internment? The confrontation with Luca about his jealousy? Her confrontation with Lady Hester and revealing the truth to her?
10. Lady Hester and her snobbery, references to her late husband, her presumption? Her dislike of Elsa as American, vulgar and immoral? Her domination of Arabella? Her relationship with the others, the stand for the group, her going to Rome, the tea with Mussolini, her believing his reassurances? The shock of the internment, her acting as the grande dame while interned, her care for Wilfred, disguising him as a woman, his leaving? Her disdain of Elsa, especially when she and Georgie were interned as Americans? The shock of the truth? Her going to help Elsa, her apology, helping with Wilfred and the escape, the end of the war – and her still wanting to dominate?
11. Georgie as the American, her archaeological work, her mannish behaviour and dress, her relationships, sardonic remarks, her place within the group? Experiencing internment?
12. Arabella and her art, the eccentric English woman, dominated by Hester, her performance and Hester cutting her off, her love for her dog? Dithering – yet kindhearted?
13. Elsa, her wealth, her marriages? Her being at home in Italy? Her husbands, the artwork, the dealers, wanting a Picasso? Her settling in, her love for Luca, supporting him financially? The clashes with Hester? The socials, her singing, her range of guests? Her return during the war, her being interned, her paying for the hotel and the others not knowing? Her infatuation with Vittorio, the affair? Believing him, the money deals, signing everything over to him? His betraying her, her being bereft? The possibility of her arrest and internment in a concentration camp? Lady Hester going to her, being able to persuade her to leave in a way the others could not? Wilfred and his help?
14. The other women, the journalist and her getting the stories, her being interned?
15. Wilfred, the young men, their being caught by the war, the internment, his being disguised as a girl, the dance – and his declaration that he was a man? Going to the Resistance, helping Elsa?
16. The cad, his charm, relationship with Elsa, the financial advice, his greediness and betrayal?
17. The art dealers, the Jews, their having to leave Italy?
18. The women and their experience of war, not as hard as so many others – but a glimpse of what internment and oppression meant? A genteel experience of war – but with reference to the wider devastation of World War II?
