A story of civilised disobedience.
Taken from a chapter in the autobiography of acclaimed filmmaker Franco Zeffirelli, Tea with Mussolini is written by British novelist and playwright John Mortimer and Franco, drawing on the latter's published memoirs. The film tells of Luca Innocenti (born out of wedlock and not officially recognised by his father) and his struggle to assert his independence and find his way into a life of art. The coming-of-age tale is also a haunting evocation of a vanished world: that of the quiet city of Florence on the brink of World War II. Judi Dench, Joan Plowright and Maggie Smith portray the eccentric, colourful and strong willed ladies - called The Scorpioni for their biting wit - who, along with free-spirited American art collector Elsa Morganthal Strauss-Armistan (Cher) and archaeologist Georgie Rockwell (Lily Tomlin), raise the youth and fashion him, though Italian, into a perfect British gentleman.
Special Agent Matti
The sun never sets on the British empire.
And if you're wondering why that's in pink, you won't understand what it means anyway.
Tea with Mussolini is about the end of that glorious era, the one where being British was a passport to the rest of the world. The one where the idle rich could while away the days in Florentine glory (there's that word again), taking comfort in the fact that they were undeniably British. Next stop, World War II. But that's a whole different kettle of fish.
This film is as much about the "English Lady" as it is about Luca's coming of age. Britannia not only ruled the waves, she did her best to add the whole world as well. The impossibly superior attitude that was perfected by the English meant that being British was a full time occupation. Not only for the idle rich, but for the scores of servants required to lift their noses.
For the English Lady, nothing is impossible.
Not so for Luca, the unwanted, barely acknowledged bastard of a greedy merchant and a now deceased foreigner. For him, everything is impossible. He has no money and no friends and he lives in an orphanage because no-one will have him (until a dreadfully offended English Lady can take no more of the injustice). but even then he is shuttled from person to person as they all seek to put their stamp on him.
Luca's journey through this bizarre world of Catholic nuns, Nazi Germans, English Ladies and American imperialists is an astounding one which makes me wonder just how much is truth. In this world of passive by-watchers, a boy (and young man) such as Luca is just too much to believe.
Maybe it is true, but how do you face the dreariness of life after such a varied upbringing? Not everyone has a World War in which to grow up.
But it's still a darn good yarn. The acting is, as is expected from the cast, also darn good. Naturally, however, the actors who portray Luca as child and youth steal the film, the latter especially. (The distributor of Tea with Mussolini is yet to provide me with production notes so I can't tell you the actors' names.) Luca the older is not only very handsome but also extremely sexy (not to mention talented, radiant, blah, blah, blah....) He brings joyful innocence (hence "Innocenti") and worldly expectation to a role that could easily be overshadowed by the powerful actors playing the English Ladies. Luca the younger is likewise charmingly innocent and soulfully aware.
This is a long review isn't it?
To make it just a little bit longer, then, Tea with Mussolini is unerringly aimed at the 90s Room with a view demographic. It's witty, melodic, funny and intriguing and you should all see it.
PG (Adult themes, low level coarse language)
116 minutes (1:56 hours)
Film: Undated July 1999