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Tea with Mussolini

Tea with Mussolini

A story of civilized disobedience

19996.41h 57m

Overview

In 1930s fascist Italy, adolescent Luca just lost his mother. His father, a callous businessman, sends him to be taken care of by British expatriate Mary Wallace. Mary and her cultured friends - including artist Arabella, young widow Elsa, and archaeologist Georgie - keep a watchful eye over the boy. But the women's cultivated lives take a dramatic turn when Allied forces declare war on Mussolini.

Directed by Franco Zeffirelli
Written by John Mortimer, Franco Zeffirelli
Produced by Marco Chimenz, Clive Parsons, Riccardo Tozzi
Box OfficeBudget: $12.0MRevenue: $21.0M

Top Cast

Maggie Smith

Maggie Smith

Lady Hester Random

Judi Dench

Judi Dench

Arabella

Joan Plowright

Joan Plowright

Mary Wallace

Cher

Cher

Elsa Strauss-Almerson

Lily Tomlin

Lily Tomlin

Georgina "Georgie" Rockwell

B

Baird Wallace

Luca

C

Charlie Lucas

Luca (Child)

Michael Williams

Michael Williams

British Consul

P

Paul Chequer

Wilfred Random, aka Miss Lucy

Massimo Ghini

Massimo Ghini

Paolo

Themes & Keywords

hotelambassadorloss of loved oneitalywidowworld war iifemale friendshipbenito mussoliniflorence, italyexpatriate1940s1930s

About Tea with Mussolini

Tea with Mussolini is a comedy, drama, war film released in 1999 exploring themes of hotel, ambassador, loss of loved one, italy, widow, world war ii. Directed by Franco Zeffirelli, it stars Maggie Smith, Judi Dench, Joan Plowright. In 1930s fascist Italy, adolescent Luca just lost his mother. His father, a callous businessman, sends him to be taken care of by British expatriate Mary Wallace. Mary and her cultured friends - including artist Arabella, young widow Elsa, and archaeologist Georgie - keep a watchful eye over the boy. But the women's cultivated lives take a dramatic turn when Allied forces declare war on Mussolini.

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