Tea with Mussolini (1999)
A story of civilized disobedience
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.
Director: Franco Zeffirelli
Genre: Comedy, Drama, War
Runtime: 117 min
Release Date: March 25, 1999
Cast
- Maggie Smith - Lady Hester Random
- Judi Dench - Arabella
- Joan Plowright - Mary Wallace
- Cher - Elsa Strauss-Almerson
- Lily Tomlin - Georgina "Georgie" Rockwell
- Baird Wallace - Luca
- Charlie Lucas - Luca (Child)
- Michael Williams - British Consul
- Paul Chequer - Wilfred Random, aka Miss Lucy
- Massimo Ghini - Paolo
Screenplay
- John Mortimer (Screenplay)
- Franco Zeffirelli (Novel)
Music: Stefano Arnaldi, Alessio Vlad
Cinematography: David Watkin
Editing: Tariq Anwar
Production: Cattleya, Cineritmo, Film and General Productions, Medusa Produzione
Country: United Kingdom, Italy
Language: English, Italiano, Pусский
Budget: $12M
Box Office: $21M
Original Language: en
Themes
Widowhood and Coping with Loss, Platonic Soulmates and Friendship, Friendship and Bonds, The Horror of War and Humanity, Stories of Heartbreak and Suffering
Keywords
hotel, ambassador, loss of loved one, italy, widow, world war ii, female friendship, benito mussolini, florence, italy, expatriate, 1940s, 1930s
Similar Movies
More Films by Director: Franco Zeffirelli
Frequently Asked Questions
- What is Tea with Mussolini about?
- 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.
- Who directed Tea with Mussolini?
- Tea with Mussolini was directed by Franco Zeffirelli.
- Who stars in Tea with Mussolini?
- Tea with Mussolini stars Maggie Smith, Judi Dench, Joan Plowright, Cher, Lily Tomlin, Baird Wallace.
- How long is Tea with Mussolini?
- Tea with Mussolini has a runtime of 1h 57m (117 minutes).
- What genre is Tea with Mussolini?
- Tea with Mussolini is a Comedy, Drama, War film.
- What is the budget of Tea with Mussolini?
- Tea with Mussolini had a budget of $12M.
- How much did Tea with Mussolini gross?
- Tea with Mussolini grossed $21M worldwide.
- Where was Tea with Mussolini produced?
- Tea with Mussolini was produced in United Kingdom, Italy.
- What are the themes of Tea with Mussolini?
- The themes of Tea with Mussolini include: Widowhood and Coping with Loss, Platonic Soulmates and Friendship, Friendship and Bonds, The Horror of War and Humanity, Stories of Heartbreak and Suffering.