Review to “Tea with Mussolini” (1999)
Tea with Mussolini (1999)
Dir. Franco Zeffirelli
Starring: Cher, Maggie Smith, Judi Dench, Joan Plowright, Lily Tomlin
*****
Tea with Mussolini (1999) has blown me away in many ways for almost two hours. Its delicate, gentle autobiographic nature with regards to Zeffirelli led me as a watcher through a storm of emotions, déjà-vus and a thousand connections to my memories or to that of people who have made part of my life, in a way that has had me weeping and sobbing during the whole film.
With its superb photography and lavish imagery recreating Florence and its countryside during the tormented period of fascist rule up to the liberation by the allies, which crowns the finale, the visual aspect of the film is bound to impress — something one would expect of Zeffirelli, who directs in a subtle theatrical manner and is also evidently attached to the story of Luca, a child at the beginning of the movie and a teenager at the end of it.
I have been deeply impressed by the stunning cast, dominated by five strong, courageous women (all of them previously awarded with or nominated for the Oscars) in a script where men are accessory or mere viewers — if not antagonists. For, if one thing exudes from this film, it surely is Zeffirelli’s admiration for what is a pillar in the life of many artists: the inspiring, brave, strong (which has nothing to do with not being able to show weakness), life-changing, irreplaceable women who forge you throughout the most important years of your life. How could one not mention Maggie Smith’s nobility and British humour as Lady Hester, whose shields and barriers open up gradually and allow to witness her warrior, brave core (she won a BAFTA award as a Supporting Actress for this role, 2000); Judi Dench’s artistically driven, passionate Arabella, an art lover and amateur painter who could sacrifice her life for it; Lily Tomlin’s strong, homosexual Art Historian (Miss Rockwell), adding fantastic touches of comedy to the poignant story; or Cher’s absolutely brilliant, exciting portrayal of a flamboyant and generous American-Jewish Broadway diva and art collector?
But for me it is Joan Plowright’s performance as Miss Mary Wallace what really stands out, and I am extremely shocked that such deep, moving, elegant acting has not received an award or even a nomination. Dame Plowright (DBE, the third wife and widow of Sir Laurence Olivier) plays the role of Luca’s surrogate mother in a way that is indescribably touching, discrete, deep, sincere. Her eyes say it all — and her love for the growing-up boy is so evident, that the relationship between both is a tearjerker from beginning to end — at least for my standards. What an unforgettable lady! The scene where she teaches some Shakespeare to little Luca, with a paper stage and puppets, is unforgettable.
I have also been very touched, for obvious personal reasons, about the images of dictatorship and war, a topic for which I am oversensitive — the horror of the prosecutions, the confinements, the fear and anxiety for the future, the radio announcements of war declarations, the partigiani, the liberation… I try to avoid films about this period because I feel very vulnerable when it is treated — I cannot stop thinking about my grandfathers, both in very different situations and contexts, when I watch or read about WW2, and this made me probably twice as affected by the images and the stories portrayed. All the pain and all the fear of those years somehow still lives in me somewhere, in my guardian angels, deep in the earth: I have no idea — and I was born long after it was over… but these events marked us forever, in a way that few others have, and I cannot explain exactly how.
So, if like me, you are deeply touched by stories of brave, great women, unsung heroines, passions, art, poetry, theatre… I think you will like Tea with Mussolini. I know I did. Also, the music score by Arnaldi and Vlad goes straight to the heart. Prepare your Kleenex…
