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Actors: Kristin Scott Thomas, Sean Penn, Anne Bancroft, James Fox, Derek Jacobi
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| Review Summary and Plot Commentary about Up at the Villa |
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An aristocratic but penniless English widow, Mary Penton (Thomas) is a guest at the estate of Princess San Ferdinando (Bancroft) near Florence in 1938. A stuffy British gentleman, Sir Edgar Swift (Fox), newly appointed governor of Bengal, courts but does not excite her. She is taken by a young refugee violinist, spends a night with him and then casts him off, with dire results. An American playboy (Penn) flirts with her and helps her avoid trouble with the local fascist authorities. This 2000 film, created by the same brother-sister team that made the superior "Angels and Insects," has much the same flavor as "Tea With Mussolini," and despite some fine acting, comes across as a bit languid, never achieving quite the level of magic of "Enchanted April." Jacobi is lovely as a breezy if nervous queen.
--David Loftus, Resident Scholar
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| Analysis of Up at the Villa |
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Ratings are on a 1-10 scale (Low to High)
Plot
Time/era of movie:
- 1930's-1950's
Romance/Love/Hugging
Yes
Kind of romance:
- romance (general)
- love triangle/polygon
- seduction (yum!)
Ethnic/Regional/Gender story?
Yes
Main Char. ethnic: (if not US Caucasian)
- British
Culture of surrounding area:
- Italian
Main Character
Identity:
- Female
Profession/status:
- unemployed
Age:
- 20's-30's
Hair color?
- brunette (Black)
Hair type
- (woman) medium/shoulderlgn straight
Events of movie makes character more...
- tougher
Ethnicity/Nationality
- British
How sensitive is this character?
- sensitive to others' feelings
Sense of humor?
- Mostly serious with occasional humor
Intelligence
- Average intelligence
Physique
- average physique
Secondary Main Character
Identity:
- Male
Hair color
- blonde
Hair style
- (man) short/standard straight
How much in movie?
- 60%
Ethnicity/Nationality
- White (American)
Main Adversary
Identity:
- general circumstances
Ethnicity/Nationality
- Italian
Setting
Europe
Yes
European country:
- Italy
Misc setting
- fancy mansion
Style
Accounts of torture and death?
- moderately detailed references to deaths
Movie makes you feel...
- encouraged
Sex/nudity in movie?
Yes
What kind of sex:
- kissing
- sex under blankets
Any profanity?
- Occasional swearing
Is this movie based on a
- book
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Note: the views expressed here are only those of the reviewer(s). | |
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