Tea With Mussolini

( 4 )

Overview

In this sentimental release from MGM Home Video, a group of proper, well-to-do British ladies is horrified at the possibility of World War II encroaching on their comfortable and secure lifestyles after it appears that Mussolini has broken his promise to ensure their comfort during wartime. Viewable in either the original 1.85:1 anamorphic widescreen version (enhanced for widescreen TVs) or standard 1.33:1 full-screen pan-and-scan, and offering a closed-captioned English Dolby Digital 5.1 soundtrack along with an...
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DVD (Pan & Scan / Wide Screen / Dolby 5.1 / Stereo)
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More About This Product

Overview

In this sentimental release from MGM Home Video, a group of proper, well-to-do British ladies is horrified at the possibility of World War II encroaching on their comfortable and secure lifestyles after it appears that Mussolini has broken his promise to ensure their comfort during wartime. Viewable in either the original 1.85:1 anamorphic widescreen version (enhanced for widescreen TVs) or standard 1.33:1 full-screen pan-and-scan, and offering a closed-captioned English Dolby Digital 5.1 soundtrack along with an alternate French Dolby Digital Surround track, this release also offers optional English and French subtitles. Extra features include a collectible "making of" booklet and an original theatrical trailer.
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Special Features

Colllectible "Making Of" booklet; Original theatrical trailer
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Editorial Reviews

All Movie Guide - Brian J. Dillard
This lush, frothy coming-of-age story provides its cast full of British and American grande dames with plenty of beautiful locations and gently comic, slightly cloak-and-dagger scenarios in which to strut their famous personae and acting chops. Cher makes her most enjoyable screen outing in a decade as Elsa, a larger-than-life diva with more affection for her art collection than her many husbands. Lily Tomlin plays another fun, self-mocking lesbian role, while Judi Dench and Maggie Smith work their respective regal and ridiculous schticks to amusing effect. Writer/director Franco Zeffirelli seems to view his war-ravaged childhood through vaguely rose-tinted glasses; the title is meant to be a gentle jab at the proper biddies whose faith in the moral might of the British Empire blinded them to the danger creeping through Europe, but there's a sense here that fascism is simply a backdrop to Auntie Mame-style shenanigans. Although co-writer John Mortimer worked on the screenplay to subtle psycho-horror classic The Innocents, his work here is closer to the hamminess of the Otto Preminger oddity Bunny Lake Is Missing. Still, cinematographer David Watkin and the art team buff the visuals into a gorgeous Merchant-Ivory finish, and the charismatic performances will please fans of low-calorie, vaguely historical treats.
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Product Details

  • Release Date: 11/23/1999
  • UPC: 027616791825
  • Original Release: 1999

    • Rating:

  • Source: Mgm (Video & Dvd)
  • Region Code: 1
  • Aspect Ratio: Pre-1954 Standard (1.33.1), Cinemascope (2.35:1)
  • Presentation: Pan & Scan / Wide Screen / Dolby 5.1 / Stereo
  • Sound: Dolby Digital, stereo
  • Language: English, Français
  • Time: 1:57:00
  • Format: DVD
  • Sales rank: 109

Cast & Crew

Performance Credits
Cher Elsa
Judi Dench Arabella
Joan Plowright Mary
Maggie Smith Hester
Lily Tomlin Georgie
Baird Wallace Luca (teenager)
Charlie Lucas Luca (child)
Massimo Ghini Paolo
Paolo Seganti Vittorio
Paul Checquer Wilfred
Tessa Pritchard Connie
Mino Bellei Cesare
Claudio Spadaro Mussolini
Technical Credits
Franco Zeffirelli Director, Screenwriter
Anna Anni Costumes/Costume Designer
Tariq Anwar Editor
Stefano Arnaldi Score Composer
Jenny Beavan Costumes/Costume Designer
Carlo Centolavigna Art Director
Giovanni Corridori Special Effects Supervisor
Ermanno Daelli Costumes/Costume Designer
Leonard Engelman Makeup
Mirta Guarnaschelli Casting
Alessandro Loy Production Manager
Gioia Fiorella Mariani Art Director
Mark Moriarty Camera Operator
John Mortimer Screenwriter
L. Justin Muller Asst. Director
Clive Parsons Producer
Pippo Pisciotto Associate Producer, Asst. Director
Brian Simmons Sound/Sound Designer
Alberto Spiazzi Costumes/Costume Designer
Emma Style Casting
Roberto Tatti Asst. Director
Riccardo Tozzi Producer
Alessio Vlad Score Composer
David Watkin Cinematographer
Giovannella Zannoni Producer
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Scene Index

Side #1 -- WIDESCREEN
0. Scene Selections
1. Logos/ Title/ Credits [3:16]
2. "True English Lady" [1:56]
3. Irresponsible Father [3:25]
4. Sorrow & Refuge [3:21]
5. Artistic Walk [2:35]
6. Wicked Versus Good [4:39]
7. "Vulgar" Americans! [5:54]
8. Smoke Gets In Your Eyes [2:36]
9. Celebration/ "Shindig" [3:00]
10. "Romeo & Juliet" [2:29]
11. "A World Gone Mad" [1:28]
12. "Tea With Mussolini" [4:49]
13. To Austria/ 1936-1940 [5:20]
14. Grown-Up Luca [4:24]
15. "Beauty & Brains" [2:04]
16. "Taken Into Custody" [5:19]
17. "Goodnight, Ladies!" [4:15]
18. A Welcome Visitor [1:43]
19. "Get Out-Fast" [1:43]
20. "Study The Classics" [2:29]
21. Good Deeds/ High Tea [5:31]
22. Lover/ Messenger Boy [4:53]
23. "Enemy Aliens" Unite [4:07]
24. Dancing Cares Away [4:56]
25. "Trust Me!" [2:21]
26. "I'm A Man!" [2:45]
27. Saving Art & Elsa [4:20]
28. The Truth Comes Out [4:05]
29. Unforgettable Elsa [4:57]
30. Risking Life For Art [4:44]
31. Victory At Last! [2:56]
32. After War/ Credits [4:24]
Side #2 -- STANDARD
0. Scene Selections
1. Logos/ Title/ Credits [:11]
2. "True English Lady" [3:16]
3. Irresponsible Father [1:56]
4. Sorrow & Refuge [3:25]
5. Artistic Walk [3:21]
6. Wicked Versus Good [2:35]
7. "Vulgar" American's! [4:39]
8. Smoke Gets In Your Eyes [5:54]
9. Celebration/ "Shindig" [2:36]
10. "Romeo & Juliet" [3:00]
11. "A World Gone Mad" [2:29]
12. "Tea With Mussolini" [1:28]
13. To Austria/ 1936-1940\ [4:49]
14. Grown-Up Luca [5:20]
15. "Beauty & Brains" [4:24]
16. "Taken Into Custody" [2:04]
17. "Goodnight, Ladies!" [5:19]
18. A Welcome Visitor [4:16]
19. "Get Out-Fast" [1:43]
20. "Study The Classics" [1:42]
21. Good Deeds/ High Tea [2:29]
22. Lover/ Messenger Boy [5:30]
23. "Enemy Aliens" Unite [4:53]
24. Dancing Cares Away [4:07]
25. "Trust Me!" [4:56]
26. "I'm A Man!" [2:21]
27. Saving Art & Elsa [2:44]
28. The Truth Comes Out [4:20]
29. Unforgettable Elsa [4:06]
30. Risking Life For Art [4:57]
31. Victory At Last! [4:44]
32. After War/ Credits [2:56]
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Menu

Side #1 -- WIDESCREEN
   Play
   Theatrical Trailer
   Languages
Side #2 -- STANDARD
   Play
   Theatrical Trailer
   Languages
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Customer Reviews

Average Rating 4.5
( 4 )
Rating Distribution

5 Star

(2)

4 Star

(2)

3 Star

(0)

2 Star

(0)

1 Star

(0)
Sort by: Showing all of 4 Customer Reviews

  • Posted Fri Oct 01 00:00:00 EDT 2010

    A really nice cup of tea!

    Ladies, ladies, ladies... You have done it! A marvellous cast. A fun and interesting story/script.
    Costumes that supports not only the overall story but also the stories of each woman as she goes through both a common and an individual journey.

    A film that has been overlooked by many - and what a shame. Great acting should never be overlooked or ignored and in Tea with Mussolini you get just that... Great acting.

    It truly IS like a noce cup of tea... One of which you want more so you keep pouring the same cup over and over again.

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  • Anonymous

    Posted Fri Oct 01 00:00:00 EDT 2010

    A truly beautiful film

    This is a very beautiful movie with great actresses in it. Maggie Smith, Judi Dench, and of course Cher before she became weird. The story of a boy who grows up being raised by his father's secretary, an old lady who has to let him go because his father wants him to learn German in time for WWII. He comes back and the tale continues with love, betrayal, and some very funny and brilliant performances by Maggie Smith who believes that Mussolini is taking care of her and has everyone's best interests at heart. A truly heart-warming film! Highly reccommended.

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  • Anonymous

    Posted Fri May 07 00:00:00 EDT 2010

    No text was provided for this review.

  • Anonymous

    Posted Sun Jul 25 00:00:00 EDT 2010

    No text was provided for this review.

Sort by: Showing all of 4 Customer Reviews