My House in Umbria

This is quiet gem of a film. The storyline is basic, almost simplistic, but the direction allows the actors to add value where it counts.

Maggie Smith is delightful as the aged authoress, with a penchant for Grappa who, after a bomb explodes on a train, offer the survivors of her compartment, recuperation at her home in Umbria.

The Italian countryside is simply magnificent, the photography of Maggie Smith's villa and its surrounds(or should I say Mrs Delahunter's villa) gives a beautiful feeling of a somewhat tired place of residence for a somewhat tired individual, who has been there and done that but in a rather upper class British way. There are the usual disparate individuals coming to terms (or not?) with their their problems and then we have the police inspector, trying to suss whether any of the 'guests' can help. Unfortunately this aspect of the film, particularly the dealings with the police inspector, adds little and if anything detracts from the story. It is a necessary component but I feel could have been integrated better.

The supporting cast, particularly Ronnie Barker and Timothy Spall, add to the ambiance of the film and its quiet charm.

Why only seven out of ten? The direction I think is a little too light in that if it were not for the calibre of the actors, this might have been a poor 'B' Movie, but perhaps that is what the Director intended by letting good acting raise the film beyond its basic storyline.

This is now shown on TV, so give yourselves a treat, forget being a film reviewer and just soak up the acting and the atmosphere. If it is not on your local TV, it is worth renting for a night - just make sure you and you partner(it is essential that you and your partner watch this together) have a nice chilled glass of a sparkling Italian wine and indulge in quiet, but thoroughly pleasant entertainment.

Seeing Maggie Smith's character start the day with a wee glass of grappa and end her day with another is not exactly what we have come to expect from this marvelous actor but these twists in William Trevor's novella are precisely what the viewer is presented with throughout this wonderful film. My statement is in no way meant to denigrate the scrip-it simply is a signpost indicating the varied paths that the viewer follows as the film progresses.

The visual beauty of the film is taken for granted because of its magical setting-it's just the many little detours taken by the characters during the course of the unfolding drama that kept this poor viewer from anticipating the unfolding script changes. I saw a film I didn't quite expect to see because the early publicity seemed to gloss over these script changes. However, the resulting movie was better and more interesting than any I could have predicted-in part due to the remarkable acting of the cast.

Maggie's character is the mover of the film and all events revolve around her. Her character is strangely ambivalent in that she at first sight is this straight laced woman who appears to do everything "properly" but as the film unfolds she shows many more aspects to her role. For me it was similar to watching an onion being peeled and I found each underlying layer more interesting than the previous. Chris Cooper's character was also intrigued by this unfolding but he didn't find what he saw as interesting as I did.

Try to watch this lovely, interesting film-you can spend your time in a theater in far worse ways.

A tragedy leaves five people scarred. To heal, one of the survivors invites the others to her home in the Umbrian hills. As she says, to let the beauty of Umbria be a healing balm.

Umbria is one of the stars of the film, yet with a deft hand the director and cinematographer weave its physical beauty to complement the unfolding drama of the film.

Maggie Smith delivers a stunning performance. Her character is a flawed woman who escapes into an alcoholic haze and dreamweaving to explore her soul and the souls of those around her. Ever curious, she delves into places she should not, but always with kind and good intentions.

Chris Cooper plays a persnickety scientist with understated excellence. His facial expressions are magnificent, his words economical, his performance strong.

Ronnie Barker plays a retired English military with aplomb. Beno Furmann delivers a low-key performance, his eyes and his face reflecting guilt and pain. Timothy Spall plays an Irishman with a rare sweetness. A young American girl, Emmy Clarke, plays the film's lynchpin, Aimee, with simple perfection. And Giancarlo Giannini adds a deft touch.

This is a delightful film. There is no glitz, no whiz-bang action. It is a study of the human soul, of the human capacity to deal with pain, to cope, and to survive. The acting ranges from the good to the wonderful, and it is a fabulous example of film-making.

I reserve 10 out of ten for "Tea With Mussolini". Dame Maggie gives another outstanding performance as a writer who encounters a bomb on a train. It was a way to introduce the 4 main characters (not including the fabulous Quinty) who we come to love. The clever voice overs weave a beautiful thread (by Maggie of course) tieing together a story of mutual care and affection. Mrs Delahunty loves a drink or 15 and her hospitality extends to anyone within her reach. Has she become a lonely old lady who just wants company in her secluded villa? Does it really matter that there may be a dark secret amongst her guests? No! The outside dinner scene the night before the girl Aimee was due to leave was stunning. I so hoped she wouldn't go and that the "family" would stay together........

I'd wath this again and again and will add it to my extensive collection. GO DAME MAGGIE!

This film would immediately appeal to anyone addicted to Maggie Smith and the idyllic Italian countryside of Umbria, but it has unexpected delights to offer in its unassuming, almost art-house, flavour, and the low-key, but affecting, performances of excellent actors Timothy Spall and Ronnie Barker. Chris Cooper is rather wooden, but his academic, unemotional character casts a strong contrast to the hapless vagaries of Maggie Smith's Emily Delahuntey, and therefore works well.

Suspension of disbelief is required for the over-imaginative plot, almost out of one of Emily's romance novels. But the pleasure of such a film is simple, and simple pleasures can entertain as much as the richer, more complex enjoyment of films it might be compared with such as 'Tea With Mussolini' (which, of course, is a much fuller film in terms of plot, characters, script, and drama). 'Enchanted April' also comes to mind as another film where the Italian countryside is almost a character of the film and much more than a backdrop.

A very pleasant interlude for a winter's afternoon, or Spring evening, and Maggie Smith is as mannered and original as ever. I especially loved her flowing clothes, which suited her and her character very well.