Film Review

Tea with Mussolini: Ladies of culture and endurance

By Dilshan Boange

Tea with Mussolini is a semi-autobiographical film directed by Franco Zeffirelli, written by John Mortimer, about the story of a young Italian boy named Luca's upbringing by a circle of British and American women in the context of World War II. It opens in Florence, Italy in 1935, where a group of cultured expatriate Englishwomen meet for a habitual afternoon tea.

Luca is the illegitimate son of an Italian businessman, whose father shows little interest in his upbringing. Luca's mother, a seamstress, is deceased. His father's secretary Mary Wallace, cares for the boy, and turns for support to her English friends.

These women include an eccentric would-be artist named Arabella played by Judi Dench. Together, they teach Luca various valuable lessons about life and especially the arts.

Elsa Morganthal played by the songstress 'Cher', is a rich young American widow.

Lady Hester Random played by Maggie Smith is the head of the group of English ladies barely tolerates Elsa. Elsa sets up a financial trust for Luca when she learns of the death of his mother, whom she was fond of and to whom she still owed money for her dressmaking services.

One day, when the ladies are in a restaurant for afternoon tea, it is attacked by Fascists. Lady Hester, who is the widow of Britain's former ambassador to Italy, has faith in Benito Mussolini, and takes it upon herself to visit him. She receives his insincere assurances about their safety. And she proudly recounts her "tea with Mussolini". But the political situation continues to deteriorate and the English ladies find their privileges declining. Luca's father sees it is more advantageous to give Luca an education at an Austrian boarding school rather than a British school due to Italy's developing trends in foreign policy.

Five years later, Luca returns to Florence with the intention of using Elsa's trust fund to study art. He finds that most British nationals are fleeing the country expecting.

He arrives at the house where Mary has moved in with Lady Hester just as they are being rounded up and put onto a transport truck, which he follows to the nearby Tuscan town of San Gimignano. Because the USA is not at war, Elsa and her American compatriot Georgie Rockwell an openly lesbian archaeologist, remain free.

Elsa uses Luca to deliver forged orders and funds to have the ladies moved from their distressingly barracks-like quarters to an upper class hotel.

Believing that Mussolini himself issued the orders, Lady Hester is delighted, proudly brandishing the newspaper photo of her tea with Mussolini.

Jews

As the war progresses, Jews become oppressed. The Germans begin to round Jews in occupied Italy in October 1943.

Although Jewish Elsa is protected by her citizenship and wealth and provides a group of Italian Jews with fake passports, using Luca, who has become enamoured with her, to deliver them. But Luca becomes jealous when she romantically involved, a shrewd Italian lawyer named Vittorio.

After the USA enters the war, Elsa and Georgie are interned with the British women. Elsa falls for Vittorio's scheme to embezzle her art collection and money, which ultimately delivers her to the German Gestapo. Luca had been aware of the scheme but didn't tell anyone, out of spite against Elsa.

Mary learns of it from Elsa's art dealer, and scolds Luca. However, he has a change of heart and gives his trust fund money to members of the Italian resistance movement.

Lady Hester, informed by Mary and Luca of what Elsa has secretly done for all of them, repents of her contempt for Elsa and offers her gratitude and help. Surprised by Lady Hester's change of heart, Elsa believes her and consents to an escape plan hatched by Mary, Luca and Wilfred.

Before she departs, Elsa tells Luca how she once helped his young mother choose to go through with her pregnancy, thus allowing him to be there for her.

In July 1944, as Allied troops advance toward San Gimignano, Arabella frantically defends her beloved frescoes from demolition by German troops and is heroically joined in the line of fire by Georgie and the English women, including Lady Hester.

They are saved when the Germans receive orders to retreat.

The city rejoices as the saviours arrive, with Luca now serving as their commander's Italian interpreter.

The major has orders to evacuate the English ladies, however it transpires that Lady Hester is resolved to resume their former lives in Italy.