Movie Talk

June 6,1999
SSLau

"Tea with Mussolini"---On this day of June 6,1999, it is only fitting to say a few things about this fine movie produced by a team of Italian and British movie makers and directed by Zeffirelli. A collection of some of the most impressive British actresses and two of the most colorful American players helped make this movie a rather enjoyable film. When the curtain rose, the story unfolded in1935 and in the city of Florence, the quintessential town for Italian and other artists around the world. As the title of the movie suggests, the story is about Italy and WWII. This bunch of fine actors played their parts well and some of roles were written as if for those actors in mind. The "tea" ruminated me of the high tea at the Peninsula hotel, representing the core of British decadence. I still remember the time as a kid in primary school listening to the clinking sound of spoons against porcelain tea cups at the Peninsula, and the conversation voice level was low. The last time had high tea at the Peninsula was in 1996, the conversation voice level was as loud as anywhere else. Times are a changing. This is a second fine foreign movie I saw this year. The other was " Tango", a Spanish-Argentina production. I understand "Red Violin" is coming, Louis Lee thought it was a good movie ( 8.5/10 in the Lee scale). I  intend to see it and hope I would be in town when shown.