I love this movie so much

A movie that not only functions as a solid scarefest but a razor-sharp satire.

It’s fine. It's literally the definition of a fine movie. You’ve seen it before, you know every beat and outcome before the characters even do. Only question is how much escapism you’re looking for.

Excellent characters with emotional depth. My wife, daughter and granddaughter all enjoyed it...and me, too! Very good movie! You won't be disappointed.

The Maugham novel would have been a treat this movie is not.The evil fascists are interrupting the beautiful life of ex-pats living in 1937 Florence. These beautiful rich people include Kirstin Thomas (the scenery and costumes are beautiful---but that is all that is good about this movie.) It is basically a chick flick with Thomas swirling around everywhere things appearing magically at the right time to this wide eyed heroine. Kirsten has it all: looks experience 1 night stands with hitchhikers fleeing the Nazi's a powerful suitor and hot lover and so forth as she outsmarts the cartoon like Italian officials. No this is more than a brain dead caricature of pre WWII politics--it is brain dead period.I grew to hate Kirstin's character that wide eyed not a mean bone in my body look the only look she has frozen in place during the whole movie as she picks up and screws a hitchhiker in the most beautiful as is possible Florentine villa. Belinda and Philip Hass (writer and director) also made Angels and Insects a movie that troubles my subconscious even today. That is a whole different matter though or is it??.... in it there was too bright of lighting dresses made to look like insects---weird and troubling. It is however the perfect female heroes that are the problem in both films= they are sickeningly PC perfect.This is Maugham stripped of all of his sophisticated observations and insights and filled with chick flick PC action.Thumbs down down down....

I read this short novel in a couple of days and it was such a treat. I like to watch films after I read the books but when I saw Sean Penn and Kristin Scott Thomas I thought to myself... who did the casting for this film! What RIDICULOUS choices. This film could have been a hit had they chose appropriate actors. First of all, Mary is supposed to be 30, yet still incredibly beautiful with cinnamon colored skin and light golden brown hair, which I believe was supposed to be long and gorgeous. Her body was supposed to still show her youth (not the unfortunate anorexic appearance of Kristin Scott Thomas). And Sean Penn could never have been Rowley... he was supposed to be younger than Mary and not be particularly attractive (I think S.P. is downright vulgar looking), but still incredibly magnetic (which S.P. lacks). A better fit would have been Ryan Gosling.What a shame and waste of money to make a film that doesn't even fit the books character depictions!

I suppose part of the reason I like little films like this is in reaction to the Hollywood over the top blockbusters.The characters is this movie are well developed and believeable. The British lord looking for a wife that he can handle and that he can show off, and picking up Kristin Scott Thomas for cheap, he thinks.Anne Bankcroft playing the insultated lying Princess, way over the hill, but trying to still pretend she is in the elites.Sean Penn, Rowley, the American scoundrel with integrity.Rather than rehash the main details which is what everyone else has done, I just wanted to try to balance the negative comments of some, saying that this movie I would very interesting and quite entertaining and delightful.A light suspence costume drama set in beautiful Italy under the fascists. I gave it a 9.

In 1938, Mary Panton is a broken young British widow living in Florence. Sir Edgar Swift (James Fox), a prominent Englishman indicated to be governor in India, proposes her to get married with him. The proximity with World War II makes persons living in this city tense, and Sir Edgar lends a gun to Mary, for her safety, while is traveling on business. Mary's best friend in Florence is the Italian Princess San Ferdinando (Anne Bancroft), a woman who loves gossips. One day, Mary goes with their friends to a restaurant, where she meets Rowley Flint (Sean Penn), a man with bad reputation, and she gets upset with him. On her way back home, she almost kills Karl Richter (Jeremy Davies), the violinist of restaurant where she was. The she realizes that he is indeed an Austrian refugee leaving Florence on the next day and a very sensible man. She has an affair him. But Karl falls in love with her and decides not to leave Florence anymore. Mary explains him that she just wanted one night stand with him and Karl, feeling rejected, commits suicide with Sir Edgar's gun. From now on, Mary Panton has to lie, betray and blackmail, trying to survive to the situation raised by this murder. This romance is a good movie. Anne Bancroft has an outstanding performance, and Sean Penn, Kristin Scott Thomas, James Fox and Jeremy Davies has a great acting, as usual. The story is amoral, having ingredients of romance and suspense. The greatest problem, in my point of view, is the lack of chemistry between the characters of Kristin Scott Thomas and Sean Penn. Somehow they do not fit each other, but maybe this is the intention of the novel. I have not read the book. However, it is a good entertainment. My vote is seven.