In Tea with Mussolini, director Franco Zeffirelli returns to his own Italian boyhood to create a warmly nostalgic portrait of humanity triumphing over war. Like last year's Life Is Beautiful, Tea with Mussolini presents the spirit enduring against the backdrop of an Italy torn apart by World War II. Three expatriate English women living in Florence -- a sensible, good-hearted secretary (Joan Plowright), a haughty, self-important diplomat's widow (Maggie Smith), and a dotty would-be artist (Judi Dench) -- and two Americans -- a lesbian archaeologist (Lily Tomlin), and a brash, ex-showgirl with a knack for marrying well (Cher) -- take it upon themselves to see to the upbringing of an orphan. With their days devoted to gossip, art at the Uffizi, and tea at 4 o'clock, theirs is an idyllic existence, especially in Fascist-run Italy. As the years wear on, though, and Italy goes to war with England and America, the women discover that even taking tea with Mussolini will not guarantee their protection. Tea with Mussolini offers fans of character-driven drama a wealth of treasures, not the least of which are the sun-soaked Italian locations and a story that is at once poignant and funny. The real pleasure, though, lies in watching five amazing actresses (any one of whom can command a screen all by herself) wholly inhabit such a group of colorful women. In her most engaging role since her Oscar®-winning part in Moonstruck, Cher is particularly enjoyable as the madcap Elsa -- watching her lock horns with Maggie Smith's tart-tongued Hester is a delight. To be sure, the world Zeffirelli recreates in Tea with Mussolini is a rose-tinted one that hardly reflects the reality of war. But taken on its own terms, Tea With Mussolini refreshes. * Pam Grady            www.reel.com
	Tea With Mussolini 1999 Starring:  Cher  Judi Dench  Maggie Smith  Joan Plowright  Lily Tomlin Director:   Franco Zeffirelli Rating: PG Runtime: 83 Min. Genre: Foreign
	more  pictures