Tea with Mussolini (Film 1999)

Tea with Mussolini (Italian: Un tè con Mussolini) is a 1999 semi-autobiographical comedy-drama war film directed by Franco Zeffirelli, scripted by John Mortimer, telling the story of a young Italian boy's upbringing by a circle of British and American women before and during the Second World War.

At the 53rd British Academy Film Awards, Tea with Mussolini won the BAFTA Award for Best Actress in a Supporting Role (Maggie Smith). The film also nominated for BAFTA Award for Best Costume Design but lost to Sleepy Hollow.

Cast & Characters:
Joan Plowright as Mary Wallace, a British expatriate who becomes a surrogate mother for Luca
Maggie Smith as Lady Hester Random, widow of the former British ambassador to Italy
Cher as Elsa Morganthal Strauss-Armistan, a wealthy American socialite
Judi Dench as Arabella, an aspiring artist and art lover
Lily Tomlin as Georgina 'Georgie' Rockwell, an openly lesbian American archaeologist
Tessa Pritchard as Connie Raynor, a journalist for The Morning Post
Baird Wallace as Luca Innocente, as a teenager
Charlie Lucas as Luca Innocente, as a child
Paul Chequer as Wilfred 'Lucy' Random, Lady Hester's grandson
Paolo Seganti as Vittorio Fanfanni, a lawyer and Elsa's lover
Mino Bellei as Cesare, an art dealer and close friend of Elsa
Massimo Ghini as Paolo Guarnieri Innocente, Luca's father
Michael Williams as the British Consul
Claudio Spadaro as Benito Mussolini
Pino Colizzi as Dino Grandi
Paula Jacobs as Molly
Michael Williams, who was married to Judi Dench in real life, died not long after the film was finished. This film marks his last screen appearance.

Angela Lansbury was offered the role of Mary Wallace, but had to drop out when her husband became ill. Lady Hester Random is based upon a real resident of Florence whom Zeffirelli knew in his childhood. Zeffirelli mentions her and a couple of other ladies of the Scorpioni in his autobiography. He said: "I don't remember if she was called Hester, but I remember this terrible, fantastic woman. She was the dowager of the community. I remember the many outrageous things she did because she could afford to be arrogant and bossy."