SnoopyStyle It's the late 1930s around Florence. Sir Edgar Swift (James Fox) is the distinguished governor of Bengal who has come to court the widow Mary Panton (Kristin Scott Thomas). She loved her husband as he turned into a drunken gambler who squandered all of their money. Sir Swift proposes to her and she promises an answer upon his return. He leaves her with a gun as he fears a deteriorating security situation. She is hounded by Lucky Leadbetter (Derek Jacobi) who is after fresh-faced English young men. Princess San Ferdinando (Anne Bancroft) is a woman who had many flings and lots of connections. She introduces Mary to playboy Rowley Flint (Sean Penn) at a dinner party. Italian fascist Beppino Leopardi doesn't like Rowley. She rejects Rowley's advances and kicks him out of her car. She almost runs over Karl Richter (Jeremy Davies) who was a bad musician at the party. He's a refugee escaping the Nazis after organizing resistance as a student in Austria. She invites him back to her villa and they spend the night together. Leopardi imposes new restrictions on the foreign presence. Karl becomes unruly and Mary pulls out the gun. Karl takes it away and shoots himself with it. Rowley helps her dispose of the body.Sean Penn somehow doesn't fit this time and this story. He never disappears into this role. He sticks out in this period piece like a sore thumb. Also the story lacks tension. There is some limited tension with Leopardi but that's resolved well before the end. The romance doesn't have any intensity. This should be a lot better. I do like Jeremy Davies' performance in a minor role.

filmalamosa 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....

stephanieremer "You're never a great man, when you have more mind than heart." E.P. Beauchene In a nutshell, Mary, (Kristin Scott Thomas), a distractingly beautiful English widow has more heart than mind in this period piece. A noble thing to have, unless your naivety of heart gets you into places you never dreamed your heart would lead you.This excellent period piece takes place in fascist Italy. A group of English aristocrats worlds intertwine, with a twist. Kristin Scott Thomas' charmingly elegant character sparks life so intriguing, you'll find yourself leaning toward the tube.Many reviewers peg this as a tale of "lust". I disagree. I find no lust at all in this movie. What I do find, is a woman torn by her emotions and doing the right thing or the "kind" thing. Even Sean Penn is laid-back with his enduring advances.I found it to be a monument to human emotions, both caring and caustic.

julilks26 Well, after reading several comments, it has become more than apparent to me that the majority didn't like it, especially Sean Penn's role. I, for one, enjoyed the film. Perhaps it's not the best movie ever made, perhaps it's not Penn's greatest performance, I'll give you that. However, I thought the movie was fun, enjoyable to watch. I suppose I wasn't looking for an Oscar candidate when I picked it up because the premise of the movie itself doesn't lend itself the traditonal epics or emotional dramas that are favored by the Academy. Mysteries are a favorite of mine and so the plot kept me interested and, to another point, I thought Sean Penn's performance was wonderful considering the role. Yes, it was understated which I found wonderful, and yes, after a momentary pause to think, the romantic relationship between Kristin Scott Thomas and Sean Penn seemed a bit odd, they don't seem to fit well together in that context. However, I thought the movie was all around just fun and Sean Penn is so utterably watchable in this movie and so charming and seductive that I would've followed him to the ends of the earth, guarantees or not