well and great costume and a wonderful ` feel for pre wwii italy . but what happen here . great actor . kristin scott thomas and sean penn and anne bancroft and james fox and derek jacobi . if you can not get memorable performance out of this ` a list then the problem with this movie must be blame on pitiful direction and an inadequate script . i rent this on dvd after have like angel and insect ( 1995 ) also direct by philip haas . yipes . i can hardly believe how dull this thing be . it just drag on and on and no one be able to save the poor thing . this be not even a good intriguing foreign dude and young thing in pretty clothes chick flick . tea with mussolini go amuck .