let me be clear . i hate these kind of movie . i do not like anything where the protagonist be all bourgeoisie english . i find this kind of literature and film awfully pretentious . you will never get me to read a jane austen book willingly . that say and the only reason i read w. somerset maugham book and watch the subsequent film be for a class . mary panton ( kristin scott thomas ) be a beautiful english woman live in a borrow villa in florence before world war ii . one night after din with some of her rich royalty relate friend and she willingly pick up an austrian refugee and have sex with him and ditch and and then he kill himself . a the movie get further and further and you really want to dislike mary . what a load of crap this movie be . first of all and there be many subplots and character invent in the movie that weren not even in the book . i doubt very much the late mr. maugham would have appreciate them . the character and though wealthy and be some of the most superficial and self centered people i have ever see . the only reason i do not give it anything less than three star be because the acting be the only thing redeemable . the always talented kristin scott thomas be perfect for the role of mary . in fact and i couldn not picture anybody else fill her shoe . sean penn and anne bancroft also have support role and that be just as good a the lead . save yourself the pain of watch this movie .