Under the Tuscan Sun (2003)

User Rating:

6.7/10   

Director:

Audrey Wells

Writers (WGA):

Frances Mayes (book)
Audrey Wells (screen story)

Release Date:

26 September 2003 (USA)

Genre:

Comedy | Drama | Romance

Tagline:

The Only Thing More Surprising Than The Chance She's Taking...Is Where It's Taking Her

Plot:

While on vacation, a just-divorced writer buys a villa in Tuscany on a whim, hoping it will be the start of a change for the better in her life.

Plot Keywords:

Writer | Love | Villa | Tuscany | Bus

Awards:

Nominated for Golden Globe. Another 4 nominations

Cast

Diane Lane	...	Frances
Sandra Oh	...	Patti
Lindsay Duncan	...	Katherine
Raoul Bova	...	Marcello
Vincent Riotta	...	Martini
Mario Monicelli	...	Old Man with Flowers
Roberto Nobile	...	Placido
Anita Zagaria	...	Fiorella
Evelina Gori	...	Nona Cardinale
Giulia Steigerwalt	...	Chiara
Pawel Szajda	...	Pawel
Valentine Pelka	...	Jerzy
Sasa Vulicevic	...	Zbignew
Massimo Sarchielli	...	Nino
Claudia Gerini	...	Signora Raguzzi

Also Known As:

Sotto il sole della Toscana (Italy)

MPAA:

Rated PG-13 for sexual content and language.

Runtime:

113 min

Country:

USA | Italy

Language:

English | Italian | Polish | French | Spanish | German

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Sound Mix:

DTS | Dolby Digital | SDDS

Certification:

Canada:14 (Nova Scotia) | Canada:G (Quebec) | Canada:PG (Alberta/British Columbia/Manitoba/Ontario) | South Korea:15 | New Zealand:M | Argentina:Atp | Australia:M | Brazil:12 | Finland:K-11 | Germany:o.Al. | Italy:T | Philippines:R-13 | Singapore:PG | Spain:7 | Sweden:Btl | UK:12A | USA:PG-13 (certificate #40079)

Filming Locations:

Cassa di Risparmio di Firenze, Florence, Tuscany, Italy

Company:

Blue Gardenia Productions

Trivia:

Writer/director Audrey Wells said that when she was writing the script, the only actress she thought of to play Patti was Sandra Oh. They had worked together on Guinevere (1999). One of Oh's guests on the Italian location was her fiancé Alexander Payne.

Goofs:

Continuity: When Frances is sitting at the desk, the kitten is sitting on the front of the desk. In the next frame, as Frances gets up, the kitten is gone. From the kitten's posture on the desk, it would not have been able to move out of sight that quickly.

Quotes:

Martini: Signora, between Austria and Italy, there is a section of the Alps called the Semmering. It is an impossibly steep, very high part of the mountains. They built a train track over these Alps to connect Vienna and Venice. They built these tracks even before there was a train in existence that could make the trip. They built it because they knew some day, the train would come.

Movie Connections:

Referenced in "Saturday Night Live: Jack Black/John Mayer (#29.1)" (2003)

Soundtrack:

I've Never Been in Love Before

A Delightful Romance, With a Tour Through the Wonders of Italy and a Great Homage to the Italian Cinema

When the American writer and critic Francesca (Diane Lane) divorces from her husband, she becomes very depressed. Meanwhile, her lesbian friend Patti (Sandra Oh) gets pregnant and Patti and her mate decide to give their travel to Tuscan in a gay tour as a gift to Frances, to lift her moral. Once in Italy, Frances decides to spend all her savings, buying an old villa in an impulsive decision. While reforming the place, Frances finds wonderful places, friendship with the locals and love. "Under the Tuscan Sun" is a delightful romance, with a tour through the wonders of Italy and a great homage to the Italian cinema, with a reference to "La Dolce Vita" and a minor participation of Mario Monicelli. Diane Lane looks like wine, becoming more gorgeous along the years, and with a lovely face and smile. I have never had the chance to visit Italy, and after seeing the magnificent locations and the nice people of Italy, I believe most of the viewers will have the feeling of expecting to have a chance to visit such a marvelous place. I really liked this enjoyable film. My vote is seven.

Title (Brazil): "Sob o Sol da Toscana" ("Under the Tuscan Sun")