Watch: “Under the Tuscan Sun”
Where you are is who you are
Never Casual, the choice of place is the choice of something you crave.
- Francis Mayes
Francis Mayes’ book, Under the Tuscan Sun, was adapted for the screen in 2003. Audrey Wells, the screenwriter as well as the director, made several changes to elements of the story. When asked what she thought about that, the author said she didn’t mind at all, and was very pleased the movie captures the spirit of the book. Both introduce readers and audience members to the beauty of the spectacular Tuscan countryside and simplified life in Italy, inspiring generations to embark on their own journeys.
Instead of beginning in Cortona with Frances and Ed purchasing Bramasole and beginning their three year renovation of an abandoned Tuscan House, the movie begins in San Francisco with Frances unexpectedly finding out her husband is cheating on her. Her life is upended, she gets a divorce, and is gifted a ticket, from her dear friend, to Italy joining a gay bus tour through Tuscany. The next thing you know, she is making an offer on a charming Tuscan stone house that desperately needs attention. The colorful, eccentric locals give the audience a chance to see what living in a small Italian village would look like, starting with the Contessa who owns the small villa. She won’t sell the house without a sign from God. Frances is crushed, but upon leaving she is pigeon poo bombed, which works for the Contessa, and she gets Bramasole!
Signor Martini as the Realtor is the same in the book as in the movie. He ends up helping her and he and Frances become great friends.
Frances moves in, the restoration begins, she meets her neighbors and hires three illegal workers from Poland just like in the book. In both the book and the movie one of the workers, who speaks no English, communicates with Frances through their mutual love of a Polish author Czeslaw Milosz. There is a lovely scene when the Polish workers finally finish the renovation and gift Frances a book by Milosz, then show her the large lettered POLONIA they’ve carved into the wall. ( you’ll need kleenex - everybody cries)
Frances is growing and changing but she’s still missing something - she wants to share all of this with someone she loves….enter Marcello, described by another reviewer as “obviously ripped from the bodice of a romance novel” And off they go into jaw-dropping scenery on their way to Positano.
I won’t give too much more away- enjoy the pleasure of watching it or rewatching it yourself! It was and still is hugely popular by audience reviewers, (Amazon alone has nearly 10,000 5 star reviews!) but some movie critics gave it a lukewarm or thumbs down review saying it was soppy and too sentimental. One even said, “you name the cliche and it’s there.”
I, for one, loved the movie! There’s romance, staggering beauty, gorgeous food, wonderful, interesting, and quirky characters, a feel for the sumptuous love of family, friends and life in Italy, and a lesson to be learned if you’d like. It takes patience, guts, and the ability to bounce back from adversity to embrace the unknown. You might go away from watching this movie believing more in second chances, and seeing how a special place can bring about a miraculous personal transformation in your life.
Grab a glass of wine or a San Pellegrino, watch the movie, lose yourself, chill, laugh, cry, feel hopeful, feel adventurous, and if you need to make changes, be bold. OR... don’t think too deeply about it and just swoon and enjoy.
No matter what, when you finish watching the movie you will want to get on a plane, you will want to fly to Italy, and you will want to buy a villa in Tuscany.
