Up at the Villa 2000

In the sweltering Italian summer of 1938, a grief-stricken Englishwoman, Mary Panton (Kristin Scott Thomas), finds herself ensconced in the luxurious villa of wealthy friends outside Florence. The tranquil surroundings provide a temporary respite from her overwhelming sorrow following the recent loss of her husband. Her emotional turmoil is momentarily interrupted by a surprise visit from her old acquaintance Sir Edgar Swift (James Fox) at a lavish party celebrating the Munich Agreement, where he presents her with an unexpected marriage proposal. Mary’s initial shock gives way to thoughtful contemplation, and she requests a brief period of solitude to consider his offer, which Sir Edgar graciously agrees to.

That same evening, amidst the opulent surroundings of a soiree hosted by her friend, the enigmatic Princess San Ferdinando (Anne Bancroft), Mary’s path crosses with that of Rowley Flint (Sean Penn), a charming yet notorious American playboy. As the night wears on, a hapless violinist arrives to entertain the assembled guests, but his ineptitude is so pronounced that the Princess sees fit to have him ejected from the premises. Mary, moved by his struggles, takes pity and leaves a substantial tip in an effort to salvage what remains of his dignity. Rowley, ever the opportunist, offers Mary a ride home, which they undertake amidst the starry Italian night. However, their journey is punctuated by a poignant detour at a small church, where Mary’s floodgates of sorrow open, and she confides in Rowley about the tragic circumstances surrounding her husband’s passing. The gravity of her words hangs heavy in the air as Rowley attempts to steal a kiss, only to be met with a resolute slap and an abrupt departure by Mary.

The emotional aftershocks of this encounter leave Mary reeling, but she is soon reunited with another figure from the evening’s festivities: the beleaguered violinist, now revealed to be Karl Richter, a refugee from Austria fleeing persecution at the hands of the Nazi regime. Moved by his plight and recognizing the parallels between their own struggles, Mary invites Karl into her home for sustenance. As they break bread together, Karl’s admiration for Mary’s beauty knows no bounds, and she finds herself surrendering to his charms out of pity and sympathy. The next morning, Karl departs, leaving Mary to grapple with the complexities of her own heart and the tumultuous events that have transpired in the midst of her grief.

On that fateful day, Mary’s world is turned upside down when she receives an urgent summons from the English expatriate community and the Italian authorities, led by the stern-faced Beppino Leopardi (Massimo Ghini). The administrator delivers a stern ultimatum: all English residents must register with the police to continue living in Italy. Later that evening, Mary’s tranquility is shattered when Karl bursts into her bedroom, professing his deep affection for her and demanding to be by her side. Her explanation of their previous encounter being driven by pity only fuels his rage, leading him to attack her with a ferocity that leaves her shaken.

In the chaos that ensues, Mary seizes a gun given to her by Sir Edgar Swift, but Karl wrestles it away from her, pointing it at her face. In a split second, he turns the gun on himself and pulls the trigger. Panic sets in as Mary realizes the gravity of the situation and the potential scandal that could unfold. Desperate for help, she contacts Rowley and begs him to intervene. He arrives swiftly and together they transfer Karl’s lifeless body to the woods nearby, where Rowley plants an unregistered firearm to ensure that the suicide cannot be linked back to Mary. He carefully conceals Sir Edgar Swift’s gun on his person.

The next day, Mary and Rowley appear to have navigated the treacherous aftermath without consequence, until Leopardi arrives at Mary’s doorstep. He reveals that the Florence police have apprehended Rowley for possessing an unregistered handgun belonging to Sir Edgar Swift, which he had brought into Italy. Recognizing the perilous situation unfolding before her - with Rowley facing imprisonment and Sir Edgar potentially implicated - Mary turns to the Princess for guidance. She succeeds in getting the Princess drunk and extracts a candid admission from her about having once blackmailed Leopardi by sending him incriminating documents showing his embezzlement of funds.

Seizing the opportunity, Mary makes her way to the Princess’s residence under the guise of delivering flowers. There, she manages to pilfer the compromising documents, now aware that they hold the key to unraveling the web of deceit and corruption that threatens to ensnare her friends.

As Mary storms into Leopardi’s office, a sense of determination radiates from her very being. With incriminating documents in hand, she wields her newfound power to secure Rowley’s release, leaving the flustered administrator no choice but to acquiesce to her demands. Though visibly enraged, he ultimately surrenders, allowing Mary to whisk Rowley away to safety. As they tend to his wounds at home, it becomes clear that despite her obvious affection for him, she recognizes that their love is doomed by his inherent infidelity. The two part ways amicably, acknowledging the impossibility of a harmonious union.

Later that evening, Mary confides in Edgar about the tumultuous events that have transpired, revealing her emotional turmoil and Rowley’s precarious situation. To her surprise, Edgar listens with unwavering understanding, his perspective tempered by a willingness to sacrifice his own ambitions for the sake of their relationship. He implores her to reconsider their union, but ultimately accepts her decision when she confesses that her heart does not belong to him. With a heavy heart, he departs, leaving Mary to ponder the consequences of her choices.

The Princess’s arrival at the villa later that day finds Mary already packing her bags for an eventual return to London. The wise and perceptive monarch delivers a stinging rebuke, lamenting Mary’s decision to spurn the wealth and influence of Swift in favor of Rowley, a man who will likely never be able to provide for her in the same manner.

At the train terminal the following day, Mary boards the departure alone, her heart heavy with uncertainty. However, she is soon joined by an unexpected companion - Rowley himself. As they share a car on the journey to Paris, their body language and conversation betray a newfound willingness to explore the possibility of a romantic partnership, one that they both seem eager to nurture.