Movies that were Filmed In Tuscany
You’ve probably heard of the Tuscan countryside, or perhaps you’ve even seen pictures before. Well, any visitor to Tuscany will tell you that the region’s beauty is unsurpassed. In this article, I’ll be taking a look at some of the best movies filmed in Tuscany.
Gladiator
In the year 180, the death of emperor Marcus Aurelius threw the Roman Empire into chaos. Maximus is one of the Roman army's most capable and trusted generals and a key advisor to the emperor. As Marcus' devious son Commodus ascends to the throne, Maximus is set to be executed. He escapes, but is captured by slave traders. Renamed Spaniard and forced to become a gladiator, Maximus must battle to the death with other men for the amusement of paying audiences.
His battle skills serve him well, and he becomes one of the most famous and admired men to fight in the Colosseum. Determined to avenge himself against the man who took away his freedom and laid waste to his family, Maximus believes that he can use his fame and skill in the ring to avenge the loss of his family and former glory. As he moves closer to his goal, he uncovers an unexpected truth about his past that will lead him on a journey of revenge, betrayal, redemption and finally freedom.
Life is Beautiful
With the help of a little humor and courage, a father not only protects his son from the harsh reality of war, but also helps him find joy in life.
The movie Life is Beautiful won the Oscar for Best Foreign Film, as well as garnering fame and an Academy Award for Roberto Benigni as best actor, was filmed in the beautiful town of Arezzo. A Jewish father and his family are surrounded by Nazi death camps. Living in a hostile environment, he uses humor to shield his young son from the grim realities of war.
Life is Beautiful (La vita è bella) is set during World War II in Arezzo, Italy. The protagonist Guido (Benigni) is a charming book store owner who goes on to work at a local hotel where he falls in love with the maid Dora (Nicoletta Braschi). Guido wins Dora’s heart and they have a son named Giosuè (Giorgio Cantarini). However, after the Germans invade Italy in 1943, Guido and his family are forced to move into a camp for Jews. He hides Giosuè’s true identity by telling him that they are playing a game.
Tea with Mussolini
"Tea with Mussolini" is a beautiful story of a young boy's coming of age in the 1930s and 1940s, as the specter of war looms over Italy. It is also an excellent portrayal of the lives of English expatriates living in Florence during those years. Cher is wonderful as Elsa, and Joan Plowright, Maggie Smith and Judi Dench all give strong performances, as do Massimo Ghini, Baird Wallace and Charlie Lucas as Luca. This movie gives viewers a memorable glimpse into a turbulent time.
The English Patient
This movie is about a woman Hana whose husband dies in World War II. She becomes a nurse who cares for a dying man who has been burned beyond recognition from a plane crash. The man's body is scarred, but his face and identity remain a mystery. As the woman nurses him back to health, she discovers her own healing comes from tending to the man's wounds.
The movie is based on the novel by Michael Ondaatje. In the film, Hana (Juliette Binoche) begins caring for the dying Count Laszlo Almasy (Ralph Fiennes). He is unconscious and very badly burned.
Under The Tuscan Sun
In this movie Frances Mayes, a 35-year-old San Francisco writer, gets a divorce that leaves her with terminal writer's block and depression. Later, she decides to buy a house in Tuscany in order to change her life.
The film is based on Frances' book of the same name. The book was such a success that it led to two sequels, "Under the Tuscan Sun: At Home in Italy" (2006) and "Every Day in Tuscany: Seasons of an Italian Life" (2016).
A Room with a View
A Room with a View is an eminently entertaining comedy with an intellectual approach to love. The simple story is embroidered with delightful dialogue and rare characterizations.
Lucy Honeychurch is a young Englishwoman traveling to Florence, Italy for a vacation with her overbearing cousin, Charlotte Bartlett. As the two women continue their tour of the beautiful city, they become more and more lost.
