Up at the Villa

Up at the Villa

(Philip Haas, 2000)

Rating: 4/5

Reviewed by Dave Lancaster

Summary: Tastefully expanding on W Somerset Maugham's novella, 'Up at the Villa' is an underrated period drama worthy of another visit.
 

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'Up at the Villa' was a slim novel from 'The Razor's Edge' master W Somerset Maugham that may have only created an hour's worth of film. Belinda Haas' screenplay does very well to add more plot without distracting from the source material's essence, expanding on the world war backdrop and political motivations.

We follow Kristin Scott Thomas' Mary Panton. She married for love years ago, he turned into an alcoholic and upon his death left her with all his debts. Her villa in Florence, while showy, is rented. Still graced with beauty, she needs security this time, not love.

Cue Edward Fox as Sir Edgar Swift, an older man with a brilliant career who ticks all the right boxes. He asks for her hand in marriage before he makes a business trip. She'll respond in a few days when he gets back. These important few days form the backbone of 'Up at the Villa'.

During this time she meets a flirty man of adventure Rowley Flint (Sean Penn) who also wants her. Mary wants to make other people happy not herself, which is how she comes to invite a refugee violinist back home one night. The affair turns ugly and he ends up shot, drawing Flint into a cover-up.

 

Upper class sex and death are always ripe subjects for period drama and 'Up at the Villa' is a beautiful, tasteful example of repressed desire. Intelligently scripted and carefully shot, it's no masterpiece but it deserves better than it got. Transition Digital Media's new DVD has a lovely print. Maugham, Penn and Scott Thomas fans will be impressed.

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