Search - Up at the Villa on DVD

MPAA Rating: PG-13 Content Advisory: Adult Situations Movie Release: 2000 DVD Release: 10/24/2000 Format: DVD - Enhanced Wide Screen Letterbox for 16x9 TV Audio Tracks: English Subtitles: English, French, Spanish SwapaDVD Credits: 1 Number of Discs: 1 Run Time: 1 hrs 55 mins Studio: Polygram USA Video Members Wishing: 1 Genres: Drama, Romantic Drama, Period Film See Also: Up at the Villa

A woman left alone by the death of her husband finds her love life has become suddenly and dangerously complicated in this drama. Mary Panton (Kristin Scott Thomas) is a British woman living in Italy in 1938 who has been financially ruined by the death of her husband. Edgar (James Fox), an aging diplomat, asks Mary for her hand in marriage, and while she doesn't love him, she longs for the security of a husband and asks for a few days to consider the proposal. The next evening, Mary is invited to a party by an American socialite known as the Princess (Anne Bancroft); there, Mary meets Rowley Flint (Sean Penn), a rough-hewn and cocky American who is intrigued by her. Mary also feels drawn to Rowley, but their personalities clash, and they end the evening in an argument. Mary impulsively spends the night with Karl (Jeremy Davies), a young musician who played at the party. In the cold light of day, Mary decides that her fling with Karl is best left as a one-night stand, but Karl insists that he's fallen in love with her, and he melodramatically kills himself. Mary, desperate, calls upon Rowley to help her hide the body; he agrees, and soon they are both being questioned by local fascist leader Leopardi (Massimo Ghini) about Karl's disappearance. Up at the Villa was adapted from a novella by W. Somerset Maugham. ~ Mark Deming, All Movie Guide

Kristin Scott Thomas - Mary Panton
Sean Penn - Rowley Flint
Anne Bancroft - Princess San Ferdinando
James Fox - Sir Edgar Swift
Jeremy Davies - Karl Richter

Philip Haas' period drama Up at the Villa comes to DVD with a widescreen anamorphic transfer that preserves the original theatrical aspect ratio of 1.78:1. English soundtracks are rendered in Dolby Digital 5.1 and Dolby Digital Stereo. Spanish and French subtitles are accessible, and both soundtracks are closed-captions. Supplemental materials include biographies of the cast, and the theatrical trailer. This is a technically solid release from USA Entertainment. ~ Perry Seibert, All Movie Guide