Search - My House in Umbria on DVD

My House in Umbria

Actor(s): Ron Barker, Chris Cooper, Bernard Furmann, Giancarlo Giannini, Maggie Smith
Director(s): Richard Loncraine
6

Movie Details

MPAA Rating: NR
Content Advisory: Questionable for Children
Movie Release: 2003
DVD Release: 11/25/2003
Format: DVD - Enhanced Wide Screen Letterbox for 16x9 TV - Closed Captioned
Audio Tracks: English, French, Spanish
Subtitles: English, French, Spanish
SwapaDVD Credits: 1
Number of Discs: 1
Run Time: 1 hrs 43 mins
Studio: HBO Home Video
Total Copies: 4
Genres: Drama, Ensemble Film

DVD Synopsis

Adapted from William Trevor's novella of the same name, the made-for-cable My House in Umbria stars Dame Maggie Smith as Mrs. Emily Delahunty, a British romance novelist living in Italy. While on a shopping excursion to Milan, Emily barely survives a terrorist train bombing. Though she recovers fairly rapidly from her ordeal, three others -- a German journalist a British general and a traumatized orphan girl -- still bear profound physical and emotional wounds. In the spirit of democracy and compassion, the pluck Mrs. Delahunty invites her fellow survivors to recuperate at her lavish Italian estate. This ersatz family gets along famously -- at least until the arrival of the orphan's priggish uncle, American entomologist Tom Riversmith (Chris Cooper), who strongly disapproves of Mrs. Delahunty's carefree lifestyle. Filmed on location in Tuscany and Rome, My House in Umbria debuted May 25, 2003, on the HBO cable service. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide

Actors

Ron Barker - The General
Chris Cooper - Tom Riversmith
Bernard Furmann - Werner
Giancarlo Giannini - Inspector Gotti
Maggie Smith - Mrs. Emily Delahunty

Editorial Review of DVD

This made-for-cable adaptation of William Trevor's novel has been given a solid presentation for its release on DVD. My House in Umbria has been transferred to disc in letterboxed format in the widescreen aspect ratio of 1.85:1; the images have also been enhanced for anamorphic playback on 16 x 9 monitors. The original English-language audio track has been presented in both Dolby Digital 5.1 and Dolby Digital Surround, while a dubbed version in Spanish appears in Dolby Digital Stereo. Optional English, French, and Spanish subtitles are also offered on this edition. Bonus materials include a commentary track with director Richard Loncraine and executive producer Frank Doelger discussing the film, as well as text biographies of the key cast and crew members. ~ Mark Deming, All Movie Guide

Member Movie Reviews

S A A. (Learned2Heal) wrote on 3/3/2009...

1 of 1 member(s) found this review helpful.

I have to give this movie a very mixed review. On the one hand, the storyline, the script, the score and the acting are fairly reliably horrendous throughout. The storyline is weak, choppy, and drags on miserably. The characters are not very likable (to put it mildly...), and even the most gifted ones (Maggie Smith, Timothy Spall, Chris Cooper and Giancarlo Giannini) are effectively dragged down and their abilities trampled by the leaden script and the absolute lack of talent of some of the other actors. In particular, Bernard Furmann turns in a devastatingly feeble performance that makes you wonder if he's ever darkened the doorstep of an acting school.

However, on the other hand, the Italian scenery, that wonderful house, with its beautiful garden and setting, and the cinematography are beyond amazingly gorgeous - all of them. As such, I have now seen this movie at least half a dozen times in the past few months, trying to ignore the fallow storyline and the lame acting, and am quite determined to retire in that region of Italy and, preferably, in that very house.

Take from that what you will....