My House in Umbria (2003 TV Movie) User Reviews

How does one heal? Alone, or in the company of friends?

[weirsal · 8/10 · 14 April 2004]

A tragedy leaves five people scarred. To heal, one of the survivors invites the others to her home in the Umbrian hills. As she says, to let the beauty of Umbria be a healing balm.

Umbria is one of the stars of the film, yet with a deft hand the director and cinematographer weave its physical beauty to complement the unfolding drama of the film.

Maggie Smith delivers a stunning performance. Her character is a flawed woman who escapes into an alcoholic haze and dreamweaving to explore her soul and the souls of those around her. Ever curious, she delves into places she should not, but always with kind and good intentions.

Chris Cooper plays a persnickety scientist with understated excellence. His facial expressions are magnificent, his words economical, his performance strong.

Ronnie Barker plays a retired English military with aplomb. Beno Furmann delivers a low-key performance, his eyes and his face reflecting guilt and pain. Timothy Spall plays an Irishman with a rare sweetness. A young American girl, Emmy Clarke, plays the film's lynchpin, Aimee, with simple perfection. And Giancarlo Giannini adds a deft touch.

This is a delightful film. There is no glitz, no whiz-bang action. It is a study of the human soul, of the human capacity to deal with pain, to cope, and to survive. The acting ranges from the good to the wonderful, and it is a fabulous example of film-making.

Gentle as the Umbrian countryside

[sheenajackie · 8/10 · 23 February 2006]

This film would immediately appeal to anyone addicted to Maggie Smith and the idyllic Italian countryside of Umbria, but it has unexpected delights to offer in its unassuming, almost art-house, flavour, and the low-key, but affecting, performances of excellent actors Timothy Spall and Ronnie Barker. Chris Cooper is rather wooden, but his academic, unemotional character casts a strong contrast to the hapless vagaries of Maggie Smith's Emily Delahuntey, and therefore works well.

Suspension of disbelief is required for the over-imaginative plot, almost out of one of Emily's romance novels. But the pleasure of such a film is simple, and simple pleasures can entertain as much as the richer, more complex enjoyment of films it might be compared with such as 'Tea With Mussolini' (which, of course, is a much fuller film in terms of plot, characters, script, and drama). 'Enchanted April' also comes to mind as another film where the Italian countryside is almost a character of the film and much more than a backdrop.

A very pleasant interlude for a winter's afternoon, or Spring evening, and Maggie Smith is as mannered and original as ever. I especially loved her flowing clothes, which suited her and her character very well.

Building a private corner of heaven

[przgzr · 8/10 · 22 June 2007]

Sometimes it is good not to know much about a movie before watching it, so you won't have any prejudices. And it is sometimes even good to have wrong idea about what you're going to see, because you can be pleasantly surprised.

My House in Umbria sounded as it was happening on the beginning of 20th century, either in castle full of aristocrats (like Age of Innocence) or in deserted house with poor artists having no money to leave (Stealing Beauty; Sirens). Room with a View or Under Tuscan Sun came in mind too.

The train in first few minutes was obviously not a century old one. Characters were more likely to fit in Miss Marple story. And that was just a beginning of surprises.

A warm story about so different people that can successfully create a small community (instant family) is so hard to find. Unusual communities are usually shown as unstable group and intense interpersonal relations build the dynamic of group which develops the plot. (Tillsammans, Black Moon, Hair as an example.) But it is developing harmony that we see in House in Umbria, people who learn to lean on each other and help each other in the same time. Almost like an ideal early Christian community. Though religion isn't a topic of the movie, there are more Christian feelings here than in many religious movies. From loving and helping to forgiving. When one of the main characters appears to be the one guilty for all the tragedies that happened to the group, he isn't shown as a villain but rather a seduced man, a poor victim of circumstances.

The only person who is rather odd and doesn't fit is the only one that enters the movie after first five minutes (when we meet all other characters): another surprise - in an American (HBO!) movie the only person we dislike is the only (adult) American character in the movie (played incredible effectively by Chris Cooper as a superb contrast in cast). The interaction between him and the group is the only real conflict we see, and during that time our feelings towards him change. Finally we learn to accept him the way he is (as we should accept all people, says another message of the movie), because he is just that kind of man. He is not evil, he is just different. And, maybe as the only influence he was able to let himself implement, he makes an unexpected choice at the end, realizing that though this community is strange and odious to him, it's not necessary worthless, and it might be wrong forcing someone to replace this warmth and caring love with his scientifically precise but cold, emotionless world.

Something, however, didn't change from the beginning: Maggie Smith is still so Ms Marpleish that I was expecting at least one small murder which she could solve. And all people living in House in Umbria might have been imagined by Agatha Christie, actors (Barker, Spall, Dazzy, Cooper) ideal for Poirot's suspects and even Giannini as inspector could pass well as inspector Japp.

But at the end I didn't mind lack of murder. It was one of those rare TV movies that can be recommended to anyone who prefers emotions and peace instead of action and violence. It is not a soap opera, it is not cheesy; and don't let my words make you understand it is a religious movie: it is humanity in the first place that House in Umbria promotes.

Delicious Movie...with a tiny exception

[strawberryswt · 14 April 2004]

The movie was wonderful. 'My House in Umbria' was like a fresh breath of Italian countryside air, or taking a bite into a delicious pie in a terrace in Italy. The sites were breathtaking, even if they were seen from my television. The story was understandable and intriguing. The characters were fun. Mrs. Delahunty, a romantic novelist, with her numerous names and vibrant personality; i found myself wanting to be like her - minus the excessive drinking and smoking. There were also the many friends she had made on a train which had been in an accident. These strangers put together in Mrs.Delahunty's villa. Werner, the general, and Aimee (a young face who was very captivating on screen), and Quinty. All these characters truly made the film. BUT the only stain in the wonderful fabric that is this movie was Chris Cooper's character, Mr. Tom River-something. I found him rather pompus but a necessary element in the movie. I can't find more words to describe the movie. The scenes of Italian cities and towns were wonderful. oh, and mrs.delahunty's thoughts were well illustrated on screen. All in all i truly liked the movie. I think this movie will delight many people.

Maggie Smith redeems flawed film about redemption

[lazarus_ca_48 · 6/10 · 10 January 2005]

The HBO TV movie "My House in Umbria" should be seen primarily for the complex and layered performance of divine Maggie Smith. As romance novelist Emily Delahunty, she projects an image of refinement and elegance that conceals a deeper, darker self. That self is revealed slowly, and we find hidden within a character that is not only at variance with Miss Delahunty's adopted persona, but also very different from the prim and proper ladies Maggie Smith habitually plays on the silver screen. We see that Miss Smith is capable even of being seductive and slatternly, most unlike her many repressed and spinsterish roles.

Maggie Smith has the kind of mesmerizing voice and marvelous diction that would enable her to entertain film audiences by reading the proverbial telephone book. I am reminded of Glenda Jackson's (virtual) one-woman show in "Stevie" and Joanne Woodward's voice-over of "The Age of Innocence".

The rest of the characters in "My House in Umbria" are, alas, a motley crew, sketched in only very lightly, merely second bananas to Maggie Smith's central figure. The time of the story is difficult to pin down based on the clothes and motor cars, but one imagines it takes place during the 1970s, the era of the Bader-Meinhof gang in Germany and the Red Brigades in Italy. The denouement is a little too pat, but the journey is still well worth our while.

One of the key questions raised in the film is what anger would drive a human being to commit an act of terror. But it becomes quickly apparent that political terrorism is not the only kind of "man's inhumanity to man" that is intended here. The focus is, rather, on innocence shattered and destroyed, the cruelty visited by individuals upon each other, the sense of guilt that it engenders, and the possibility of forgiveness and redemption that always, always exists if we "seize the day" and allow ourselves to be happy.

A magic performance by Maggie Smith

[pippymac · 7/10 · 6 January 2008]

This is quiet gem of a film. The storyline is basic, almost simplistic, but the direction allows the actors to add value where it counts.

Maggie Smith is delightful as the aged authoress, with a penchant for Grappa who, after a bomb explodes on a train, offer the survivors of her compartment, recuperation at her home in Umbria.

The Italian countryside is simply magnificent, the photography of Maggie Smith's villa and its surrounds(or should I say Mrs Delahunter's villa) gives a beautiful feeling of a somewhat tired place of residence for a somewhat tired individual, who has been there and done that but in a rather upper class British way. There are the usual disparate individuals coming to terms (or not?) with their their problems and then we have the police inspector, trying to suss whether any of the 'guests' can help. Unfortunately this aspect of the film, particularly the dealings with the police inspector, adds little and if anything detracts from the story. It is a necessary component but I feel could have been integrated better.

The supporting cast, particularly Ronnie Barker and Timothy Spall, add to the ambiance of the film and its quiet charm.

Why only seven out of ten? The direction I think is a little too light in that if it were not for the calibre of the actors, this might have been a poor 'B' Movie, but perhaps that is what the Director intended by letting good acting raise the film beyond its basic storyline.

This is now shown on TV, so give yourselves a treat, forget being a film reviewer and just soak up the acting and the atmosphere. If it is not on your local TV, it is worth renting for a night - just make sure you and you partner(it is essential that you and your partner watch this together) have a nice chilled glass of a sparkling Italian wine and indulge in quiet, but thoroughly pleasant entertainment.

Dame Maggie will never ever put a foot wrong

[lanimae61 · 9/10 · 19 September 2005]

I reserve 10 out of ten for "Tea With Mussolini". Dame Maggie gives another outstanding performance as a writer who encounters a bomb on a train. It was a way to introduce the 4 main characters (not including the fabulous Quinty) who we come to love. The clever voice overs weave a beautiful thread (by Maggie of course) tieing together a story of mutual care and affection. Mrs Delahunty loves a drink or 15 and her hospitality extends to anyone within her reach. Has she become a lonely old lady who just wants company in her secluded villa? Does it really matter that there may be a dark secret amongst her guests? No! The outside dinner scene the night before the girl Aimee was due to leave was stunning. I so hoped she wouldn't go and that the "family" would stay together........

I'd wath this again and again and will add it to my extensive collection. GO DAME MAGGIE!

Spoiler warning: cop-out ahead

[Philby-3 · 6/10 · 8 November 2009]

It is interesting that Chris Cooper should show up in this glossy HBO production (as an uptight American college professor) – he was later to play a leading role in "Adaptation", Charlie Kaufman's brilliant and quirky take on the perils of adapting fine literary properties to the silver screen. What seems to have happened here is that two veteran TV hacks, Richard Loncraine and Hugh Whitemore have got hold of an elegiac novella by the fine Anglo-Irish author William Trevor and turned it into something suitable for Sunday night HBO TV audiences. I was going to say "mush", but that would do a disservice to the cast, who are excellent, and the great location shooting. Definitely though, this film is less that the sum of its parts and much of the poignancy of Trevor's novella has been lost. Yet apart from the final scenes the producers have stuck fairly closely to Trevor's storyline, and Maggie Smith in particular manages to create a character, Emily Delahunty, at least recognizable from the novel, a vibrant but rather hollowed out survivor of a tough and colourful life.

It is 1987 (according to the novella, anyway – the film is a bit vaguer about time) and Mrs Delahunty "56 years old" lives in Umbria where she lets out rooms in her magnificent country villa and churns out "Romance novels" a la Barbara Cartland. She is unlucky enough to be caught in a bomb explosion on the Roma-Milano express which kills several passengers in her compartment (though no-one else). Recovering in hospital she invites the survivors back to her villa, where she (and they) are looked after by her staff, including her general factotum, an eccentric Irishman called Quinty (Timothy Spall. The survivors are an elderly English gent, called the General (Ronnie Barker), a young German man with severe burns, Werner (Otlar in the book and played here by Benno Furmann) and Aimee (Emmy Clarke), a beautiful eight year old, who is physically unharmed but unable to speak after her parents have died in the explosion. The healing effects of the landscape and good living restore the spirits of the survivors but then Aimee's uptight pill of an uncle (Chris Cooper) arrives to take her back to America. Mrs Delahunty, haunted both by dreams of her own past and other things, tries desperately to keep Aimee. In the meantime the Italian plod, in the person of Inspector Girotti (Giancarlo Gianini) is investigating the bomb blast, and the finger of suspicion is pointing at Werner.

I won't reveal the ending but pretty obviously it is at variance with the book's. If it had followed the book, this would have been a minor gem. As it was made, it is indeed further evidence of the perils of the adaptation of literary properties to film. The acting's faultless, the scenery lovely, but the ending's a cop-out.

Never has grappa played so central a role.

[diane-34 · 10/10 · 6 March 2005]

Seeing Maggie Smith's character start the day with a wee glass of grappa and end her day with another is not exactly what we have come to expect from this marvelous actor but these twists in William Trevor's novella are precisely what the viewer is presented with throughout this wonderful film. My statement is in no way meant to denigrate the scrip-it simply is a signpost indicating the varied paths that the viewer follows as the film progresses.

The visual beauty of the film is taken for granted because of its magical setting-it's just the many little detours taken by the characters during the course of the unfolding drama that kept this poor viewer from anticipating the unfolding script changes. I saw a film I didn't quite expect to see because the early publicity seemed to gloss over these script changes. However, the resulting movie was better and more interesting than any I could have predicted-in part due to the remarkable acting of the cast.

Maggie's character is the mover of the film and all events revolve around her. Her character is strangely ambivalent in that she at first sight is this straight laced woman who appears to do everything "properly" but as the film unfolds she shows many more aspects to her role. For me it was similar to watching an onion being peeled and I found each underlying layer more interesting than the previous. Chris Cooper's character was also intrigued by this unfolding but he didn't find what he saw as interesting as I did.

Try to watch this lovely, interesting film-you can spend your time in a theater in far worse ways.

A flat adaptation of a great novella.

[michaeldevault · 6/10 · 31 May 2003]

With a phenomenal cast and the scenery of Italy, "My House in Umbria" captures the imagination before one even sits down to watch it. Based on a small masterpiece by William Trevor and starring Maggie Smith, the film potentially could have been a major triumph of adaptation for HBO pictures, who have lately been trailing behind Showtime in the world of quality in-house movies. Unfortunately, HBO took a great book, a wonderful cast, and the single most incredible screen debut by a child-actor since Tatum O'Neill in "Paper Moon", and decimated it on the rocks of a bad script.

Maggie Smith, by every measure the powerhouse of the film, shines in the first half of the film. But by the time the make-shift family the survivors have formed is interrupted by the appearance of Amy's uncle, Tom Riversmith (Chris Cooper), I suspect many of the film's audience will have flipped the channel, which is sad, considering that those who flip channels will miss the muted, yet gifted, performance of Carlo Gianinni.

The standout performance of the film, and about the only thing that makes this movie worth watching, is the performance of Emmy Clarke, a newcomer to films and entertainment. As the 10 year-old Amy, Clarke breathes life into a role and manages to salvage the character that, in the adaptation from novel to screen was all but eliminated. She manages to shine through with a grace and maturity that the part requires.

All in all, a miserable failure with a few high points that make it worth watching once. A much better idea than spending the two hours watching this movie would to be look up all the actors' pictures on the web, then buy the book and and read it picturing them in mind.

Maggie Smith shines in this made-for-TV yawn-fest.

[Aussie Stud · 5/10 · 28 May 2003]

Maggie Smith, finally given a role where she doesn't play a stiff upper-crust snoot, is also the central character in this touching story about an aging lady who takes in and cares for a group of victims who like herself, survived a terrorist attack on the train she was traveling on.

Smith portrays Mrs Emily Delahunty, a blithe and carefree spirit who is also the author of several tawdry romance novels and one that cannot say no to a drink. She operates a quaint bed and breakfast in the midst of a lush Italian valley-side, complete with beautiful scenery and accompanying Summer weather. A tragic trip on a train-ride across the country-side ends in turmoil when her cabin is struck by a terrorist bombing.

Upon her recovery in the hospital, she befriends the small group of survivors who shared the same train cabin as she, including an elderly British gentleman known as The General (Ronnie Barker), a young German journalist known as Werner (Benno Furmann) and a little girl rendered mute from the tragedy known as Amy. It is the special bond Emily and Amy form that is the central story-line to this film, as Emily coaxes her to regain her memory and to speak again.

Barker and Furmann provide formidable characters as the two men drawn into Emily's enchanting world. Giancarlo Giannini portrays a police officer investigating the terrorist attack and it is this story-line that provides the bad to go with the good. One of the survivors of the terrorist attack is directly involved with the machinations of the bombing. Although this story is not exactly a whodunnit mystery, it does seem rather out of place to be entwined with the story-line involving Emily and Amy's friendship.

Chris Cooper appears later in the film as Amy's Uncle Tom who has come from America to claim her under his guardianship. Cooper portrays an entomologist with a lot of skeletons in his closet regarding his restrained feelings about the real reasons for coming to claim Amy and the estranged relationship he had with Amy's mother (his sister) as a result of his current marriage.

All the characters seemed very stiff in this production that is based on William Trevor's novel. I expected Smith's character to be more like the sexually-liberated character of "Miss Jean Brodie", but she seemed to harbor more on the 'drunken lush' aspect that it got to be very trying watching her stagger around in every scene like there was no tomorrow.

Yes, drinking may be a part of Emily Delahunty's character, but it wasn't very pleasant to watch. There is a sense of strong independence beaming from her character, a very dark and unpleasant background to her upbringing and maturity that is heavily censored to ensure a more suitable rating for this film. Smith does wear a lot of beautiful costumes and gets to visit very pleasant scenery, but other than that, I didn't gain much else from this disappointing feature. Cooper and Barker were merely, as they were, 'supporting' characters who you didn't really care about.

I seemed to care more about Furmann's character the most, but I felt the final resolution to his story-line was a bit of a let-down. I'm not exactly sure what I was expecting from this movie, the ending seemed very abrupt and I was left feeling very unsatisfied. Smith does steal the screen every time the camera focuses on her. She has that unmatched beauty and charm that very few actresses have or ever will at her age. But I still felt that she was not given the chance to fully make use of her character. I kept waiting for that one scene where she would explode and remind us again as to why she is the recipient of two Academy Awards and countless nominations.

Unfortunately, that scene never came, and all the in-between stuff just feels like you've been watching this movie for many hours. "My House In Umbria" is probably a film that most would not watch multiple times, but it is something you should probably watch at least once.

My Rating - 5 out of 10

The Prime of Miss Maggie Smith

[gws-2 · 9/10 · 26 May 2003]

Not since "The Prime of Miss Jean Brodie" has Maggie Smith, nor maybe any other actress, created a character as memorable as Mrs. Emily Delahunty in "My House in Umbria." Smith appears in virutally every scene and does a lot of voice-over narration, too boot. Every frame is a pleasure. "My House in Umbria" is smart, funny, and bittersweet. Chris Cooper has become everybody's choice to play detestable characters. Here, he does it again as the repressed, unhappy, and toweringly rude Tom Riversmith. Because of Riversmith's importance to the plot, though, an actor with Cooper's considerable skill was required to make the movie work. Highly recommended, 9 out of 10.

Umbrage in Umbria

[masterjk2 · 6/10 · 23 June 2007]

I gave this movie a generous "6", although it is so uneven that it probably deserves less. Yes, Maggie Smith is good to great.... and most of the acting is good. But the plot meanders badly. Plus, Mrs. Delahunty has a curious gift... her dreams are visualizations of reality, or as close as she ever come to it. This was an aspect which could have been used to much better advantage. As it was, we just assumed the dreams were just her fantasies after another drunken binge. Werner's character is complex and of course one suspects him immediately... he's the only one who could have any reason to blow up a train. But does someone who wants to blow up a plane (ooops, they got the wrong vehicle) just camp out at a palatial country home, planting flowers... or rather would he try to escape back to Germany? Would Mrs. Delahunty continue to embrace him even though she knows he's a monster? But it's worth it to watch Maggie Smith. She gives, for the most part, a very nuanced performance.

Huh?

[ctarlen · 3/10 · 16 June 2003]

It is my understanding from the novel that the character Maggie Smith plays is living in an illusion, and we are not supposed to believe her interpretations of events. The books is about someone who lives fictions, and thus her illusions are the source of her creative energy. It questions reality.

However, the HBO adaption seems to intend for us to believe her interpretations of events literally. Thus the plot makes no sense, especially the ending. And it has no theme, unless it is that life in a house in Umbria is just lovely and filled with sunshine and people can overcome their unhappy beginnings with love, forebearance and good Italian cooking.

Better than the promo

[allie701 · 6/10 · 25 May 2003]

Based on the trailer, I expected this to be saccharin fluff and tuned in just to see the Italian countryside. I should have given Maggie Smith and Chris Cooper more credit. Not only was the scenery beautiful, but Dame Smith created a complex individual with a definite edge and Chris Cooper stayed in character throughout. Not a great movie but a pleasant diversion.

Flows like honey. Smooth, sweet, and golden.

[=G= · 26 May 2003]

"My House in Umbria" is all about Maggie Smith as a novelist and charming eccentric with a past who inhabits a rustic Italian villa. When a bomb destroys her train coach, she takes her walking wounded coachmates to her home and helps them convalesce as they slowly morph into an unlikely family of sorts. Overlaying the rumbling mystery of the bomb is a story of a mature woman's musings, contemplations, and reflections on life, love, and happiness. Superbly cast and wonderfully portrayed with every nuance nailed, "My House in Umbria" is what "Mrs. Dalloway" should have been. Recommended for anyone but most likely to be enjoyed by mature adults, especially the distaff. Bravo HBO! (B+)

Tea in an Umbrian April

[gleywong · 7/10 · 28 May 2003]

A great vehicle for Maggie Smith in a quintessential survivor movie, "My House in Umbria" delineates her flowering as an "earth mother" among the victims of a train bombing. It's gorgeously filmed and her house is beautifully appointed, a testament to her success as a novelist of romantic tales and a positive view of life that has helped her earn her living. She's well supported by the rest of the cast, including young Amy, but I found Amy's uncle, played by Chris Cooper, to be a total dud. Yes, he's supposed to be crass and unfeeling, but I kept hoping for a shade of redemptive charm in his personality, and was disappointed up until the very end, when he finally gave in to higher wisdom, and fortunately didn't show up on the screen. (I found his lack of facial and vocal expression like a martian Harrison Ford shot through with botox...). On the opposite spectrum of facial expressiveness was the veteran actor Giancarlo Giannini, whose craggy face and voice carried the much-needed intensity of Italy needed to match the setting. He was necessary to offset the overly English or American weight of the cast, even with the one German.

"Umbria" reminded me of both "Tea with Mussolini" and "Enchanted April," both of which starred Joan Plowright in a similarly benevolent role. Joan is more "salt of the earth," whereas Maggie is the "pepper," the two giving tremendous spice to whatever they act in. Here Maggie is allowed some glamour( a different silk outfit in each scene, beautifully coiffed hair), but she didn't flinch when she had to be knocked about after the bomb explosion.

I can see that like Judi Dench and Joan Plowright, actresses of Maggie Smith's calibre are in constant search of good directors and good scripts -- vehicles with humor, dignity and some adventure for their rich humanity. These are hard to come by. "Umbria" would have been perfect but for the unfortunate casting of the uncle.

Of four ****, three-and-half because of the casting flaw.

An underrated triumph

[wiseup · 9/10 · 28 December 2004]

Having just seen this film in the cinema, I have to say it didn't flag at all, and it was graced by one of Maggie Smith's greatest performances - and which fully deserved her Emmy award. The film dramatises the necessary illusions with which we need to live our lives. For Emily Delahunty, alcohol and the escapism of the romance fiction she writes are the props to her very existence. To keep sane the illusion of happiness sometimes is necessary to keep going. And yet, out of tragedy comes the hint of salvation: some kind of family, and a girl who becomes a symbol of how she can have hope for the future. This is not a cosy film, as some misguided critics have labelled it. It is not gardens, Italy, cups of tea: it is a film of illusion, escapism, isolation and the human spirit in the face of tragedy and death. Released in the UK after the quaint "Ladies in Lavender" it was unfortunately seen by the critics as exactly the same kind of film - and so missing the point completely.

Playing the troubled alcoholic, a vulnerable ageing romance novelist, Smith is on amazing form. Never mannered, she is perfect in her second role in a William Trevor novella (her first was in the 1984 "Mrs Silly" for ITV in the UK, for which she was nominated for a BAFTA). Using those expressive eyes, and a crushed, occasionally slurred voice, she draws you into the film. If this makes me sound like a Smith groupie, I have to point out that I disliked intensely this actress's mannered caricatures in such films as "Tea with Mussolini" or "Washington Square" (though, faced with the awful scripts, maybe she decided just to push it for laughs...). That is why she deserves recognition for this film: she reminds us that, with the right material, she can be the best - and not just the witty old bat in "Gosford Park" or the the stern teacher in "Harry Potter". After Smith's Emmy award, it was criminal that Meryl Streep robbed Dame Maggie at the Golden Globes for her raiding of the dressing-up box in "Angels in America".

For the supporting cast, Ronnie Barker, Timothy Spall, and Chris Cooper are all superb: understated, natural, and working in a brilliant ensemble. They have such rapport with Smith that the film just whizzes by.

Maggie Smith, Scenery & Not a lot more.

[dougandwin · 6/10 · 30 March 2005]

Firstly, let me say that I am a devoted fan of Maggie Smith, whose presence in any film is always a big plus, as she adds so much class to whatever role she plays. However, I found this film to be interesting only for her performance, and the magnificent Italian scenery, with a very special plus for Sienna. The story was far-fetched in so many ways that it beggars belief, thereby weakening the whole film. Maggie plays an author of questionable quality, but has had a fairly "involved" career and clearly loves a drink - no matter what time of the day. She is supported by Ronnie Barker in an unusual role for him, and some very good Italian players. During the film, I felt it better to just accept the story, and revel in the photographic beauty of the countryside and the towns of Italy. I also think that this movie was planned for TV release, but due to the Star's name, has made it into the Theatres.

Maggie Smith Excels in Italy

[johnmbale · 10/10 · 28 March 2005]

After a train bombing four survivors find refuge in the villa of wealthy English writer Mrs. Delahunty. The other survivors, an American girl, a British general, and a young German struggle to come to terms with the disaster, as a Police Inspector tries to determine exactly what happened. This most human and moving story is beautifully played out by a superb cast of character actors including surprisingly Ronnie Barker as the general. A far cry from his TV comedy routines. But the standout performance is Maggie Smith as Mrs. Delahunty who after a somewhat dysfunctional life becomes a helper of others. Combining the sensitive performances and witty script, is the sweeping photography of the Italian countryside. This is a film that leaves you uplifted at its conclusion, and its hard to fault it in anyway. Worth a round of applause.

A little strange

[HotToastyRag · 5/10 · 22 March 2021]

The premise of My House in Umbria is very sad, and as the story unfolds, it turns out to be very strange. My main criticism of the HBO movie was it didn't know what it wanted to be. Was it a story of grieving and coping after a tragedy? A child-focused drama featuring an older woman who becomes a mother figure? A fantasy with an unreliable narrator who drinks too much and makes a fool of herself? Or just a charming country retreat with beautiful Italian scenery? If you want to, you can rent it and decide for yourself.

Maggie Smith is a romance novelist who owns a lovely country house in Umbria. While on a train one afternoon, there's a bomb explosion and many people are killed. She invites the survivors back to her house to recuperate for as long as they need. There's Benno Furmann, with severe burns from the accident and a broken heart from his girlfriend's death; Ronnie Barker, an older man with no family left; and Emmy Clarke, whose parents were killed and she takes her grief out by refusing to speak and drawing violent pictures. Timothy Spall is Maggie's right-hand-man on the estate, and Chris Cooper is Emmy's uncle, who isn't too excited at the idea of adopting a problem child. He also has a fascination with carpenter ants, which is a little insulting. The year before was his Oscar-winning Adaptation, but does that mean he has to be interested in nature in every subsequent movie?

Maggie Smith is very believable in her character, and it's no easy task. She has to be warm but sad, mysterious but without boundaries, hopeful and depressed, eccentric, and completely unreliable because of her constant drinking. Although she gives a good performance, the movie is still odd and uneven. It isn't really one I'd choose to watch again, but I would totally want to be a houseguest of hers in Umbria.

DLM Warning: If you suffer from vertigo or dizzy spells, like my mom does, this movie might not be your friend. There are several flashbacks that feature a couple on a motorcycle, and the camera spins around in a circle, and that will make you sick. In other words, "Don't Look, Mom!"

Wonderful adaptation

[wisewebwoman · 9/10 · 16 November 2006]

William Trevor's story was complex and involved a train wreck and the adaptation of the inner voice of the principal, Mrs. Emily Delahunty, played magnificently by Maggie Smith, must have been an enormous challenge. Maggie does wondrously in this, both in her speculations on the lives around her and the deep dark secrets of her own past.

The plot briefly, is that the survivors of a bomb on a rail carriage come together in Mrs. Delahunty's B&B in the poppy strown fields of Umbria in Italy: A retired widower general (an incredibly touching performance by the comedian Ronnie Barker) who loses his daughter, a German who loses his new love and a little girl who loses her parents.

How this oddball mix of people bond so very slowly into a new, loving formation is the crux of the story and the Maguffin is the arrival of the child's estranged uncle, Tom Riversmith (an amazing Chris Cooper) who has never met his niece due to his own family dysfunction.

Maggie is amazing as she sometimes lurches around accompanied by a glass of grappa and reveals bits and pieces of her own heart breaking childhood and through the power of the grappa makes come-ons to a cold and aloof John who recoils from her passion and eccentricity. His distaste is palpable.

You believe her tenderness for the orphan child. The scenery and house in Umbria are magnificent as is the creation of the English garden.

The only weakness was the business about the German and how quickly he disappeared into plot line malfunction, that could have been omitted as by the time he faded I was quite attached to his kindness and consideration to all.

Timothy Spall, one of my all time favourites from Mike Leigh films, plays an Irish factotum to Mrs. Delahunty with his own story and possible affair with Mrs. D. in the distant past. The ending diverted from the novella but I agree, the novella's ending was far too bleak and would have twisted the cinematic Umbrian paradise unfavourably. Not for action fans or A-B plot line advocates. A treasure for those who love to read and/or watch adaptations. 9 out of 10. I would see it again.

Missing a strong core

[mattrochman · 4/10 · 16 March 2010]

I normally don't like to give low ratings to art-house films set in Europe with a strong cast. However, this film simply didn't "do it" for me and most of the blame, in my view, is directed towards the story and the way it was unfolded.

To begin with, the storyline seemed to drop in and out of focuses and it all became a bit of a mish-mash. Initially, it looked like the focus would be on recovering and perhaps (though this was my instinct) the characters emerging from their ordeal with new directions and outlooks.

Following this, it became more clear that the group were forming a very special attachment to the little girl as they felt she gave them a new youthful spring and perhaps a new beginning or lease on life.

However, I'm convinced that the film makers simply did not flesh out this angle nearly enough. Once her uncle arrived from America, the film lent little further weight to the nature of this special bond between the survivors and rejuvenating power of her niece. Because of this, it was difficult to identify with the emotions and subsequent motives of the central characters.

Maggie Smith's character descended into a bit of a drunken mess and the focus suddenly shifted to her inconsistent relationship with the uncle. The somewhat wooden performance given by Chris Cooper didn't help much, though he is generally a good performer. I suspect he was over-restrained by the director.

Then suddenly, the identity of the bomber became a focus and that whole episode gave rise to the odd revelation that Maggie Smith had some sort psychic ability through her dreams.

Finally, the ending and the story line generally somehow seemed to lack expected crescendos and ultimately came off as a bit flat, slightly shallow and certain parts seemed to be a bit of an excuse for the film makers to go on a self-indulgent photography run through Umbria.

The fact that certain aspects of the story were not fleshed out sufficiently and the shifting focuses, resulted in a story which was missing a strong core that the viewer can latch onto and limited ability to understand the emotional "being" of the characters. You would be forgiven for leaving this film feeling as though there was something "missing" about it.

A somewhat addictive creation in sunshine and Dame Maggie at her peak

[alanjohnnorman · 10/10 · 8 February 2006]

Who else could have played Emily Delahunty except Maggie Smith. She was made for the part and executed the drinking sessions with such skill that one cannot be sure when she really is sober! The way the she carried the commentary through to her flashbacks which added so much reality - her whole character to this part endured you to being a guest at her house in Umbria.

Wonderful Ronnie Barker who is now dearly missed - played the part as the General with much richness, great looks and expressions sometimes without dialogue. Just surprised as to how well he can act in the serious roles rather than just the "PORRIDGE" comedy world.

Very worthy of viewing and skillfully shot in some magic settings in Italy! The music was not to intrusive but matched the sunny scenes portrayed in Italy but most prominent of awards, with respect to Dame Maggie Smith must go to director Richard Loncraine for his excellent if not too gentle but stunning direction and allowing the warmth of the plot to ooze through the screen to its viewers.

Bittersweet, worth watching...

[MarieGabrielle · 9/10 · 7 February 2008]

This film, while the theme has been done, has a cadence and beauty to it. Maggie Smith as romance writer Emily Delahunty is sympathetic and believable, a woman who survived many travails in Europe, including childhood abuse. She comes out of it okay, and is now the hostess to five other victims of a terrorist attack, the only survivors on board the train.

The child Amy becomes autistic, and Dr Innocenti attempts to help her, and much debate is over where she should be returned. To the U.S. to her uncle? (Riversmith, very well done by Chris Cooper). An anal- retentive professor who, while at dinner discusses his career. The habits of the red carpenter ant. His wife, he emphasizes, has a completely different line of work. She studies the black carpenter ant. The expressions on some of the guest's faces are priceless.

There are a few patchy areas, the detective Giancarlo Gianinni, inquiring about the terrorists, this part of the story is never really fleshed out for the audience. There is an embarrassing scene with Smith drunk on wine and Riversmith is repulsed by her. It is sad, as she is merely a kind, older, and lonely woman.

Overall a curious story, with beautiful shots of Siena and Umbria. Good performances especially by Smith and Chris Cooper. Do not miss. 9/10.