In 1930s fascist Italy, adolescent Luca just lost his mother. His father, a callous businessman, sends him to be taken care of by British expatriate Mary Wallace. Mary and her cultured friends - including artist Arabella, young widow Elsa, and archaeologist Georgie - keep a watchful eye over the boy. But the women's cultivated lives take a dramatic turn when Allied forces declare war on Mussolini.

• Cattleya
• Cineritmo
• Joan Plowright
• Maggie Smith
• Cher
• Judi Dench
• Lily Tomlin
• Baird Wallace
• Charlie Lucas
• Michael Williams