And speaking of Kristin Scott Thomas, I saw "Up at the Villa" last night. A Somerset Maugham adapdation by Philip Haas it suggests a kinder, gentler "The Letter" floating in an atmosphere out of "Tea With Mussolini." Thomas is a well-heeled but penniless British widow living in Italy. James Fox, an ageing-but-dashing diplomat, proposes marriage. She asks him to let her "think it over" as he's about to take a brief trip. While he's away he's gets into Major Trouble with Jeremy Davies (as an Austrian refugee), and Sean Penn (as an American rotter) comes to the rescue -- only to put himself in peril. Anne Bancroft does a great turn as a Grand Dame.
Penn's actually tolerable in this one.
Altogether a solid entertainment.
