Publisher's Synopsis
Pair of feel-good movies in the vein of what is now commonly referred to as 'the chick flick': 'Tea With Mussolini' (1999) is a drama based on the childhood memories of director Franco Zeffirelli. In 1934 Florence, a diverse group of women meet each afternoon for tea. There is Lady Hester Ransom (Maggie Smith), widow of the British Ambassador to Italy; Arabella (Judi Dench), a singer and artist; Georgie (Lily Tomlin), an eccentric American archaeologist; Elsa (Cher), also an American, and brash and reckless with it; and finally Mary (Joan Plowright), who has virtually adopted a young Italian boy named Luca. As the political climate shifts towards fascism, the ladies must face some inevitable changes - and Luca must face his own responsibilities. In 'How to Make an American Quilt' (1995), Winona Ryder plays a young graduate who is spending the summer with her grandmother and great aunt in order to finish her thesis and mull over a marriage proposal. Complications arise when she meets sexy Leon - and to help her decide who to plump for, the women of her grandmother's quilting circle tell stories of their own lives and loves.
