Dramas are an eccentric breed. You never know when one is worth watching. Mostly, they bore you half to death, stretch your patience after two and a half hours with no ending in sight, yet miraculously win a string of awards. Then there are those that you are downright thankful you watched. Tea with Mussolini, thankfully, is the latter. The movie spans about ten years, between 1935 to 1945 and revolves around the lives of a few English, and two American ladies who had made Florence, Italy their home. Arrogant, obstinate and colourful, these women earned the name 'Scorpioni' amongst the Italians for their biting language and sharp remarks.

By the late 30's, when anarchists were wreaking havoc on the streets, two English women made a trip to Rome for counsel with Mussolini. Still under English influence, Italy's Mussolini granted these women audience and offered them tea, giving them his personal reassurance that no harm will come upon the English.

However, it was the time of war and things have a way of changing, promises left un-kept and deceit and sabotage was way of life. Through the trials and tribulations of wartime Italy, these stubborn women remained in Florence challenging Italian, then German and finally Scottish authority.

Embedded in the women's lives was a boy, Luca. Orphaned when his mother died and with a father who never truly accepted his son, Luca was brought up by these 'Prim and Proper' English women. Growing from a young boy to a young man during the war, Luca played an essential role in helping and in cases saving these women's lives.

Luca grew up to be an artist and helped the producers in the making of this wonderful, bittersweet and at parts funny drama which is sure to warm the hearts of many. With an All-Star cast and the likeness of a 'Spoilt-Brat Millionaires' (Cher) and an eccentric 'Artist' (Judy Dench), Tea with Mussolini is guaranteed to be memorable.