The Battle of the Villa Fiorita

Last updated

The Battle of the Villa Fiorita
The Battle of the Villa Fiorita FilmPoster.jpeg
Directed by Delmer Daves
Screenplay byDelmer Daves
Based onThe Battle of the Villa Fiorita
by Rumer Godden
Starring Maureen O'Hara
Rossano Brazzi
Cinematography Oswald Morris B.S.C.
Edited by Bert Bates
Music by Mischa Spoliansky
Production
company
Warner Bros.
Distributed by Warner Bros.
Release date
  • 26 May 1965 (1965-05-26)
Running time
111 minutes
CountryUnited Kingdom
LanguageEnglish

The Battle of the Villa Fiorita is a 1965 British drama film, based on the 1963 novel by Rumer Godden, directed by Delmer Daves. It stars Maureen O'Hara and Rossano Brazzi. [1]

Contents

This was the last film for Delmer Daves who, two years earlier, wrote, produced and directed another film in which Maureen O'Hara played the female lead, Spencer's Mountain . His retirement lasted twelve years, until his death in 1977. This is the first film for Argentina-born English actress Olivia Hussey who, three years later, played Juliet in Franco Zeffirelli's Romeo and Juliet .

Synopsis

In Italy, two children, Michael (Martin Stephens) and Debbie (Elizabeth Dear), are aware that their mother, Moira (Maureen O'Hara), has left them for a lover, a famous Italian composer, and they are staying at the Villa Fiorita. Michael convinces Debbie to run away to the Villa to fetch their mother, and forces her to sell her prized pony to afford the journey. They arrive, and the lover, Lorenzo (Rossano Brazzi), calls their father to inform him that the children have run away and that he will be sending them home. However, Michael falls ill and Lorenzo allows them both to stay. Debbie joins forces with Donna, the daughter of their mother's lover, to manipulate Moira into returning to Britain. A hunger strike by the girls ensues which fails and culminates in Moira slapping Debbie and Lorenzo spanking Donna. Lorenzo finally decides to send the children home but Michael and Donna attempt to run away on a sailboat during a storm. After the two nearly drown, Moira and Lorenzo agree that they have lost the battle, and a heartbroken Moira returns to England with her children.

Cast

Home media

Warner Bros. has released the film for digital streaming through Vudu and Amazon Prime Video, albeit in standard definition. [2] [3]

Related Research Articles

<i>Anne of the Thousand Days</i> 1969 British film by Charles Jarrott

Anne of the Thousand Days is a 1969 British period historical drama film based on the life of Anne Boleyn, directed by Charles Jarrott and produced by Hal B. Wallis. The screenplay by Bridget Boland and John Hale is an adaptation of the 1948 play of the same name by Maxwell Anderson.

<i>Romeo and Juliet</i> (1968 film) Film by Franco Zeffirelli

Romeo and Juliet is a 1968 period-drama film based on the play of the same name by William Shakespeare. Directed and co-written by Franco Zeffirelli, the film stars Leonard Whiting as Romeo and Olivia Hussey as Juliet. Laurence Olivier spoke the film's prologue and epilogue and dubs the voice of Antonio Pierfederici, who played Lord Montague but was not credited on-screen. The film also stars Milo O'Shea, Michael York, John McEnery, Bruce Robinson, and Robert Stephens.

The year 1965 in film involved several significant events, with The Sound of Music topping the U.S. box office and winning five Academy Awards.

The year 1955 in film involved some significant events.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Olivia Hussey</span> English actress (born 1951)

Olivia Hussey is an English film, stage, and television actress. Her awards include a Golden Globe Award and a David di Donatello Award. The daughter of Argentine opera singer Andrés Osuna, Hussey was born in Buenos Aires and spent most of her early life in her mother's native England. She aspired to become an actress at a young age and studied drama for five years at Italia Conti Academy of Theatre Arts in London.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Maureen O'Hara</span> Irish-American actress and singer (1920–2015)

Maureen O'Hara was an Irish-born naturalized American actress and singer, who became successful in Hollywood from the 1940s through to the 1960s. She was a natural redhead who was known for playing passionate but sensible heroines, often in Westerns and adventure films. She worked with director John Ford and long-time friend John Wayne on numerous projects.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Rossano Brazzi</span> Italian actor and singer (1916-1994)

Rossano Brazzi was an Italian actor. He moved to Hollywood in 1948 and was propelled to international fame with his role in the English-language film Three Coins in the Fountain (1954), followed by the leading male role in David Lean's Summertime (1955), opposite Katharine Hepburn. In 1958, he played the lead as Frenchman Emile De Becque in the Rodgers and Hammerstein musical South Pacific. His other notable English-language films include The Barefoot Contessa (1954), The Story of Esther Costello (1957), opposite Joan Crawford, Count Your Blessings (1959), Light in the Piazza (1962), and The Italian Job (1969).

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Cain Dingle</span> Fictional character from Emmerdale

Cain Dingle is a fictional character from the British soap opera Emmerdale, played by Jeff Hordley. Cain made his first appearance on 30 March 2000, and in 2006, he was written out of the series when Hordley left the soap; however, the option for a return was confirmed, which occurred when Hordley returned to the cast in February 2009. Cain's main storylines have focused on discovering his "uncle" Zak Dingle is his father; his relationship with his cousin Charity Dingle ; discovering he is Debbie Dingle's father; his affair and subsequent relationship with Moira Barton ; being attacked in a whodunit storyline where his assailant was eventually revealed to be his father; being diagnosed with a brain aneurysm; supporting his nephew Aaron Livesy after discovering Aaron was sexually abused by his father Gordon Livesy as a child; reuniting with his and Chas' mother Faith Dingle ; his relationship with local vicar Harriet Finch ; building up a relationship with his children; being blackmailed by DI Malone to do drug runs for him; his feud with Al Chapman and taking blame for Al's murder to protect his younger son Kyle who was responsible for killing Al.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Delmer Daves</span> American film director, producer, and screenwriter (1904–1977)

Delmer Lawrence Daves was an American screenwriter, film director and film producer. He worked in many genres, including film noir and warfare, but he is best known for his Western movies, especially Broken Arrow (1950), The Last Wagon (1956), 3:10 to Yuma (1957) and The Hanging Tree (1959). He was forced to work on studio-based films only after heart trouble in 1959 but one of these, A Summer Place, was nevertheless a huge commercial success.

<i>Spencers Mountain</i> 1963 film by Delmer Daves

Spencer's Mountain is a 1963 American family drama film written, directed and produced by Delmer Daves from the 1961 novel of the same name by Earl Hamner Jr. and starring Henry Fonda and Maureen O'Hara. The supporting cast features early appearances by James MacArthur, Veronica Cartwright and Victor French, while longtime Hollywood actor Donald Crisp portrays "Grandpa" in his final screen role. Wally Cox, Virginia Gregg, Lillian Bronson, Whit Bissell and Dub Taylor also appear. The movie, although set in Wyoming rather than the Blue Ridge Mountains of Virginia, is a forerunner of the television series The Waltons.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Marlon Dingle</span> Fictional character from Emmerdale

Marlon Dingle is a fictional character from the British television soap opera Emmerdale, played by Mark Charnock. He made his first appearance during the episode broadcast on 17 October 1996. For his portrayal of Marlon, Charnock won the British Soap Award for Outstanding Achievement at the 2023 British Soap Awards.

<i>A Time for Miracles</i> American TV series or program

A Time For Miracles is a 1980 American made-for-television biographical drama film chronicling the life story of America's first native born saint, Elizabeth Ann Bayley Seton. It was produced by ABC Circle Films for the American Broadcasting Company and telecast December 21, 1980, as a Christmas special. The film was created by Beverlee Dean and directed by Michael O'Herlihy. The script was written by Henry Denker with collaboration with Sister Mary Hilaire and filmed in Georgia. A Time For Miracles starred Ryan's Hope and Star Trek: Voyager actress Kate Mulgrew as Elizabeth Seton. John Forsythe and Lorne Greene also star.

<i>The Story of Esther Costello</i> 1957 film by David Miller

The Story of Esther Costello is a 1957 British drama film starring Joan Crawford and co-starring Rossano Brazzi, and Heather Sears. The film is a story of large-scale fundraising. The Story of Esther Costello was produced by David Miller and Jack Clayton, with Miller directing. The screenplay by Charles Kaufman was based on the 1952 novel by Nicholas Monsarrat. It was distributed by Columbia Pictures.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">India Eisley</span> American actress (born 1993)

India Joy Eisley is an American actress. On television, she is known for her roles as Ashley Juergens in the ABC Family series The Secret Life of the American Teenager (2008–2013), Audrina in the Lifetime film My Sweet Audrina (2016), and Fauna Hodel in the TNT series I Am the Night (2019). Her films include Underworld: Awakening (2012), Kite (2014), and Social Suicide (2015).

Martin Stephens is a former child actor and architect from England, best known for his performances in the films Village of the Damned and The Innocents. Stephens appeared in 14 films between 1954 and 1966, then chose to drop out of acting and made his adult career outside the profession.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Ross Barton</span> Fictional character from Emmerdale

Ross Barton is a fictional character from the ITV soap opera Emmerdale, portrayed by Michael Parr. He made his first appearance in episode 6600 of the soap, broadcast on 9 July 2013. Ross first appears as the carjacker of Laurel Thomas, before being revealed to be the nephew of Moira Barton. The character is initially characterised as a bad boy and a "nasty piece of work". The softer side of Ross' personality is explored when he enters a secret relationship with police officer Donna Windsor, who has terminal cancer. When Donna dies, Ross bonds with her daughter April Windsor.

<i>Ouija</i> (2014 film) 2014 film by Stiles White

Ouija is a 2014 American supernatural horror film directed by Stiles White in his directorial debut, produced by Jason Blum, Michael Bay, Andrew Form, Bradley Fuller, and Bennett Schneir and written by Juliet Snowden and White, who previously together wrote The Possession. It stars Olivia Cooke, Daren Kagasoff, Douglas Smith, and Bianca A. Santos as teenagers who have unleashed spirits from a Ouija board.

<i>Amiche da morire</i> 2013 film

Amiche da morire is a 2013 Italian black comedy film written and directed by Giorgia Farina.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Maureen O'Hara filmography</span> List of films

Maureen O'Hara (1920–2015) was an Irish singer and actress from Dublin, who worked primarily in American film and television. She was born into a close-knit and artistically talented family; her mother was a contralto vocalist, and her three sisters and two brothers were budding actors and musical performers. O'Hara received music and dance lessons at the Ena Burke School of Elocution and Drama, becoming a member of the Rathmines Theatre Company when she was 10 years old. While still a teenager, she won several Radio Éireann Players contests to perform with them. She also won the Dublin Feis Award, for her performance as Portia in The Merchant of Venice. O’Hara was a member of the Abbey Theatre School, and a graduate of the Guildhall School of Music.

References

  1. http://www.tcm.com/tcmdb/title.jsp?stid=68212 [ bare URL ]
  2. "Vudu – Watch Movies". www.vudu.com. Retrieved 24 May 2020.
  3. "'Villa Fiorita' on Amazon Prime". Amazon.