WORLD TOUR Day 37 - Florence, Italy
BEFORE: Moving north to Florence, and fast-forwarding in time from the days of the Roman Empire to the early 20th century (?). Linking from "Spartacus", Laurence Olivier was also in "The Boys From Brazil" with Denholm Elliott (last seen in "Robin and Marian").
THE PLOT: When Lucy Honeychurch and chaperone Charlotte Bartlett find themselves in Florence with rooms without views, fellow guests Mr. Emerson and son George step in to remedy the situation. Meeting the Emersons could change Lucy's life forever but, once back in England, how will her experiences in Tuscany affect her marriage plans?
AFTER: Well, I never really caught on with this whole Merchant/Ivory period piece thing, and now I know why - for the most part, this one was boring as dirt. Perhaps it's due to thematic whiplash, going from "Spartacus" with its gladiator fights and giant battles to a British period piece - but this film made me long for a battle with a barbarian horde, seeing limbs being chopped off and heads severed. (and wouldn't that be something, right in the middle of afternoon tea?)
I mean, I get it, it's about how a little incident like swapping rooms at a hotel can change a person's life. Any random meeting with someone can lead to curiosity, and romance, and next thing you know, you're engaged to one person but in love with another. But jeez, if only these stuffy British people could learn to express their emotions, they wouldn't have these kinds of problems. If only they married each other based on love, or at least some kind of emotion or interest, and not based on social class or who would logically make the best partner. Love is illogical some of the time, so you've simply got to account for that. The heart wants who it wants.
You can't even do a favor for British people sometimes, because that would cause them to have an "undue obligation" to you. God forbid you help them out or loan them money, because however would they pay you back? Then they have to spend the next few months avoiding you, because they're too embarrassed about the whole kerfuffle.
And finding a woman beautiful, and kissing her is considered an "insult"? What a backwards people, they're all repressed sexuality and a genuine unwillingness to be truly happy.
Also starring Helena Bonham-Carter (last seen in "The King's Speech"), Maggie Smith (last seen in "Sister Act 2: Back in the Habit"), Julian Sands (last seen in "Greenberg"), Daniel Day-Lewis (last seen in "The Crucible"), Simon Callow (last seen in "Jefferson in Paris"), Judi Dench (last seen in "Her Majesty, Mrs. Brown"), Rupert Graves.
DISTANCE TRAVELED TODAY: 142 miles / 230 km (Rome to Florence)
DISTANCE TRAVELED SO FAR: 11,159 miles / 17,964 km
RATING: 3 out of 10 carriage rides
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