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Bread and Tulips

Original title: Pane e tulipani
  • 2000
  • PG-13
  • 1h 54m
IMDb RATING
7.3/10
12K
YOUR RATING
Bread and Tulips (2000)
Theatrical Trailer from Columbia Pictures
Play trailer1:20
2 Videos
9 Photos
ComedyRomance

After being forgotten in a highway café during a bus trip, a housewife decides to start a new life by herself in Venice.After being forgotten in a highway café during a bus trip, a housewife decides to start a new life by herself in Venice.After being forgotten in a highway café during a bus trip, a housewife decides to start a new life by herself in Venice.

  • Director
    • Silvio Soldini
  • Writers
    • Silvio Soldini
    • Doriana Leondeff
  • Stars
    • Licia Maglietta
    • Bruno Ganz
    • Giuseppe Battiston
  • See production info at IMDbPro
  • IMDb RATING
    7.3/10
    12K
    YOUR RATING
    • Director
      • Silvio Soldini
    • Writers
      • Silvio Soldini
      • Doriana Leondeff
    • Stars
      • Licia Maglietta
      • Bruno Ganz
      • Giuseppe Battiston
    • 107User reviews
    • 65Critic reviews
    • 68Metascore
  • See production info at IMDbPro
    • Awards
      • 32 wins & 13 nominations total

    Videos2

    Bread And Tulips
    Trailer 1:20
    Bread And Tulips
    Bread And Tulips
    Trailer 1:26
    Bread And Tulips
    Bread And Tulips
    Trailer 1:26
    Bread And Tulips

    Photos8

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    Top cast25

    Edit
    Licia Maglietta
    Licia Maglietta
    • Rosalba Barletta
    Bruno Ganz
    Bruno Ganz
    • Fernando Girasole
    Giuseppe Battiston
    Giuseppe Battiston
    • Costantino Caponangeli
    Antonio Catania
    Antonio Catania
    • Mimmo Barletta
    Marina Massironi
    Marina Massironi
    • Grazia
    Felice Andreasi
    Felice Andreasi
    • Fermo
    Vitalba Andrea
    Vitalba Andrea
    • Ketty
    Tatiana Lepore
    • Adele
    Daniela Piperno
    • Woman in Car
    Tiziano Cucchiarelli
    • Nic
    Matteo Febo
    • Salvo
    Lina Bernardi
    Lina Bernardi
    • Nancy
    Mauro Marino
    • Lello
    Antonia Miccoli
    • Sami
    Ludovico Paladin
    • Eliseo
    Silvana Bosi
    • Costantino's Mother
    Manrico Gammarota
    • Man at the Station
    Massimiliano Speziani
    • Goran
    • Director
      • Silvio Soldini
    • Writers
      • Silvio Soldini
      • Doriana Leondeff
    • All cast & crew
    • Production, box office & more at IMDbPro

    User reviews107

    7.311.8K
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    Featured reviews

    7rps-2

    An Italian "Educating Rita"

    Maybe you have to be Italian to really understand. But this is a delightfully funny picture with moments of tenderness and pathos, a quintessentially Italian approach to the bored housewife story. It's also a wonderful view of Venice from an Italian perspective. It's a bit of a fantasy, a bit of a fem-flick, a bit of a travelogue. I've been to Italy several times. This movie makes me want to go back again. Bravissimo!
    JohnDeSando

    I fell in love again with Italy and European mature-woman idolatry.

    Recently Charlotte Rampling in `Under the Sand' and Tilda Swinton in `The Deep End' remind us that European cinema has long portrayed middle-age women as desirable in a way immature American men are unaccustomed, so conditioned are we to a youth culture that adores naughty teenage waifs and jaded 20-somethings.

    Now the Italian `Bread and Tulips' introduces us to the attractive Licia Maglietta as the middle-aged housewife refugee finding love and friendship in Venice. Although the setup of this film left me fidgeting for action, when I saw her liberated from her family and slowly begin her renewal, I fell in love again with Italy and European mature-woman idolatry. I don't know if it's the ample breasts, knowing smiles, or willingness to sass that gets my attention, or maybe all of the above. I do know 2 hours of these savvy women are far more satisfying than any days with Julia Roberts or Kirsten Dunst.

    Let me not ignore the true man in this tale: Bruno Ganz, the angel from `Wings of Desire,' plays brooding waiter Fernando, ready at any moment to hang himself until Rosealba renews his love of love and epic verse. Ganz is a marvel of understated acting, a perfect companion to the romantic Rosealba.

    The inevitable comparison between director Silvio Soldini and Woody Allen, with their genial sense of city and women, is appropriate, especially considering the similarity between Soldini's romantic Venice and Allen's lyrical Paris in `Everyone Says I Love You.'

    `Bread and Tulips' received several David Di Donatello Awards, the Italian version of the Oscars, for best picture, actor, actress, supporting actor, supporting actress, director, and three others. To see Rosealba go from frumpy mom to bohemian accordion and tulip player is worth wading through a boring Wayne Knight, wanabee plumber cum detective or over the top, philandering, bourgeois bathroom fixtures magnate husband. Some of this stuff is downright dull slapstick, a little like the sophomoric stumbling of `Life is Beautiful,' but when Rosealba smiles, it's very good.
    8dierregi

    Poetic unreality

    A sweet movie that pretends to be anchored in reality. When bored housewife Rosalba is "forgotten" during a trip, on a highway petrol station, she decides to go wild for one day and hitches a ride to Venice.

    Once in Venice, Rosalba is fascinated by the city and by a way of life that is not merely utilitarian but also spiritually fulfilling. The flower shop where she finds a job is a first example of beauty as necessary to the soul.

    Rosalba brings a bunch of flowers home every evening, to Fernando, the enigmatic waiter that rents her a room. She finds an accordion and remembers how much she loved playing. She strikes up immediate friendship with Grazia, the beautician next door. Most of all, her life is not anymore just being a servant to her unfaithful husband and selfish grown-up sons.

    To avoid making the plot too dreamy, Rosalba lives in realistic surroundings: Fernando's apartment is messy and located in a cheap area, the Venice shown is not the luxury facade and Rosalba undergoes only a minimal physical transformation. Yet, it looks like she turned from shabby and vulgar middle-aged woman into a shiny, ageless creature just because of her happiness and a cheap yet feminine dress.
    9rahulg_uha

    Classic Comedy ...

    What comes into mind when we say "classic"? Well, it has to be universal and deep and yet simple. It should appeal beyond the "critics" and reach the critical mass. I can't say if "Bread and Tulips" can be termed as a Classic already ... but it does satisfy all three above mentioned conditions. It is simply put, very universal yet subtle and deep. It builds intriguing moments... that viewer keeps even after the movie ends. How real or logical or practical the story is or is it a fairy tale?

    Well, how many times in real life we act logical? The fact that human being is NOT a logical creature and they act per their impulse and dream for their dreams to come true ... this can be categorized as a quite close thing that may happen to someone. Or at least someone may not be disappointed if that happens to her/him. In short, its not a everyday incident. But YES ... it can happen and well, bits and pieces DO happen in life.

    Overall it gives a tremendously optimistic view towards life ... I would argue a real inspiring outcome. It portrays a middle aged woman getting close to her real life and real likings when circumstance puts her away from the typical and logical setting in her family. She finds her confidence back, finds friends, finds likings and music ... and finally yes, finds her love. Its a transformation that she goes through ... and none of which is quite "aceptable" or "normal" in our civilized society. But even then, she had to go out of defined way to get that. In that process, this movie creates great shots and moments that builds the environment and confirms it to a classic comedy. Worth watching ... and worth owning.
    9philip_vanderveken

    A movie like only a European can make it.

    Pane e tulipani or Bread and Tulips is a wonderful Italian movie. The story is told in a way only a European can, you would never find such a movie in Hollywood. There are no special effects, no gadgets, no fast cars, ... nothing you would probably find in it if this was a Hollywood production. The characters are the real stars in this movie, together with all the streets and canals of Venice.

    It's about a middle aged, neglected housewife and mother who is left behind by her family on a bus trip. Her family doesn't even notice she's missing until two hours later. She decides to hitch-hike home and she meets different people. To one of them she says that she has never been to Venice, but that she really would like to see it. The man suggests to bring her to Venice instead of driving her home and so her adventure begins. She meets some interesting people and in one way or another she always influences their lives. But not only their lives change, her life is influenced by it as well.

    I guess this must sound incredibly boring to some people, but it really isn't. I enjoyed the movie - which can be seen as a modern fairy tale or as a real story - a lot. I guess it all depends from the viewer. Do you believe finding real love, when it's not supposed to happen to you, could actually happen? Personally I do, but I'm a real optimist, so perhaps that's why I liked it so much. It might also be because it gives a very optimistic view towards life.

    I guess the real strength of this movie lies in the fact that even after the movie has ended, you are still thinking about it. The story is simple, very universal, but also subtle and deep.

    I could talk for hours about this movie, but I guess you'll have to see it for yourself. My advice to everybody, but especially to the people who love Italy as much as I do: Sit down, relax and enjoy. I give it a 8.5/10.

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    Storyline

    Edit

    Did you know

    Edit
    • Trivia
      Licia Maglietta actually played the accordion in the scenes where her character does so. It is her playing that can be heard in the movie.
    • Quotes

      Rosalba Barletta: Is it true that you're on drugs?

      Nic: Who told you that?

      Rosalba Barletta: Aunt Ketty.

      Nic: Mom, that's not true. Weed is not a drug.

      Rosalba Barletta: No? Then what is it?

      Nic: Weed.

    • Connections
      Featured in Siskel & Ebert: Planet of the Apes/Brother/Apocalypse Now Redux/Wet Hot American Summer/Bread & Tulips (2001)
    • Soundtracks
      Franska Valsen
      Written by Lars Hollmer

      Performed by Licia Maglietta

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    FAQ

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    Details

    Edit
    • Release date
      • November 2, 2001 (United States)
    • Countries of origin
      • Italy
      • Switzerland
    • Official sites
      • Archivio del Cinema Italiano (ANICA)
      • Cinema Italiano
    • Language
      • Italian
    • Also known as
      • 逐夢鬱金香
    • Filming locations
      • Paestum, Capaccio, Salerno, Campania, Italy
    • Production companies
      • Monogatari
      • Istituto Luce
      • Rai Cinema
    • See more company credits at IMDbPro

    Box office

    Edit
    • Gross US & Canada
      • $5,318,679
    • Opening weekend US & Canada
      • $32,933
      • Jul 29, 2001
    • Gross worldwide
      • $9,735,211
    See detailed box office info on IMDbPro

    Tech specs

    Edit
    • Runtime
      1 hour 54 minutes
    • Color
      • Color
    • Sound mix
      • Dolby Digital
      • DTS
    • Aspect ratio
      • 1.85 : 1

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