The Battle of the Villa Fiorita

Maureen O'Hara and Rossano Brazzi are glowing middle-agers in love whose romance is thwarted by their respective pre-teen children: his haughty Italian daughter and her stubborn, bratty British boy and girl. Stories of kids meddling in their parents' love lives are usually successful if played as comedy; here, the melodrama gets to be too much, with the adults continually exasperated and the kids unlikably victorious in their immature pranks. The familial arguments which arise are probably realistic, but here they dissipate interest in the movie, particularly since the love affair between the grown-ups is much more interesting than the finger-pointing. ** from ****

If you're looking for a different type of role for the prim and proper Maureen O'Hara, check out the romantic drama The Battle at Villa Fiorita. She has a devoted wealthy husband, Richard Todd, two children, and a place in society in England. But when she meets visiting Italian Rossano Brazzi (no, this isn't a different type of role for him), she realizes her life will be empty without him. A whirlwind romance, and she leaves her family to join him in Italy. Can you believe it?

Richard is devastated and humiliated, but he lets her go without a fight. If she's that determined to wreck their home, nothing he says will convince her to stay. Their children, Martin Stephens and Elizabeth Dear, aren't of the same mind, and they make it their mission to go to Italy and bring Maureen home. Once there, Rossano tries to win them over with great efforts, but they team up with his pre-teen daughter, Olivia Hussey, who also doesn't approve of the match.

For someone like me, who particularly doesn't like children, I wouldn't recommend this movie. I was cringing the entire time, wishing bad things would happen to the kids when they tried to sabotage their parents. I kept thinking that when the children grow up and have romantic relationships of their own, they'll continue to be selfish and mean-spirited. If their own children try to interfere, they'll go right ahead with their own interests and tell themselves they'll be better parents if they're happy - that they'll be setting a good example to put themselves first. Where did they learn that behavior? Certainly not from their own parents. Maureen and Rossano suffer terribly when their children are unhappy, and they don't subscribe to the theory of putting their own happiness first as a good example.

Dissatisfied British housewife Moira Clavering (Maureen O'Hara) falls for visiting Italian pianist Lorenzo Tasara (Rossano Brazzi). She leaves her cold husband and their two children. She decides to join Lorenzo on his Italian estate. The kids go to break them up with help from Lorenzo's daughter (Olivia Hussey).

This is like a twisted Disney kids' movie. I'm making it sound better than it is. First, this starts with Moira and sells the audience on this affair. The kids' journey has some wish fulfillment as they travel by themselves. It is completely unreasonable. Then the trip turns into a guilt trip and I am really annoyed at the boy. The two girls are more compelling. There is some good drama between them. I'm not saying that I want this affair or not. Lorenzo gets worst. I certainly wouldn't push her back to her husband. All paths are rather muddy. I have a solution, but it's a different time. The locations are lovely. The movie is problematic.

I saw this movie as a teenager when it came out. Typical of its time and genre. Two kids go alone across Europe to bring their mom, who has left dad for new man, back to dad. Great scenery. O K young teenager travel adventure fantasy. O'Hara and Brazzi OK but film stolen by kids. A young Olivia Hussey prior to her starting in Romeo and Juliet. The result of their attempt is in keeping with the morals of its time.

I liked the movie mainly for the picturesque views of the lake,( Lake Como?) the surrounding area, and scenes of the villa itself. So much of the architectural style is remincient of the paintings done by Maxfield Parrish in the early part of the 20th century. You sort of have to look around the actors in the various scenes to get glimpses of ornate retaining walls, stairs and elaborate ballusters around and into the lake. There is an elegance about marble (or granite, or just old concrete?) stairs going down into the water. And old world gardens full of flowers. Itn reminds me of the book "Italian Villas and their Gardens" by Edith Wharton, 1907, Which was illustrated by Parrish. And yes, the children in the movie steal the show; All three have a much stronger determination to achieve their goals than do any of the adults. It's a good story line , dated for the sixties. And is'nt this Olivia Hussey's first feature film?