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The Battle of the Villa Fiorita

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The Battle of the Villa Fiorita
Directed byDelmer Daves
Screenplay byDelmer Daves
Based onThe Battle of the Villa Fiorita
by Rumer Godden
StarringMaureen O'Hara
Rossano Brazzi
CinematographyOswald Morris B.S.C.
Edited byBert Bates
Music byMischa Spoliansky
Production
company
Warner Bros.
Distributed byWarner 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]

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

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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

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Home media

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

References

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  1. ^ "The Battle of the Villa Fiorita (1965) - Overview - TCM.com". Archived from the original on 20 December 2014. Retrieved 14 July 2024.
  2. ^ "Vudu – Watch Movies". www.vudu.com. Retrieved 24 May 2020.
  3. ^ "'Villa Fiorita' on Amazon Prime". Amazon.
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