“Under the Tuscan Sun” – Italian Joie de Vivre [Review]
Title: “Under the Tuscan Sun”
Release Date: 2003
Director: Audrey Wells
Cast: Diane Lane, Raoul Bova, Vincent Riotta, Lindsay Duncan, Paweł Szajda and others
If there is anywhere in the world where you can find joie de vivre, it is definitely in Under the Tuscan Sun. This luminous film, full of fabulous views, allows you to escape to a land where even the grapes taste purple, cypress trees read people’s souls, and stone houses overlook fields of yellow sunflowers and red poppies. In such surroundings, you can truly regain your faith that you can start all over again, just like the main character, Frances. A recently divorced American woman, played phenomenally by Diane Lane, decides to learn from the Italians what the art of “dolce vita” is, and we can join her on this charming journey.
“Under the Tuscan Sun” – An American in Italy
Popular American writer Frances Mayes is going through a difficult time after her divorce from her husband. Betrayal and humiliation, as well as the loss of part of her fortune, drive her to the brink of depression. Two friends come to Frances’ aid and send their friend on a short vacation to Tuscany. Initially reluctant to accept the offer, the protagonist eventually gives in and sets off for sunny Italy. Unexpectedly, she becomes fascinated by the picturesque Italian region. In just a few days, life begins to take on new meaning, and when Frances accidentally stumbles upon an old villa for sale in Brasamole, she quickly makes a crazy decision. She buys the house and decides to renovate it, which turns out to be the beginning of new adventures, encounters with people, a new culture, and the capricious Tuscan climate. This is the plot of the film directed by Audrey Wells, Under the Tuscan Sun.
Northern Italy is portrayed here as a truly paradisiacal land full of breathtaking views. The visual qualities of the film make it one of the most beautiful cinematic images of Italy. The eruption of vivid colors, which almost hits the viewer after the sad, rainy San Francisco, is an extremely pleasant visual experience. The vast flower-covered hills with picturesque houses surrounded by vineyards allow you to feel optimistic. The labyrinthine stone streets invite you to stop for a coffee in an atmospheric café, and the market squares full of juicy fruits and vegetables tempt you to taste the local specialties.
“Under the Tuscan Sun” – the heroine’s inner journey
The Tuscany of Audrey Wells’ film is primarily a charming province, not a historic center. The majestic Florence, the capital of the region, appears only fleetingly, of course with its eternal symbol – the Cathedral of Santa Maria del Fiore. Several scenes also take place in Rome, at the monument to Victor Emmanuel II or in Piazza di San Simone. However, the space that captivates the protagonist is the small villages with stone houses nestled in the shade of cypress trees. This harmonizes with the main idea of the film: Frances’ journey takes place not only in a literal sense, but it is also an inner journey. The protagonist reevaluates her life so far, rebuilds something (a symbolic renovation of her house with a touching Polish twist), but also discovers completely new possibilities. It is above all an encounter with the Other – familiarizing herself with a new situation outside and within herself.
An important stop on Frances’ trip is the wonderful Positano, a popular seaside resort considered by many to be the most romantic corner of Italy. It is no coincidence that the beach in Positano becomes the place where the protagonist of “Under the Tuscan Sun” begins an affair with a handsome Italian named Marcello (Raoul Bova). The sea is an eternal symbol of unbridled passion, and apart from its sexual connotations, it is an image of purification and a completely new beginning. It is from her sensual experience in Positano that Frances’s true transformation begins.
Before our very eyes, Diane Lane, who plays her character wonderfully, transforms from a typical tourist in comfortable clothes into a woman aware of her own sex appeal. She swaps her baggy pants for beautifully tailored dresses and styles her tousled hair into movie-worthy hairstyles. Diane Lane in a fabulous white dress on the sun-drenched shore of Amalfi is one of the most striking images in the movie. This makes the Italian lover’s infidelity all the more painful for the viewer. How can you reject such a woman? – one wants to shout at the incredibly handsome but emotionally unstable Marcello.
“Under the Tuscan Sun” – how to find joy in life
Under the Tuscan Sun, however, problems do not disappear. Even in such beautiful surroundings, men cheat, and after a hot day, a terrible storm comes, filling everyone with terror. Life goes on, which means that Frances still has to face everyday life. Despite its romantic comedy convention, the film plays with the viewer’s expectations. The solution to the protagonist’s situation does not turn out to be a new relationship, as one might expect. Frances finds peace within herself, in gaining faith that she is good and sufficient just as she is. That warm relationships with people, charming landscapes, cooking for friends, and lazing around in the garden bring a lot of joy to life.
Self-referential references also play a significant role in the film. Unexpectedly, Under the Tuscan Sun is also about cinema itself. The eccentric Katherine (Lindsay Duncan), who befriends Frances, constantly mentions Federico Fellini, and in one scene recreates the famous sequence in the Trevi Fountain in Rome from “Dolce vita”. The old man who brings flowers to the shrine near Brasamole every day is Mario Monicelli, the Italian director and master of Italian comedy. Cinema is thus evoked here as a field that plays an important role in creating joie de vivre. And quite rightly so, because “Under the Tuscan Sun” is a film that really lifts your spirits and fills your heart with hope for better, sunnier times.