Editing Tea with Mussolini (section)

==Plot==
The film begins in 1935 in [[Florence]], where a group of cultured expatriate [[English People|English]] women – the ''Scorpioni'' – meet for tea every afternoon. Young Luca is the out-of-wedlock son of an Italian businessman who has little interest in his son's upbringing; the boy's seamstress mother has recently died.

Mary Wallace, the man's secretary, steps in to care for Luca, seeking support from her ''Scorpioni'' friends, including eccentric would-be artist Arabella. They teach Luca about life and the arts. Elsa Morganthal, a rich young American widow who ''Scorpioni'' matron Lady Hester Random barely tolerates, sets up a financial trust for Luca when she hears his mother has died, as she was fond of her and still owes her money for her dressmaking services.

One day, when the ladies are having afternoon tea, Italian [[National Fascist Party|Fascists]] attack the café, reflecting the increasingly uncertain position of the expatriate community. Lady Hester, widow of Britain's former ambassador to Italy, retains an admiring faith in [[Benito Mussolini]]. She visits him, receiving his assurances of their safety, and proudly recounts her "tea with Mussolini".

As the political situation continues to deteriorate, the ''Scorpioni'' find their status and liberties diminishing. Luca's father decides Italy's future is with [[Nazi Germany|Germany]] rather than [[United Kingdom|Britain]], so sends Luca to an [[First Austrian Republic|Austrian]] [[boarding school]].

Five years later, Luca plans to study art in Florence with Elsa's trust fund. He finds that most British nationals are fleeing the country, anticipating Mussolini's [[Military history of Italy during World War II|declaration of war on Great Britain]], and that Mary has moved in with Lady Hester and the other English hold-outs. Arriving at the house just as they – and Hester's grandson Wilfred, disguised as a woman – are being transported to the [[Tuscany|Tuscan]] town of [[San Gimignano]], he follows.

As the U.S. is not at war, Elsa and her American compatriot Georgie Rockwell, an openly lesbian [[archaeologist]], remain free. Elsa uses Luca to deliver forged orders and funds to have the ladies moved from their barren quarters to an upper class hotel. Believing that Mussolini helped, Lady Hester is delighted, proudly brandishing the newspaper photo of her tea with ''Il Duce''.

[[File:Piazza cisterna 01.jpg|thumb|left|The Piazza Cisterna in [[San Gimignano]], where many of the film's scenes were shot.]]

As the war progresses, Jewish oppression increases and the Jewish Elsa – protected somewhat by her citizenship and wealth – gets a group of Italian Jews fake passports, enlisting Luca – who is enamored of her – to deliver them. However he becomes jealous when seeing she's involved with Italian lawyer Vittorio.

When the U.S. enters the war in 1941, Elsa and Georgie are interned with the British women. Elsa has been tricked by Vittorio, who embezzles her art collection and money, and who plans to deliver her to the German [[Gestapo]] in a phony escape to [[Switzerland]]. Luca knows but tells no one out of jealous spite. Mary learns of it from Elsa's art dealer and scolds him.

Luca's attitude changes and he gives his trust fund money to the [[Italian resistance movement]], which Wilfred has joined. Elsa refuses to believe Vittorio's betrayal until Lady Hester who had just been scolded by Mary who had finally had enough of Hester's praise for Mussolini and also told her what Elsa has done for all of them, so Hester repents and offers gratitude and help. Elsa's escape plan is hatched by Mary, Luca and Wilfred. Before leaving, she tells Luca she supported his young mother to go through with her pregnancy, so he could be there for her.

In July 1944, as the [[British Army]] advances toward [[San Gimignano]], Arabella defends her frescoes from demolition by German troops, heroically joined in the line of fire by Georgie and the English women, including Lady Hester. They are saved when the Germans retreat, leaving the women and the towers untouched.

The city rejoices as the [[Scots Guards]] arrive, with Luca now serving as their Italian interpreter. The major has orders to evacuate the ''Scorpioni'' but Lady Hester refuses, resolved that they will resume their former lives in Italy. Mary is delighted to see that Luca – now in British uniform – has become the "English gentleman" his father wished him to be.

Closing texts explain the mostly happy fates of the characters, concluding with the remark that Luca has become an artist and helped with the making of the film.