Details

Release year: 2003

Storyline

Frances Mayes, a 35-year-old San Francisco writer, gets a divorce that leaves her with terminal writer's block and depression. Later, she decides to buy a house in Tuscany in order to change her life.

Top credits

Directors

Audrey Wells

Writers

Cast

Diane Lane — Frances
Raoul Bova — Marcello
Sandra Oh — Patti
Lindsay Duncan — Katherine

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Did you know

• The elderly owner of Bramasole, grateful for a sign that Frances is the "right" buyer, cries out, "Grazie, Santo Francesco!" when a bird defecates on Frances' head. "Santo Francesco" is Saint Francis, the patron saint of animals.

• Zeus the art model was fully nude during filming. Digital underwear was added in post-production to avoid an R-rating.

• The original memoir is quite different from the film: the real Frances Mayes bought a house with her fiancé, after consulting with her family and they enjoyed the new pleasures of Tuscany together. In the film, Frances is already married in the beginning and becomes abruptly divorced after her worthless husband leaves her for an affair. She then finds the house while alone on a tour given to her as a gift.