By Michelle Kratts If you are an American, this movie, Nuovomondo, a film written & directed by Emanuele Crialese, will deeply move you. It may even disturb you in ways that surprise you. Especially if you have had the opportunity to know your own immigrant ancestors or family members. This movie can be difficult to watch. It is an eye-opener. It is humbling. When you think of it, the story of America is quite unusual. To be frank, it is actually quite brutal. There were people who lived here before the masses of immigrants arrived. For centuries it was forgotten that they even existed—ex ..read more

Letters to Juliet, 2010 I watched this movie (for the second time) with my daughter, Jillian, who dreams of going to school in Italy and living all things Italian in a few short years. I knew instantly that she would enjoy this sweet movie. She and I agreed that Sophie’s life would be quite fantastic! Are lives like this even possible beyond the Silver Screen? We were also mesmerized by the role of Vanessa Redgrave. The magic of finding true love in a sea of impossibilities inspires such hope in this crazy world. But again, we ask ourselves—are these themes, these outcomes, realistic in the wo ..read more

I am embarrassed to admit that I had never seen a Sophia Loren film until I watched “It Started in Naples,” earlier this week. Of course, I knew who Sophia Loren was! I don’t remember how or when I was first introduced to her, but I knew she was something special. I assumed it was mostly because of her beauty. She was breathtaking in an earthy, stunning way. She also revealed a beauty to the American public that was little known at this time. Most actresses of this time followed a cookie cutter pattern when it came to appearance and were usually pretty “WASP” looking. And then, there was some ..read more

Some Thoughts on E.M. Forster’s, A Room with a View What is this place that we have found ourselves in? It is so very different from anything we have ever known. It is beautiful, yet frightening; overwhelming to our senses. It is loud and pushy, violent with emotion, forcing us to action. It is real and full of life. All of this is Italy. Perhaps Miss Lavish was right when she told Lucy to do away with her Baedeker. Why should we be told what to think? Where to go? Why should it all be spelled out for us? Why should we only visit the places referred to in our guidebooks? What if we went off t ..read more

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Mona Lisa; a life discovered, by Dianne Hales I first discovered Dianne Hales a few years ago when I read La Bella Lingua; my love affair with Italian, the world’s most enchanting language—a beautiful book celebrating the Italian language. Even as Hales lacks even “a single drop of Italian blood” and is a self-proclaimed “sensible woman of Polish descent” she has become synonymous with all things Italian.  Her exploration of the origins of the Mona Lisa bring the reader on a journey deep into Italian history. The focus of Hales book is primarily on Lisa Gherardini del Giocondo—the most l ..read more

The Enchanted April (the movie and the book) I had seen Enchanted April many years ago and just watched it once again. It is a beautiful film that excites your senses and awakens something in viewers that can only be revealed as true and raw happiness. And don’t we all truly want happiness above all else? The story centers on four English women who go on holiday to a castle in Italy, San Salvatore, during the month of April. They are all quite different, yet similar in their need to get away. I recently read the original book of the same name, by Elizabeth Von Arnim. She published The Enchant ..read more

Under the Tuscan Sun, the book & the movie If you are among those who have seen the movie, Under the Tuscan Sun, then you will agree that reading the book is a totally different experience. The book The book, written by Frances Mayes, is a memoir that chronicles, in intimate detail, the story of a couple who have purchased a run-down villa in Tuscany. In their endeavor to bring it back to life, they learn about the community of Cortona and the customs of the region. They also learn about life through the simple-ness of the Italian countryside. If you love all things Italy, then you will f ..read more

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Over the past few years, in my quest to watch classic Italian films, I have seen the many faces of Italy, and Rome, specifically. These films have transformed the way that I view Italy. Perhaps they have given me a fuller picture—especially of the post-war period. I remember asking my great grandparents and my aunts and uncles, “What was it like over there in Italy, when you were young?” In my young mind, Italy was this beautiful and romantic place with sprawling Roman ruins, little cafes, magnificent art, rolling countryside. My Aunt Phil would answer (to my horror) that it was a difficult l ..read more