Where Angels Fear to Tread (1991)

My Review

“Where Angels Fear to Tread” is a British drama film about a thirty-something English widow who moves to a small town in Tuscany to escape her domineering in-laws. She falls in love with a 20-year-old Italian man, and when they find out, they send family and friends to Italy to change her mind, only to discover that she has married him, much to their chagrin, with the drama proceeding from there.

English director Charles Sturridge created quite an engrossing drama, with quite a few unexpected twists and turns. Culture clash between English traditions and Italian customs contribute to the fun of the film. The screenplay by Tim Sullivan, Derek Granger (producer), and Sturridge is quite good, adapted from the 1905 novel of the same name by E. M. Forster.

The cast delivers excellent performances, including Helen Mirren as the free-spirited widow, Helena Bonham Carter as her best friend, Rupert Graves as her brother-in-law, Judy Davis as her sister-in-law, Giovanni Guidelli as the new hubby, Barbara Jefford as the mother-in-law, and Siria Betti as the housekeeper. “Where Angels Fear to Tread” was not successful at the box office for Sovereign Pictures and Rank Film Distributors. It was filmed in Italy and England.