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Maggie Smith stars as an aging romance novelist living in splendid isolation in her villa in the Umbrian countryside. On a shopping trip, the train she's traveling on is bombed by terrorists. When the dust is settled, Smith, and several of the travelers who shared her compartment, are in the hospital, including a little girl who has lost her parents. Smith generously offers her home as a refuge for the survivors to recuperate.

The traumatized little girl can't speak. Smith's heart goes out to her, and she does her best to make her as comfortable as possible. Smith's rather bohemian character, as well as her fondness for cocktails makes her a slightly madcap, tipsy hostess. Rather lonely of late, this unexpected intrusion in her life makes her feel needed. There's a young man with a secret to hide, and an older pensioner who round out the group. Then the little girl's uptight uncle (played with unstated eloquence by Chris Cooper) comes to take custody of his brother's orphaned daughter.

Smith is devasted by his coldness, his disapproval, and senses that he simply is taking the girl out of a sense of duty to his brother.

I won't give anymore of the plot away. Dame Maggie won a well-deserved Emmy for her superb portrayal of a middle-aged spinster, lonely for love, and with her own tragic past, who finds a purpose in her life in the aftermath of tragedy. The script is superb, the Italian settings and the gorgeous period costumes as well as fine work from a strong cast, make this a memorble viewing experience.

Nobody captures loneliness as truthfully as Dame Maggie. She's been doing it throughout her long career, as Rod Taylor's assistant in the bloated VIPs, as the headstrong teacher in THE PRME OF MISS JEAN BRODIE, as the actress nominated for an Oscar in CALIFORNIA SUITE, and countless other memorable screen portraits. Highly recommended.

"The somber side of things does not appeal to me."
I am a fan of writer William Trevor, so when I saw that a film was going to be made of another of his books (there's also a film of his book "Felicia's Journey"), I contained my delight and waited for the film to appear on DVD.

"My House in Umbria" is the story of a late-middle-aged English woman, Mrs. Emily Delahunty (Maggie Smith) who lives in a glorious palatial home in Umbria, Italy. She's a writer of romance novels, and shares the house with a man named Quinty who seems to be both her confidante and manservant. One day she takes the train, and as she sits in the compartment, she soaks in the impressions she has of her fellow passengers. Tragically, a bomb explodes and kills most of the train compartments passengers. Mrs. Delahunty survives--along with a retired British general (Ronnie Barker), a young German man, Werner, and a pale, silent child, Aimee.

As Mrs. Delahunty recuperates in hospital, she is overwhelmed by sympathy for the other victims, and so she invites them to her home until things are sorted out and the police investigation is concluded.

I was really afraid that this film might be another of those awful imports that emphasize the eccentricity of the English, but the fact that the film is based on a Trevor novel, gave me hope for something a little more substantial. I was not disappointed. Maggie Smith as Mrs. Delahunty is magnificent. When Aimee's uncle, Tom Riversmith comes from America to take the child home, he dismisses Mrs. Delahunty cruelly as an old, gossipy drunk, but she's so much more than that. Mrs. Delahunty's memories of a far-from-perfect childhood serve to make her understanding, patient, and tolerant of all who stay at her home. Mr. Riversmith underestimates her, and he is the smaller person because of his judgment.

This film could certainly be included in a list of the film industry's love affair with Italy ("Enchanted April", "Under the Tuscan Sun", "Where Angels Fear to Tread"), for the scenery is spectacular and quite breathtaking. If you like the film, I also heartily recommend the book by William Trevor. It's called "Two Lives", and "My House in Umbria" is one of the two novellas in the book. The book is more substantial than the film, of course,--as is usually the case,--and the story delves much more into Mrs. Delahunty's past--displacedhuman

Very touching
This movie is very touching. It may not be the most surprising or action packed of movies, but it can touch you if you let it. So many people, all touched by the same tragedy, having to come together, and share and learn and grow together. I think you'll enjoy it.