This autobiographical account of Murphy`s childhood during the last year of World War 2 is surprisingly astute in recognising the tensions that existed between his mother Dorothy - Lisa Hensley - a woman managing a property for five years on her own while her husband`s fighting overseas - and the Italian prisoners of war she`s been assigned to help run the place. Alfredo - Steve Bastoni - and Joseph - Domenic Galati - become surrogate fathers to the McClellan children - and would-be lovers to the women they care for - Dorothy and Rachel - Tara Jakszewicz - a beautiful Jewish refugee... it may be wartime but the days here are for the most part idyllic... This is a beautiful-looking gentle film, shot by John Brock in three weeks.....Steve Bastoni gives a nuanced performance as Alfredo and Lisa Hensley brings an authority to her portayal of a woman caught between the responsibilities and constraints of an era and her desires as a woman.It`s not a film that breaks any new ground, it has a story to tell and that`s exactly what it does, quite charmingly... David`s Comments: Full marks to Maurice Murphy for getting this very modest effort made, but the interesting story could have benefited from more robust treatment and the conclusion, though supposedly true, simply doesn`t convince.
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