This was a very different experience for me; I was used to movies reaching a climax (what I called the Disney moment) and, that;'s when I'd get a dose of dopamine. But, for this movie, without any direct action having been taken, by about two-thirds the way through I reached a low level state of bliss -- and that lasted the rest of the film. I don't know what your experience was, or would be, but, of course, I'd like to think it much the same.

I almost don't want to re-watch it, just so I don't mess with that memory -- it is a touch-stone to this day, I just remember the title and it takes me back to that springtime in Italy -- that ground so magic & fertile a walking stick stuck in the ground would take root, and that group of women, drawn together, each different but living their best lives in that vacation. A magic so strong even an errant husband's infidelities are washed away, and his bent made straight as if blessed by Cupid.

It's not Shakespeare or John Steinbeck's, "the Chrysanthemums," or Ingmar Bergman, where you feel a fuller sense of your humanity...you just feel happy, and at peace. (Well, I did, and hope it's the same for you!)

[I also **highly** recommend, for that _Shakespearean experience,_ "Fanny and Alexander," (1982)...what was supposed to be Ingmar Bergman's retirement film -- where he throws in everything and the kitchen sink, even openly speaking directly to the audience through his characters (like Kurt Vonnegut appearing before and speaking directly to his character Kilgore Trout in, "Breakfast of Champions," you _feel_ the sense of importance, but without the adrenaline).]

I have always been a sucker for a good chick flick. A wonderful cast bring to life a novel about four women who rent an Italian castle to escape their dreary lives. I won’t list all seven names of the performers who make this so great. Even a couple of characters I wanted to dislike were given enough depth so that I cared about everyone in the end. It moves from one to another or to a group interacting with each other.

I have read the old book this is based on and like a couple changes they made to it. I just realized as I looked this up that it was a remake of a 1935 early talkie version.

It is a quiet and unassuming movie, so much so that I was a little surprised it was nominated for a few Oscars, and won some Golden a Globe awards.

It took me years to track down a DVD copy of this and retire the old grainy VHS version I had.