Wendy, you really must see "Tea with Mussolini." I love languages, especially the Italian language. This movie has gorgeous scenery. We are not much on movies either. I'm embarrassed to say that the last movie DH and I saw in town was a summer matinee, "The Truman Story."
The group of English ladies included Judi Dench, Maggie Smith, and Joan Plowright, along with Cher and Lily Tomlin. The English ladies were referred to as "the scorpionas." They were sort of quirky and bohemian types. Have you seen the movie, English Chick? They carried on their afternoon tea-time even in Italy. Where I live, hot tea is not the usual--iced tea is, but in the winter I use my teapots a lot, especially when I have company--which isn't often. I think it is civilizing to use teapots.
A sad note: My neighbor is from Florida of Italian parents. Her grandparents were immigrants. Three years ago, she and her two sisters took their 83 year old mother to Italy. They realized their mother was in the early stages of Alzheimer's when she woke from a nap and said that "everybody is speaking Italian." Sad but funny in a way.