A Room with a View

This is not what we were led to expect.

We were to see the Arno.

The signora wrote

"South rooms with a view, close together".

Instead of which, we have north rooms

without a view and far apart.

Hurry and get dressed or we'll miss

our dinner on top of everything else.

She had no business doing it.

No business at all!

Any nook does for me,

but it is hard that you have no view.

No, you must have a view, too.

- Buonasera.

- Buonasera.

Miss Lavish,

what a recommendation for a place!

Indeed, Miss Alan, it is.

Between the squalor of London and the squalor

of Prato, there is a great gulf fixed.

By going off the track,

you get to know the country,

see the little towns,

Gubbio, Settignano, Galuzzo,

San Gimignano, Monteriggioni.

Their mixture of the primitive

with the classical is irresistible.

- Miss Pole?

- Yes, Mr. Emerson.

What is that you are taking?

It's not lemonade, is it?

- Yes, it is.

- Put it right away, Miss Pole.

Lemonade is very bad for the stomach.

Oh!

I shall tell the signora to give

the next south view available to you.

- Why not to you?

- No, I insist.

This meat has surely been boiled.

For stock. It's lost all its flavor.

Monteriggioni is not only quaint,

but one meets the Italians

in all their simplicity and charm.

Wasn't Monteriggioni

where we saw the cornflowers, Teresa?

An entire carpet of them. It was delightful!

I find the cornflower

the most delightful of flowers.

I prefer something bolder -

the reckless rose, the tempestuous tulip.

- Your mother would never forgive me.

- She'd want you to have it.

On no account. The view of the Arno is yours.

I don't know why we're arguing,

because we have no view.

I have a view. And so does George.

My son George here.

You can have our rooms.

We'll have yours. We can change.

- Why not?

- Thank you very much.

- We could not impose on your kindness.

- Why?

- You see...

- Hush, Lucy.

Women like looking at a view.

Men don't. George, persuade them.

It's obvious they should have the rooms.

- Signora?

- No, thank you.

We could clear out in fifteen minutes.

These niceties go against common sense!

Every kind of sense. I don't care

what I see outside. My vision is within.

Here is where the birds sing

and where the sky is blue.

Come, Lucy.

Let them have the view if they want it.

Why not? George, go after them.

What an impossible person!

- He meant to be kind.

- I know how to deal with these people.

Charlotte, you dealed rudely.

You dealed wrongly.

This pensione is a failure.

Tomorrow we'll change.

- It's Mr. Beebe.

- Who?

Charlotte, we can't change now.

- Mr. Beebe.

- Don't you remember us?

Miss Bartlett and Miss Honeychurch.

- We met at Tunbridge Wells.

- That very cold Easter.

How do you do?

- I heard you are to be our vicar.

- Yes, I move into the rectory in June.

We did feel so sorry for you

in the dining room.

- Mr. Emerson is so tactless.

- But he meant to be kind.

This old gentleman and his son

offered us their rooms with a view.

It was most indelicate!

But things that are indelicate

can sometimes be beautiful.

- Yes!

- I am the chaperone to my young cousin Lucy.

It would be serious if I put her under an

obligation to people of whom I know nothing.

- I wouldn't think much harm could have come.

- There.

You think I ought to have accepted?

You think I have been narrow-minded.

I never suggested that.

If you would allow me, I would be happy

to act as intermediary with Mr. Emerson.

He would not take advantage

nor expect gratitude.

He has rooms he does not value

and thinks you would.

Charlotte, please.

My wishes are unimportant

compared with yours.

I am only here through your kindness.

If you want me to turn these gentlemen

out of their rooms, I will.

Would you, Mr. Beebe, kindly tell Mr...

- Emerson.

- Emerson...

...we accept his offer?

I would like to thank your father personally

for his kindness.

You can't. He's in his bath.

I would have given the larger room to you,

but I happen to know

it was the young man's.

In my small way, I am a woman of the world.

And I know where things can lead.

Whatever does it mean?

Lucy, get dressed or the better part

of the day will be gone.

You said you liked cornflowers.

- So we brought you cornflowers.

- Oh, how kind!

They're your type of flowers.

They have your personality.

I'd like to see them in your hair.

There are no jewels more becoming to a lady.

May I say something rather daring?

Mr. Beebe, you sound like Miss Lavish.

- Are you writing a novel, too?

- If I were, you would be my heroine.

And I should write "If Miss Honeychurch

ever takes to live as she plays...

"...it will be very exciting,

both for us and for her."

Mother doesn't like me playing Beethoven.

She says I'm peevish afterwards.

Naturally, one would be stirred up.

Won't you play some more?

No, I think I'll go out.

Alone? Is that wise, Miss Honeychurch?

To be wise, one might have stayed at home.

I'll not go far. I promise.

I'm sorry.

Whatever's the matter with dear Miss Lucy?

I put it down to too much Beethoven.

I heard her beautiful playing.

Miss Catharine,

you have flowers in your hair.

Buongiorno, buongiorno, Ferdinando!

We salute thee.

The bronze came from Turkish cannons,

captured by the Knights of San Stefano.

Come along.

Stop a minute. Let that man go on

or I shall have to speak to him.

Oh, the British abroad!

I'd set an examination at Dover

and turn back any tourists who failed.

Miss, this sepolcro not very good.

You go see affresci di Giotto.

- Capella Peruzzi, Capella Bardivery good.

- No, thank you.

Giotto scolaro di Cimabue.

Kept the sheep on the mountain.

Make a picture of the sheep.

- No, thank you.

- I very... good speak English.

- Do go away, please.

- Capella Peruzzi, affresci di Giotto...

Cio tuttol

You see here these superb frescoes

by Giotto, depicting the life of St Francis.

On the left, there he is,

renouncing worldly goods.

And, on the right, the fourth Pope.

And here he is preaching to the bishops.

And there he is undergoing a... trial

by fire before the Sultan.

And here...

Ah, Mr. Eager, good morning.

I'm leading a little private tour of my own.

Here he is on his deathbed, surrounded...

Mr. Eager is our English chaplain

here in Florence.

...now unhappily ruined by restoration,

is untroubled by the snares

of anatomy and perspective...

Look at that fat man! He must weigh as much

as I do, but he's floating like a balloon.

Remember that Santa Croce was built by faith

in the full fervor of medievalism.

Built by faith! That simply means

the workers weren't paid properly!

Pardon me. The chapel is somewhat small.

We will incommode you no longer.

Oh, I... Oh!

Mr. Eager, there's plenty of room

for all of us. You don't have to...

Oh, dear.

Gather round, everybody.

You may observe here in the Peruzzi Chapel,

as well as in the place

from which we've been expelled,

the special character of Giotto

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