One day, a rich American woman arrives in town. She is Elsa Morganthall, played by Cher, and she is everything that Lady Hester despises. She's brash and uninhibited, spending her time collecting art and marrying rich old men for their money. Hester absolutely hates her, and she knows it, but this does not stop her from helping the group whenever she can. She may appear vulgar to little old ladies, but she is a kind and generous woman.
Time passes and with the rise of the fascist regime in Germany, things get more and more difficult for everyone. Luca is sent away by his father to learn German, the English ladies are interned as "enemy aliens", and Elsa gets involved with a character who is more dangerous than she could ever imagine. I found it interesting how Elsa's status kept changing. At first she was an American and the Italians had no interest in her. When America joined the war, she was suddenly an "enemy alien", and finally, she was conveniently nothing more than a Jew. What struck me about the old ladies, especially Lady Hester, was the way they never gave up being themselves. They complained if they didn't like something, no matter who they were with. There is a very funny scene where Hester insists that two Italian guards learn some manners instead of just barging into a lady's barracks. And in another not so funny scene, she shouts in the face of a Nazi officer who is pointing a gun at her. She may seem like a silly old lady but she, and all of them are very brave and willing to die for what they believe in. The film shows how despite the turmoil and terror of war, there is always room for love and compassion. If there is any meaning to be found in war it's that it brings people closer together.