We've been planning our trip to Europe for a while now and we're experiencing something of a burnout. We're still really excited to go but I don't even want to look at another guide book! Can anyone suggest their favorite movie set in England, France, or Italy? A movie that everytime you see it you want to just pack your bags and go? I just want to sit back and relax and get excited all over again!

France:
French Kiss
Amalie
Italy:
Enchanted April
Purple Noon
The Italian Job
Only You
Roman Holiday
The Talented Mr Ripley
England:
Howards End
Notting Hill

Notting Hill for me!! or Bend It Like Beckham (Made me want to seriously find the Indian communities in London because they look like such fun!)

For England I would add to Scarlett's excellent list:
Four Weddings and a Funeral
Calendar Girls
Love Actually
Truly Madly Deeply
The Crush (with Andie McDowell) - for the gorgeous Cotswolds scenery (has sex scenes)
Sense and Sensibility
The Railway Children
About a Boy
Sliding Doors
Possession
Greenfingers
Bridget Jones
Pride and Predjudice (the BBC one with COLIN FIRTH!)
I've just finished viewing many of these to get me in the mood for my trip next week...6 more sleeps.

Now I haven't been to Europe YET, but my recs are:
Amelie
Chocolat
Before Sunset- all for France

I know the movie was lacking but I loved the cinematography- Under the Tuscan Sun
Also really liked- Talented Mr. Ripley and Life is Beautiful

Under the Tuscan Sun. Ha ha. We just watched that movie last weekend. When they showed the scenes from the Amalfi Coast, my wife said "Is that where we are going?" (we're going to Tuscany next month)

I had a great laugh and told her, "no, that's for another trip."

"Pride and Prejucide" with David Rintoul.

taggie,

Are you in love with Colin too?!

Yes, Pride and Prejudice is sooo good!
How could I forget about that one when just yesterday I was looking at
http://www.pemberley.com/jasites/jasites.html
to see which P&P spots I could visit.

Dirty Pretty Things

The Truth About Charlie (Charade is better)

The Italian Job - the original with Michael Caine

Mine are all oldies but exceptional for me.
England: Margaret Rutherford's Miss Marple series of films I saw at our art film house put the bug in me to visit England for the first time.
others I recall fondly, "The Knack," "The Servant," "Blow-Up,"
"Morgan"(the first time I saw the young beautiful Vanessa Redgrave and David Warner) "Alphie," "Room at the top,"
For France, i have always loved "400 Blows," "Diva," Bob le Flambeur," "La Samourai." "Nelly and Monsieur Arnaud,"
"Cousin, Cousine," "Alexander," "Forbidden Games"
Italy: "Amacord," "La Strada," "Cinema Paradiso,""Garden of the Finzi-Continis,""Death in Venice," "Night of the Shooting Stars, " "Plein Soleil,"
"Nights of Cabriria," "The Tree of Wooden Clogs,"

Stealing Beauty for Italy

Yes, great soundtrack, I bought the Cd.

FromAtlanta - yes, must confess a bit of a thing for Mr. Firth! Could also put Shakespeare in Love on the list as he is in it (but doesn't play a good guy). If you ever rent the Love Actually DVD, and listen to the commentary, Hugh Grant really gives it to him!

jsmith - Dirty Pretty Things? Good movie, but it sure didn't make London very appealing IMO...

Mimi,
Cinema Paradiso is one of my all-time favorites, too.

Saving Grace for good British humor. It's hysterically funny.

Definitely Talented Mr Ripley for Italy!

And though you didn't mention Greece --"Shirley Valentine", I haven't been there yet but every time I watch that movie, I most definitely want to go.

I bring a copy of threads like this when I visit the video store. Someone went as far back as "Blowup"! wow! I remember that! with David Hemmings? What a good one, (or at least it seemed that way at the time.) How about "The Collector" and "The French Lieutenant's Woman" -- all for England. J.

Goodmorning, how about
THREE COINS IN THE FOUNTAIN...A\and
ROME and AMARCORD by Fellini....
Richard of LaGrange Park, Il..

What a girl wants (London)
Chasing Liberty (Prague, Venice, etc).

These two movies mostly appeal to the teenage girl audience but I have to admit they are not that bad and have some pretty good scenery (especially Chasing Liberty).

For "Paris: "Charade" and, of course,
"Gigi."

For Provence:

"To Catch a Thief"
"Ronin"
"My Father's Glory"
"My Mother's Castle"

For France in general:

The Gérard Depardieu "Count of Monte Cristo"

For France and England both, the Gene Kelly "The Three Muskateers"