Passage to Paradise (1996): cast, story & where to watch

Released in 1996, Passage to Paradise is a comedy film directed by Antonio Baiocco.

What it’s about. Martha, an American lady who has lived in Italy for many years without ever learning the language; and Renato, twenty five years younger than Martha, who for all his life has been working odd jobs and has no place to call home. Martha's home is a house in Tuscany she has inherited from her grandfather. There she lived and brought up her children after an early divorce. Martha, who at times suffers from a sudden loss of memory, and her obsession with the large country home, has become a nuisance to her children. They have send their mother to a care center, and are trying to sell the house. We meet Renato when he has just taken on a job for a small detective agency that specializes in divorce cases. He is observing two lovers traveling together through Northern Italy when he meets Martha who has run away from the care center.

Who’s in it. Passage to Paradise stars Julie Harris as Martha, Tchéky Karyo as Renato, Mariano Rigillo as Lorenzo and Vittoria Belvedere as Serena, among others.

How it landed. With an audience score of 9.0/10, Passage to Paradise sits among the best-reviewed titles in the catalogue.

Where to watch. Streaming options change often. See the full, country-by-country breakdown on our where to watch Passage to Paradise page.

If you liked it. Fans of Passage to Paradise tend to enjoy Forrest Gump, Parasite, Life Is Beautiful and Fight Club.