Mona Lisa Smile

Question: The lady that plays Julia Stile's mother looks remarkably like Swoozie Kurtz. Any relation?

Answer: I can not find any reference to Joan Brandwyn's mother. I do not remember seeing her. Perhaps you are thinking of Mrs. Warren, Kirsten Dunst's mother in the film. She is played by Donna Mitchell. I have been unable to find a connection between the two.

Question: What was the song that a group of boys were singing during the Spring Fling?

Answer: The song is called Istanbul (Not Constantinople). It was written by Trevor Horn. You can read the lyrics at http://www.lyricsondemand.com/soundtracks/m/monalisasmilelyrics/istanbulnotconstantinoplelyrics.html.

jess924

Question: Do the hats the girls wear symbolise anything? Do the colour and numbers show different years or houses?

Answer: The colour change every year and the number is the year they finish (Joan's hat says 54 and their last year is 1954 as Nancy says around new year.)

Question: What does the title have to do with the story, other than the reference to a work of art? I know many people think that the real Mona Lisa has a mysterious smile, but does that have anything to do with the film?

Krista

Chosen answer: There is a short discussion (I believe between Kirsten Dunst and Julia Roberts) about things not always being what they seem. They are speaking about the girls' lives, but it also is symbolic of the Mona Lisa smile. Whether she is really smiling is left up to the person viewing the portrait: is she smiling because she is happy? Is she trying to cover up grief/sorrow? Is she smiling at all?

Macalou

Factual error: When Julia Roberts and her roommate are in their living room and "I Love Lucy" comes on the TV, the opening theme song is accompanied by the traditional heart with "I Love Lucy" written on it. However, this movie takes place in 1953-1954, and that opening for the show wasn't used until the show was put in syndication many years later. During the show's primary run, cartoon characters of Lucy and Ricky opened the show. (00:13:50)

More mistakes in Mona Lisa Smile

Staunton's Secretary: I was in California once. How do you get any work done with all that sunshine?
Katherine Watson: We tan in class.

More quotes from Mona Lisa Smile
More trivia for Mona Lisa Smile

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