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