The Santa Maria del Fiore church sits majestically in Piazza del Duomo as one of the city’s most famous symbols. Jane Campion set one of the most evocative and ambiguous scenes of her film ‘Portrait of a Lady’, based on Henry James’ novel, in this square. The film starred John Malcovich and Nicole Kidman and the famous scene was when the enigmatic adventurer, Gilbert Osmond, seduces the young Isabel Archer. Many other film directors have chosen Florence and indeed Tuscany as the location of their films reflecting the English speaking world's centuries-long fascination with the city.
