35 Must-Watch Italian Film Classics

Italy has produced many of the most celebrated films of all time, and the history of Italian cinema has influenced directors and actors worldwide. However, knowing where to start with Italian films can be hard. Many of the greatest Italian movies have long run times and are connected to larger artistic movements, which can make them feel daunting. But they don’t have to be. The greatest Italian films transport viewers to Italy with beautiful visuals, solid social commentary and Italian wit. While not all movies about Italy are truly Italian films (sorry, Under the Tuscan Sun and The Godfather 2 technically aren’t Italian films and don’t appear on this list), many of the most famous films about Italy were produced in the country. So say “Ciao” to these classic Italian movies.

Top Italian Cinema

Italy was quick to embrace cinema as early as the 1890s. However, the industry has gone through both high times and low output years. The Italian film industry flourished in the 1950s and hit a peak in the 1960s. Italy also boasts the oldest film festival, the Venice Film Festival, which has run since 1932. Italy invented several important genres and movements in film history, including Commedia all’italiana, Neorealism, giallo and Spaghetti Westerns (all of which appear on this list).

Italian Cinema is often recognized for its directors. Italy produced world-class directors such as Sergio Leone, Federico Fellini and Roberto Rossellini. However, there are also many iconic actors to come out of Italy, including Marcello Mastroianni, Sophia Loren, Claudia Cardinale and Anna Magnani. While the highest-grossing film in Italy is actually James Cameron’s Avatar, the second highest is the Italian film Quo Vado?, which also doesn’t appear on this list. Instead, the list ranks on several factors, including historical significance, embodiment of the characteristics of Italian Cinema and overall quality. It should be noted that this writer is not Italian nor speaks Italian; thus, this list comes through an American lens. (However, interestingly, not all great Italian films are actually in Italian either).

35. Scent of a Woman (1974)

Not to be confused with the 1990s Al Pacino remake of the same name, Scent of a Woman is a dramedy from director Dino Risi. The film follows an army cadet tasked with traveling with a wounded army captain to Naples.

It stars Vittorio Gassman, Alessandro Momo and Agostina Belli. It’s a beautifully shot road trip movie with a surprising depth. The film is also Momo’s final role. The young actor was tragically killed in a motorcycle accident weeks after filming wrapped. Find it on streaming here.

34. Once Upon a Time in America (1984)

Director Sergio Leone’s final film, Once Upon a Time in America, is one of a few films on this list that might not seem Italian. Like many of his films, it was a co-production between Italy and the U.S. and is largely in English. Once Upon A Time in America examines the Jewish mob in New York City in the 1920s and ’30s. It follows two kids as they work their way out of the then-Jewish Ghetto of the Lower East Side neighborhood by joining the mob. It is the third in Leone’s Once Upon a Time trilogy with Once Upon a Time in the West (1968) and Duck, You Sucker! (1971).

For those searching this film out, it is important to watch the right cut, especially when talking about Italian films. There are two cuts of Once Upon a Time in America. The original “European Cut” is nearly four hours (which Leone cut down from its original nearly four-and-a-half-hour runtime). The “American Cut” is much shorter at just over 2 hours and was re-ordered by its American distributors. The American version isn’t great, but the European Cut is a masterpiece, even if it has been critiqued as misogynistic. The film stars Robert De Niro, James Woods, Elizabeth McGovern and Joe Pesci. It is available to stream here.

33. Four Steps in the Clouds (1942)

Four Steps in the Clouds is the oldest film featured on the Italian Ministry of Cultural Heritage’s “100 Italian films to be saved” list. It was directed by Alessandro Blasetti. Blasetti is a difficult director to discuss. He helped revive and solidify the Italian film industry in the 1920s. However, he became a central figure in the Fascist Era of Italian Cinema from 1922 to 1943. The films of the Fascist Era have been largely written off as propaganda and not revisited. While some have argued that there is veiled criticism and resistance in many of these films, the era has marred Blasetti’s legacy.

Four Steps in the Clouds’s legacy, however, is linked to Italian Neorealism. While the Neorealist movement (1943–1952) started with Luchino Visconti’s 1943 classic Ossessione and Vittorio De Sica’s The Children Are Watching Us the same year, Four Steps in the Clouds is an obvious precursor. The film follows a married man who agrees to help an unmarried pregnant girl by pretending to be her husband to her father. It stars Gino Cervi and Adriana Benetti. While it has been remade several times, the original is worth watching. Find it on streaming here.

32. The Beyond (1981)

Lucio Fulci is one of several horror directors who defined Italian horror cinema (along with names like Mario Bava, Dario Argento and Michele Soavi). The Beyond is one of Fulci’s entries into the Italian zombie movie boom of the 1970s and 1980s. While many “zombie” films were made in Italy at this time, notably, these films don’t have the clear zombie lore of some of their American counterparts (which also saw a production boom during this period).

While The Beyond was an Italian production, it is an English-language film and was filmed on location in New Orleans. The film follows a woman who inherits a hotel that sits atop a gate to hell. It stars Katherine MacColl, David Warbeck and Sarah Keller. While the film appeared in Roger Ebert’s Most Hated Movies, it has taken on cult status for many who often praise it for its surreal feeling and visuals. If you want more zombie films from Fulci, 1979’s Zombi 2 is another popular and arguably more standard choice. Find it on streaming here.

31. Yesterday, Today, and Tomorrow (1963)

Yesterday, Today, and Tomorrow is a comedy anthology featuring three short stories about couples: one set in Naples, one in Milan and one in Rome. Directed by Vittorio De Sica, each story stars Sophia Loren and Marcello Mastroianni in unconnected roles.

While it won an Oscar for Best Foreign Language Film, some think it is overrated. However, it is a rom-com, for lack of a better term. It is purposely digestible and light but still has a witty script and some interesting things to say about Italian society in the 1960s. Comedy doesn’t always translate, but Yesterday, Today and Tomorrow is a very easy watch that is elevated by great performances. It is available to stream on multiple platforms.

30. La Terra Trema (1948)

Directed by Luchino Visconti, La Terra Trema is about the lives of impoverished Sicilian fishermen. The film often feels like a documentary and was only partially scripted. It embodies what makes Italian Neorealism great and is an essential film of the movement.

The film stars Antonio Arcidiacono in his only role. It is a deeply communist film that isn’t afraid of its own Marxist Ideology. The film may not be for everyone. It is long, slow and deeply soul-crushing. It’s even upsetting on purpose, but it’s an important part of Italian film history and, arguably, history more generally. Find it here.

29. Big Deal on Madonna Street (1958)

Big Deal on Madonna Street is a comedy classic by director Mario Monicelli. The film follows a group of thieves who try to rob a pawn shop in Rome. However, their bumbling antics and mishaps derail their plan.

It stars Vittorio Gassman, Renato Salvatori, Memmo Carotenuto, Rossana Rory, Carla Gravina, Claudia Cardinale, Marcello Mastroianni and Totò. While it is easily among this list’s shortest and lightest films, it may be hard for non-Italian speakers to fully enjoy. The jokes come fast and are densely packed, which can get a little lost in the subtitles for non-speed readers. However, it is a very funny film. It is available to stream here.

28. Black Sunday (1960)

While horror films aren’t for everyone, they are a cornerstone of the Italian film industry. From Italian horror master director Mario Bava, Black Sunday follows a vampiric witch who returns after being executed by her brother to exact revenge.

Black Sunday stars Barbara Steele, John Richardson, Andrea Checchi, Ivo Garrani, Arturo Dominici and Enrico Olivieri. While it opened to poor reviews in Italy, it was popular abroad and has been largely reassessed. This vampire film was hugely influential on Italian and international horror films. Its imagery has been referenced in many other 1960s movies and films like Tim Burton’s Sleepy Hollow. It is available to stream here.

27. The Great Beauty (2013)

Sometimes, when discussing great Italian films, it seems like nothing has been notable since the 1960s. While the 1980s saw a significant decline in Italian filmmaking and the 1990s marked a low for Italian film production, the industry started to bounce back in the 2000s. The Great Beauty feels a bit like a return to form for Italian filmmaking while also being very contemporary.

Directed by Paolo Sorrentino, the film follows an aging critic who starts to tire of seduction and Rome’s lavish nightlife. It stars Toni Servillo, Carlo Verdone and Sabrina Ferilli. The Great Beauty won an Oscar, BAFTA and Golden Globe for Best Foreign Language Film. Find it here.

26. The Family (1987)

Ettore Scola’s The Family is one of several Italian family sagas on this list. From 1906 to 1986, the film follows a man, his family and Italy’s shifting political climate. The cast includes Vittorio Gassman, Fanny Ardant, Philippe Noiret and Stefania Sandrelli.

It was nominated for Best Foreign Language Film at the Oscars. The Family has an episodic structure that really works in the film. It checks in on the unnamed family every ten years over the course of nine episodes. It is available to stream here.

25. Blood and Black Lace (1964)

Another film by Mario Bava, Blood and Black Lace, is a prime example of the Italian giallo genre. The genre is similar to the American slasher genre, with elements of murder mystery and thriller films. It follows a man with a metal claw stalking and killing models in Rome’s haute couture scene.

Giallo films heavily influenced the horror genre, and the camera work in this film embodies the filmmaking style that would lead to the modern horror film. One of the strengths of the film is its beautiful and bizarre visuals. However, the film is also very 1960s and not everything ages well. Many will recognize elements of the film, especially one death scene in a bathtub, as it has been referenced in many other films. It is available to stream here.

24. The Best of Youth (2003)

Warning: The Best of Youth is very long. The theatrical version is around six hours. However, Italian cinema tends to be long, and if you can get past the run time, The Best of Youth is a beautiful epic. The film follows a family from 1966 to 2003, as two brothers who take different paths against the backdrop of social and political change.

Directed by Marco Tullio Giordana, the film stars Luigi Lo Cascio, Alessio Boni and Adriana Asti. While it premiered at the Cannes Film Festival (where it won an Un Certain Regard Award), it was originally conceived as a mini-series, and a TV version (which is slightly longer) was shown on Rai 1. For fans of long Italian family sagas, Rocco and His Brothers (1960) is another must-watch. Unfortunately, The Best of Youth is not currently available on streaming.

23. We All Loved Each Other So Much (1974)

Ettore Scola’s We All Loved Each Other So Much is a prime example of commedia all’italiana, or Italian-style comedy. While not a strict genre, commedia all’italiana refers to films made during a period (from the 1950s to around 1980) when Italy was producing popular comedies that featured satire, social comedy and/or a middle-class setting.

We All Loved Each Other So Much follows three friends as they take different paths after fighting for Italian Liberation in Word War II. The film stars Nino Manfredi, Vittorio Gassman and Stefania Sandrelli. It appears on The Italian Ministry of Cultural Heritage’s “100 Italian films to be saved” and won the César Award for Best Foreign Film. Find it here.

22. The Gospel According to Saint Matthew (1964)

This biblical epic from Pier Paolo Pasolini won’t be for everyone. The Gospel According to Saint Matthew is a neorealist take on the story of Jesus Christ. It is a profoundly religious film that takes its dialogue directly from the Gospel of Matthew. The film stars a 19-year-old student and communist activist from Spain as Jesus. Pasolini leaned into the neorealist tradition of casting non-professional actors, and his own mother also appears in the film. The cast includes Enrique Irazoqui, Margherita Caruso, Susanna Pasolini, Marcello Morante, Mario Socrate and Settimio Di Porto.

The one “non-Italian neorealist” quality of the film is its location. It was shot in southern Italy. Pasolini had tried to film on location but found the areas too commercialized for his vision. He later released the feature-length documentary Location Hunting in Palestine in 1965, which was about the film’s preproduction. While many religious films are focused on bigger-than-life glory, The Gospel According to Saint Matthew is a quiet and human film about a radical man and his return. Find it on streaming here.

21. Investigation of a Citizen Above Suspicion (1970)

From director Elio Petri, Investigation of a Citizen Above Suspicion is a black comedy/thriller about a police officer who tries to cover up the murder of his mistress to hide his crime as he tests the competency of his fellow officers.

The film stars Gian Maria Volonté and Florinda Bolkan. It is an excellent example of Italian satire and was praised by critics. It won the Academy Award for Best Foreign Language Film as well as the FIPRESCI Prize and the Grand Prize at the Cannes Film Festival. Find it on streaming here.

20. Gomorrah (2008)

Directed by Matteo Garrone, Gomorrah follows two teenagers who try to take on the Camorra crime syndicate in the slums of Campania. It stars Toni Servillo, Gianfelice Imparato, Maria Nazionale, Salvatore Cantalupo and Gigio Morra.

It is a gritty and realistic take on a mafia film. While many mafia films take place (at least in part) in Italy, the mafia genre hasn’t taken root there as much as it has in America. Gomorrah used several non-professional actors, many of whom were involved with the actual Camorra clan; at least four actors have been arrested since the film’s debut. It is available on streaming here.

19. Journey to Italy (1954)

Journey to Italy (also sometimes called Voyage to Italy) is a great place to start for American audiences interested in Italian film, partially because it is in English. While it is an Italian production directed by Italian master Roberto Rossellini, it stars Ingrid Bergman and George Sanders. However, the first theatrical release in Italy was dubbed in Italian.

The film follows a couple on the verge of divorce on a trip to Naples after inheriting a villa from an uncle. The film was an important precursor to the French New Wave. John Patterson said of the film in the Guardian, “French critics at the Cahiers du Cinéma – the likes of Jean-Luc Godard, Jacques Rivette, François Truffaut and Claude Chabrol – all saw it as the moment when poetic cinema grew up and became indisputably modern.” While Journey to Italy was a box office and even critical failure upon release, it has been reassessed and is a favorite of directors like Akira Kurosawa and Martin Scorsese. It is available to stream here.

18. Nights of Cabiria (1957)

Nights of Cabiria is one of a couple of films from director Federico Fellini that appear on this list. It is hard to talk about Italian cinema without the works of Fellini (arguably, any of his films could have appeared on this list.) While none of his very famous films are truly hidden gems, Nights of Cabiria may not be the first to come to mind.

The film follows a sex worker in post-war Rome. It stars Giulietta Masina, who is simply spellbinding in this film. In many ways, Nights of Cabiria is a transitional film in Italian filmmaking. It still has its roots in Neorealism, but it also has some of the flourishes and imagination of later Fellini. Nights of Cabiria won the Academy Award for Best Foreign Language Film in 1958. Another Fellini film to star Masina, La Strada, had won the same award the year before. It is available on multiple platforms.

17. Deep Red (1975)

Arguably, the most famous giallo film, Deep Red, is a film by Dario Argento. While Argento’s films are not for everyone, Deep Red is largely considered one of his best works. It follows a musician and reporter on the hunt for a serial killer who murdered a psychic. The film stars David Hemmings and Daria Nicolodi.

Like many Italian films, there is an English cut of the film. However, it removes about 22 minutes, which includes the most graphic sections of the film, as well as most of the humor and romance, which give depth to this film. Deep Red is masterfully made. The intricate and sometimes frenetic camera work makes it a must-watch, even for those who aren’t huge horror or slasher fans. Argento’s 1982 film Tenebrae is another classic in the genre for those looking for more iconic giallo films. Find Deep Red on streaming here.

16. The Good, the Bad, and the Ugly (1966)

Spaghetti Westerns are an essential subgenre of Italian cinema, but they are also a little odd. Generally, they take place in the American West and are often in English with English leads. However, they are made by Italians and usually are Italian co-productions. The Good, the Bad, and the Ugly (also called Il buono, il brutto, il cattivo) is one of the most iconic Spaghetti Westerns. Directed by Sergio Leone, it stars Clint Eastwood, Eli Wallach and Lee Van Cleef.

The film follows a mysterious man and an outlaw who form a partnership to find reward money and buried treasure during the American Civil War. The film initially premiered to poor-to-mixed reviews because the genre of the Spaghetti Western was not taken seriously. However, the film has been reassessed as a classic in both American and European cinema. While it is a beautifully directed film, not everything ages well in it. Salon included it on their list of “Seven Totally Racist Films Your Parents Love,” and it does have a central character in Brownface. While Wallach was an East Coast Polish Jew, he played the stereotypical Mexican bandit, Tuco in the film. It is available to watch here.

15. Divorce Italian Style (1961)

Divorce Italian Style is a black comedy by Pietro Germi. The film follows a Sicilian nobleman who wants to marry his cousin but is already married. Since divorce was illegal in Italy (until 1970), he decides to trick his wife into having an affair so he can kill her and get off with a light sentence.

The film stars Marcello Mastroianni, Daniela Rocca, Stefania Sandrelli, Lando Buzzanca and Leopoldo Trieste. The film is very funny (for any fan of pitch-black humor). It won an Oscar for Best Original Screenplay even though it was based on the 1960 novel Un delitto d’onore by Giovanni Arpino. It is available on streaming here.

14. Marriage Italian Style (1964)

Marriage Italian Style is one of a few films directed by Vittorio De Sica starring Sophia Loren and Marcello Mastroianni. The film follows a man who starts a long-term affair with a beautiful woman he met before World War II. However, when she learns that he is planning to marry someone else, she schemes to make him marry her instead.

This film is really funny and features a fantastic performance by Loren (she was nominated for an Oscar for Best Actress in a Leading Role for it.) Loren had already appeared in three other De Sica films and opposite Mastroianni in Yesterday, Today, and Tomorrow and the two have an infectious chemistry in this film. It is available to stream here.

13. La Notte (1961)

Michelangelo Antonioni might not be the most famous director to come from Italy. However, he made a mark on Italian film through his mood-forward and stylish films, often about love and isolation. La Notte captures what makes his films great. It follows a woman who doubts her marriage after a friend is diagnosed with terminal illness. Like many of Antonioni’s films, it is light on storytelling but heavy on atmosphere.

La Notte stars Marcello Mastroianni and Jeanne Moreau. It features a beautiful look at 1960s Milan and is a must-watch for lovers of slow cinema. The film takes place over the course of a day and feels deeply connected to the earlier movement of Italian Neorealism. The film is part of a spiritual trilogy with 1960’s L’Avventura and 1962’s L’Eclisse, which are also fabulous. Find it on streaming here.

12. The Battle of Algiers (1966)

The Battle of Algiers is a neorealist Italian-Algerian co-production from director Gillo Pontecorvo. As the name suggests, the film follows a key battle in the Algerian War as a former French resistance fighter is sent to Algeria and a former criminal fights against the French Colonial occupation. It stars Jean Martin, Brahim Haggiag, Saadi Yacef and Tommaso Neri.

The Battle of Algiers is filmed in a newsreel style, which was popular in the neorealist movement. Its style complements the brutality of the film; there is a realness to its approach to war and colonialism. It won the Golden Lion at the Venice Film Festival and was nominated for three Academy Awards (uniquely, in non-consecutive years, it was nominated for Best Foreign Language Film in 1966 and Best Screenplay/Best Director in 1968.) However, it was controversial in France and even banned by the French government. Stanley Kubrick once said of the film, “All films are, in a sense, false documentaries. One tries to approach reality as much as possible, only it’s not reality. There are people who do very clever things, which have completely fascinated and fooled me. For example, The Battle of Algiers. It’s very impressive.” It is available to stream on multiple platforms.

11. The Conformist (1970)

While director Bernardo Bertolucci might be better known for films like Last Tango in Paris or The Last Emperor, The Conformist is a must-watch Italian film. It follows a fascist tasked with assassinating a former professor in 1930s Paris and the affair he carries out with the professor’s wife.

The film stars Jean-Louis Trintignant, Stefania Sandrelli, Gastone Moschin and Enzo Tarascio. It is a visually beautiful film that also has an important critique of fascism baked into it. It was nominated for an Oscar for Best Writing, Screenplay Based on Material from Another Medium (later on, Bertolucci would also become the first Italian director to win an Oscar for Best Director for 1987’s The Last Emperor.) The film was highly influential and specifically influenced films like Francis Ford Coppola’s The Godfather. It is available to stream on multiple platforms.

10. Cinema Paradiso (1988)

Cinema Paradiso follows the story of a director returning to his small hometown in Sicily after the death of an old friend. The film also features flashbacks to his childhood in a movie theater after WWII. The film, directed by Giuseppe Tornatore, stars Philippe Noiret, Jacques Perrin and Antonella Attili.

The film is a beautiful love letter to Italian cinema and the power of film. Its success, especially its Oscar win for Best Foreign Film, is often credited with revitalizing Italy’s film industry, leading to other classic Italian films like Mediterraneo and Life Is Beautiful. Find Cinema Paradiso on streaming here.

9. The Leopard (1963)

Luchino Visconti’s The Leopard is a historical epic about an aging prince, his young war hero nephew, and the beautiful daughter of a wealthy family against the backdrop of the 1860s Risorgimento, aka Italian Unification.

Based on the Giuseppe Tomasi di Lampedusa 1958 novel of the same name, The Leopard won the Palme d’Or at the Cannes Film Festival. The film stars Burt Lancaster, Claudia Cardinale and Alain Delon. A cut and dubbed version of the film was released in the U.S., but the longer Italian version is the superior work. The Leopard is one of director Martin Scorsese’s favorite films and is also on the Vatican’s list of Best Films. It is available to stream here.

8. Suspiria (1977)

Arguably the most famous film from Italian horror icon Dario Argento, Suspiria is a horror classic based on Thomas De Quincey’s 1845 essay Suspiria de Profundis. The film follows an American ballerina who transfers into a European dance academy but realizes that the academy is run by witches and is connected to a series of murders.

The film stars Jessica Harper, Stefania Casini, Flavio Bucci, Miguel Bosé and Joan Bennett in her final role. Suspiria is a deeply stylish film with a strange and wonderful score from Argento and the prog-rock band Goblin. The film inspired Luca Guadagnino’s 2018 film of the same name. The original has become a cult classic beloved in the horror genre. The original Suspiria is available to stream on multiple platforms.

7. Life is Beautiful (1997)

Roberto Benigni’s Life is Beautiful is a bit of a divisive film. When it first came out, some were put off by its premise: a comedian making a dramedy about the Holocaust. However, this film is as beautiful as its name implies. It follows a father who uses the fantastic to hide the horrors of a concentration camp from his young son.

Life is Beautiful was inspired by Rubino Romeo Salmonì’s book, In the End, I Beat Hitler and the experiences of Benigni’s father, who was interned at Bergen-Belsen for two years. The film was a commercial success in Italy. In America, the film was nominated for seven Oscars and won three: Best Foreign Language Film, Best Music, Original Dramatic Score and Best Actor. Benigni had several memorable moments during the film’s awards campaign. He climbed over the chairs at the Oscars when he became the first person to be awarded a Best Actor Academy Award for a non-English role. He also kissed the feet of jury president Martin Scorsese when the film was awarded the Grand Prix at the Cannes Film Festival. It is available to stream here.

6. Umberto D. (1952)

Vittorio De Sica is a godfather of the Italian neorealist film movement, and Umberto D. is among his best work in the genre. The film follows an elderly man and his dog as he tries to avoid eviction. Notably, most of the cast of the film were not professional actors, including the star, Carlo Battisti. The film was Battisti’s first and last acting role.

The film is a quiet picture about shame, poverty and post-war Italy. It captures many of the themes that De Sica would return to again and again while trying to capture the lives of everyday Italians. Ingmar Bergman once said of the film, “[It’s] a movie I have seen a hundred times, that I may love most of all.” It is available to stream here.

5. Once Upon A Time in the West (1968)

Once Upon a Time in the West is arguably the best Spaghetti Western. Directed by Sergio Leone, the film follows a gunslinger hired by a tycoon to force a homeowner off a key piece of land needed to expand a railroad. After a shootout, the landowner seeks vengeance. The film stars Henry Fonda, Charles Bronson, Jason Robards and Claudia Cardinale.

There are two cuts of this film. The original cut was shown in Europe and clocked in at two and ¾ hours. However, a second cut was shown in America. Like many other Leone films, it was shortened for American audiences and flopped. While it is easier to find the European cut now, it is worth checking which version you have queued up, since the European cut is far better. In America, the film originally opened to poor reviews. However, it gained a cult following and was reevaluated. The film was selected for presentation by the Library of Congress in 2009 and has appeared on many best-of-film lists. Find it here.

4. 8 ½ (1963)

Federico Fellini’s 8 ½ is a masterpiece of Italian cinema. The comedy-drama follows a creatively blocked filmmaker as he is overwhelmed with his work, new movie and personal life. However, the stress pushes him to the fantastical. The film stars Marcello Mastroianni, Claudia Cardinale, Anouk Aimée, Sandra Milo, Rossella Falk and Barbara Steele.

The film is hugely influential and has appeared on many best-of lists, including the Vatican’s compilation of 45 important films made before 1995, the Italian Ministry of Cultural Heritage’s “100 Italian films to be saved,” and the BBC’s 2018 list of “The 100 Greatest Foreign Language Films.” 8 ½ won two Oscars, for Best Foreign Language Film and Best Costume Design (black-and-white). It is available to stream here.

3. Rome, Open City (1945)

Directed by Roberto Rossellini, Rome, Open City is a war drama that takes place during the Nazi Occupation of Rome in 1944. The film follows a resistance leader who is pursued by a German intelligence officer who is dead set on exposing the underground.

WWII had destroyed the Italian film industry and Rome, Open City represented a new era in Italy and Italian cinema. The film stars Aldo Fabrizi, Marcello Pagliero and Anna Magnani. While the film was not received well by contemporary Italian audiences looking for escapism and not neorealism, it gained popularity abroad. In France, it won the Palme d’Or at the Cannes Film Festival, and in America, it was nominated for a Best Writing, Screenplay Oscar. Find it on streaming here.

2. Bicycle Thieves (1948)

Vittorio De Sica’s Bicycle Thieves is a prime example of post-war Italian neorealism. The film follows an impoverished father and his son as they search the streets of Rome for a stolen bicycle. It stars Lamberto Maggiorani, Enzo Staiola and Lianella Carell.

The film appeared in the Italian Ministry of Cultural Heritage’s “100 Italian films to be saved,” and it is a deeply influential film both in Italy and abroad. However, when it was first shown in Italy, many disliked the film for showing the people of Rome in a poor light. Since then, it has been reassessed, released and given widespread praise. It was a favorite of Japanese master director Akira Kurosawa, American filmmaker Martin Scorsese and iconic Indian director Satyajit Ray. It is available to stream here.

1. La Dolce Vita (1960)

Federico Fellini’s La Dolce Vita follows a tabloid reporter through several episodic stories in Rome. The film is really a character study of both the protagonist and the decadently decaying society he chases. It’s a profoundly stylish film that doesn’t struggle with its very long run time (it is nearly three hours.) It may not be Fellini’s greatest film, but something about it that feels deeply Italian and may be the most Italian film of all time.

The film is now considered a tentpole of Italian and even European cinema; however, it was heavily censored upon its first release. It was condemned by the Vatican as they saw it as a parody of the second coming of Jesus. It was also banned in Portugal and Spain (it wasn’t allowed to be shown in Spain until after Generalísimo Franco’s death in 1975). It was received well in America, where it was nominated for four Academy Awards. La Dolce Vida is an enduring classic that has influenced many other films (it has been homaged in Lost in Translation, L.A. Story and Under the Tuscan Sun.) La Dolce Vita has been on many best film lists and was Roger Ebert’s favorite film (he consistently included it in his top ten films for Sight & Sounds’ poll). The film features a large cast with Marcello Mastroianni, Anouk Aimée, Anita Ekberg, Yvonne Furneaux, Alain Cuny, Annibale Ninchi, Magali Noël, Lex Barker, Jacques Sernas and Nadia Gray. It is available to stream here.

Bottom Line

From horror films to comedies, there is so much to love and discover about Italian films. These artistic and historic films are must-watches for cinema buffs. So take a couple of hours (or sometimes more) and take in these iconic films.