Whether you’re a cinephile or not, movies are a great way to learn or improve a language! Italy has a very rich movie history, from silent films dating back to 1905 to the trademark “commedia all’italiana” that launched international stars like Marcello Mastroianni and Sophia Loren.
If you’re looking for movies to learn or improve your Italian, here are our top suggestions:
La Dolce Vita (1960)
This movie introduced the “sweet life” of Rome in the early ’60s and the visionary genius of Federico Fellini to the world. But all that glitters isn’t gold: through the eyes of the journalist Marcello, the main character, we see the decadence and the moral corruption of local society in a time of economic growth. It’s a long story (3 hours) but still a great pleasure to watch. With dialogue in perfect Italian, it’s easy to follow and enjoy.
I Soliti Ignoti (1958)
“The Usual Unknown Ones” is a story about a group of amateur thieves trying to break into the safe of a pawnshop with disastrous results. It’s still one of the best examples of the Italian commedia, and can also be seen as a parody of the US gangster movies and of the French “noir” ones. The thieves come from different regions of Italy and all have individual accents, including the Neapolitan accent of the legendary comedian Totò who plays the “teacher” of the gang. There’s also a fantastic jazz soundtrack!
Il Sorpasso (1962)
“The Overtaking” is arguably the most famous Italian road trip movie. Two opposite personalities, the loud and extroverted Bruno and the shy and introspective Roberto, meet by chance and travel together from Rome to the Tuscan coast on August 15th (during “Ferragosto“, the peak of Italian summertime). Naturally, chaos and hilarity ensue! Many things happen along the way: the melodic horn of Bruno’s car is very much ingrained in the movie as he honks wildly. The dialogue is largely done by Bruno, generally fast and with a bit of a Roman accent.
Nuovo Cinema Paradiso (1988)
A movie about the beautiful friendship between Salvatore, a 10-year old orphaned child, and Alfredo, the projectionist of a movie theater in a Sicilian small town, just after the end of WWII. This friendship is fueled by the common love for cinema, and it will last through the years and many hardships. Little Salvatore, of course, has a sweet Sicilian accent, like most of the characters.
La Vita è Bella (1999)
“Life is Beautiful” became a motto of sorts, and it’s ironic to think that it’s the title of a comedy set largely in a concentration camp. Roberto Benigni, who was a comedian known to be irreverent and even vulgar at times, surprised everyone with his character’s signature greeting of “buongiorno principessa!” (good morning princess)! The dialogue is easy to follow: Benigni speaks with his Tuscan accent, which of all the accents is the closest to perfect Italian.
Have you seen any of these classic Italian films?
