LIVING LA DOLCE VITA: remembering the 1950s and 60s
When Italy set the pace for American fads and fancies During the 1950s and 60s, what America wore, what we drove, and how we looked was, in a large part, dictated by Italy's trend setters which included fashion designers, film directors, and auto makers.
If it originated in Italy, or the designer's name ended in a vowel, the American public was buying it. Even our First Lady, Jackie Kennedy, was enamoured with Oleg Cassini fashions. She set the style pace in suits and jackets by Cassini.
The film industry was, to a large degree, responsible for the public's newfound interest in the European way of life. With films such as Federico Fellini's, "La Dolce Vita" and "La Strada", Italian moviemakers had stirred a lust in America's heart that hitherto had not been touched before.
Italy's "leave it till tomorrow" lifestyle and carefree attitude appealed to the American moviegoer, who quickly began to emulate the "dolce vita" lifestyle. Living the sweet life soon became the priority of the day. People not only wanted to live well, but better, a passion that sent Americans on a search for the "good life". Songs such as Dean Martin's "That's Amore" Al Martino's “Al di là” and Mario Lanza's "Arrivederci Roma" were high on America's hit parade.
Even Walt Disney got in on the act when he had the Italian tune "Bella Notte" composed especially for his animated hit, Lady and the Tramp. While Peggy Lee's voice sings the romantic ballad, the canine stars of the film, Lady and Tramp, dine alfresco on a platter of meatballs and spaghetti.
The song and the scene were the hit of the film. Films featuring Italy were sure to draw people to the box office. Movies such as "Three coins in the Fountain", "Summertime in Venice,” and "The Rose Tattoo," helped feed the frenzy for anything Italian. Wildly famous Italian fashion designers, Cassini, Pucci, Gucci, Givenchy, and Simonetta were hotly in demand, as were these fast cars made by Italian auto makers: Lamborghini, Maserati, Ferrari and Alfa Romeo.
But more than cars and more than clothes, Italy's most profound import was the movie icon, the Italian cinema’s sexy earthy women and demonstrative, romantic Italian men. They came to us in a variety of sizes, shapes and heights, those voluptuous Italian actresses and sensuous men from across the sea.
Whatever their size, shape or style, few movie goers were exempt from the spell cast by these magnetic stars, The first of these Italian imports to make an impact on our post war styles and trends was Gina Lollobrigida. Born Luigina Lollobrigida in Subiaco, Italy, Gina was the first international actress to bring the short saucy Italian hair cut to American beauty salons.
Its official name was "The artichoke cut" but anyone who wanted it just asked her beautician for the "Lollobrigida look". Lollobrigida had starred in a number of earthy Italian films before coming to America. But it wasn't until 1957 when she starred in "Trapeze" with Burt Lancaster and Tony Curtis that America took an undivided interest in her. Even the popular "I love Lucy" show got in on the Italian craze.
In one of Lucy's most beloved episodes Ricky and Lucy Ricardo travel to Italy where Lucy tries to get a part in an earthy Italian film but ends up stomping grapes. The public was enthralled with Italian imports, women's fads reflected these styles: short dark hair, hooped earrings, and low cut blouses.
But more than styles, it was an attitude we were trying to adopt. About this time, Sophia Loren came along and made her American film debut in "Pride and the Passion” with the leader of the pack, Frank Sinatra. She was an instant success and she starred in a string of films with Hollywood's top leading men, "Houseboat" with Cary Grant, "It Started in Naples" with Clark Gable, and “Black Orchid” with Anthony Quinn.
But, like all things Italian, there was more to this glamour queen than met the eye. Despite her voluptuous statistics, which, at the time, inspired an all time high in sales of padded and "push-up" bras, this import could act. Film Director Vittorio de Sica sensed this about her and took a big chance. He starred the sexy siren in a non-glamorous role in the film drama"Two Women". His instincts proved correct and Sophia Loren was the first actress in a foreign film to receive the academy award.
After seeing Italian actress Anna Magnani in several Italian made films, playwright Tennessee Williams wrote the "Rose Tattoo" especially with her in mind. This film made an impact on the public like no other. It cemented the image of the earthy Italian women forever in our minds.
For her exquisite performance in the film Magnani recived the Academy award and the New York film critic's award. She was nominated again for her roles in "Wild is the Wind (1957) and "The Fugitive kind" with Marlon Brando. But she would be forever stereotyped as the raw, sensual Italian woman. While Italy's actresses were wearing designer gowns and setting fashion trends, Italy's actors, such as Marcello Mastroianni and Rossano Brazzi were creating a new look for the American male.
This inspired the trend for Italian silk suits, dark glasses, silk shirts, and scarves, monogrammed leather, sporty hats, fast cars and above all else an attitude. Lay back, carefree, let tomorrow take care of itself. Though this esthetic lifestyle may not have been very practical it was fun while it lasted.
And for a time, the movie going public couldn't get enough of the Mastroianni and Brazzi Italian accents, or Loren and Lollobrigida's curvaceous figures. Mastroianni 's hit film "La dolce vita" had solidified him as the jet setters’ icon. In real-life the actor's lifestyle wasn't too dissimilar from the characters he portrayed. Which made him even more adored by women and envied by men all over the world.
Rossano Brazzi was, in real-life, a happily married man, but Hollywood encouraged his playboy image. He starred in a series of popular romantic films: "Three coins in the Fountain", "Summertime in Venice" and "Rome Adventure". Even the Italian accent was marketable, in fact, comedian Pat Herrington Jr. built a career around it. In 1959, he caused a small sensation when he appeared on Jack Parr's tonight show, claiming to be Italian born Guido Panzini.
The public was crazy about the supposed Italian born comic, until it was revealed that he was actually Harrington, an America born Irishmen. The Italian lifestyle, their movie stars and sporty cars were an enviable way of life to a generation just beginning to enjoy a prosperous economy; a lifestyle that may not have been practical as it was enviable.
Today, music, styles and trends come and go as quickly as yesterday's news. Fashion isn't very exciting, not like it was in decades past. Autos are driven now for their practicality and not the image they create and hairstyles, well there really aren't any around to copy. And I can't remember the last time I heard an actor with an Italian accent.
With the exception of TV's Baywatch, the curvaceous actress is all but gone from the movie screen, today "thin is in" and when they talk about an actresses large cup size, they are only talking about her cafe' latte. There was something very special about the Italian fads and people of the 1950s and '60s and they left an indelible mark on the buying public who admired them.
Sophia Loren is still as beautiful and beguiling as she was in the 1950s. The actress once said, "Beauty comes from the soul and it shows in your eyes, it has nothing to do with looks". At a recent Golden Globe awards, amidst a bevy of young movie starlets Kelsey Grammer was asked if he had seen anyone there who impressed him, he replied, “I saw only one person here who totally awed me with her beauty, Sophia Loren".
It seems this Italian star's beauty comes from deep within and remains timeless. Italian fads and movie stars, may not be as popular as they once were, but one thing is certain, they were made to last... and maybe the truth is, they never really went away.
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