An American in Rome

Nando Mericoni, who lives in Rome, is obsessed with America; he believes he speaks English, dresses like a cowboy, and tries to eat milk and jam instead of real Italian food. Every time he applies what he has learned from American films in the city he humiliates himself. Steno aims directly at postwar Italy's infatuation with American culture. Alberto Sordi developed the part from a character he had invented himself, and it made him a star in Italy. The best-known scene is the pasta: the man tries to eat the American food, cannot bear it, and finally surrenders to the spaghetti. It is an early and effective example of the Italian comic tradition of criticising its own society. Who it is for: viewers who like classic Italian comedy and Alberto Sordi. Who it is not for: anyone watching without the period's references.