9 movies to watch before going to Rome

If you are planning your trip to Italy, between all the cities you can visit in the country, Rome is probably a mandatory stop on your route. If you want to discover the movies to see before going to Rome, the first thing we should point out to you is that the Eternal City has had a huge participation in the world of cinema. And this in tapes set both in its origins and in its current configuration.

Regarding the former, there has even been a whole film genre that recreates classical Rome: the peplum. And, as for the second, from the Italian neorealism to the industry of Hollywood have chosen the capital of Italy as the setting for many of his films. But, without further ado, we are going to show you some of the movies to watch before going to Rome.

Movies to watch before going to Rome: from the peplum to today's cinema

As we told you, the films that you should see before going to Rome take the city as a setting. But, in addition, many of them make it one more character that influences and even determines the lives of the protagonists. We are going to see some of these movies.

'Ben Hur'

If we were talking about the cinematographic genre of the peplum, this Hollywood blockbuster is one of its best samples. Directed by William wyler and starring Charlton Heston, Stephen boyd, Jack hawkins y Hague Harareet, is based on the homonymous novel by Lewis wallace.

The film begins in the Judea of ​​the year XNUMX of our era. The aristocrat Judah Ben-Hur he is unjustly accused of opposition to the Romans and sentenced to galleys. After meeting Jesus Christ and going through many vicissitudes, the protagonist arrives in Rome as a rich man and a competitor in chariot races. But he only has one goal: to take revenge on his old friend Mesala, responsible for the imprisonment of his mother and sister.

'Ben-Hur' had a budget of fifteen million dollars, the largest for a movie until then. More than two hundred workers worked on the construction of its decorations, which included hundreds of statues and friezes. Likewise, a hundred seamstresses were in charge of creating the costumes. Y the chariot race scene It is one of the most famous in the history of cinema.

The film opened in New York on November 18, 1959 and became the second highest grossing film so far after 'Gone with the Wind'. As if that were not enough, he obtained eleven Oscars, including Best Picture, Best Director, and Best Actor. In any case, it is still considered one of the best films in the history of cinema.

'Holidays in Rome'

Another film directed by William wylerAlthough with a very different theme, it is also one of the movies to see before going to Rome. In this case, it is a romantic comedy starring Audrey Hepburn y Gregory Peck. The first is Anna, a princess who, after escaping from her entourage, spends a day and a night in the city like any Roman.

It was shot in the famous Cinecittá studios, very close to the Italian capital itself. Nominated for seven Academy Awards, she won three including Best Actress for the unforgettable Audrey. Likewise, scenes like the one with both protagonists on the stairs of the Spain Square or the motorcycle tour have gone down in the annals of cinema.

'La dolce vita', another classic among the movies to see before going to Rome

Written and directed by Federico Fellini In 1960, it has also been unanimously applauded as one of the classics in film history. It premiered at the Cannes Film Festival that year and was awarded the Palm of Gold, although he had less luck at the Oscars since he only got the one with the best costume design.

Its protagonists are Marcelo mastroianni, Anita ekberg y Anouk Aimee. The plot tells several independent stories whose common link is the city of Rome itself and its surroundings. Also in this case you will recognize an unforgettable scene: that of both protagonists bathing in the Trevi Fountain.

'Dear Diary'

Autobiographical film in which its director and protagonist, Nani moretti, tells of his experiences in the Eternal City. It consists of three independent episodes and combines comedy with documentary. It was released in 1993 and, the following year, it obtained the Palm of Gold in Cannes and also the award for best director.

Very well known are the scenes in which the protagonist travels the city on the back of his Vespa explaining the reasons why he adores neighborhoods such as the Flaminio bridge o Garbatella. If you want to get information about the less known and central areas of Rome, we advise you to watch this movie.

'Rome, open city'

Much less kind tone has this film of Robert Rossellini premiered in 1945. Set in the Second World War, it tells several stories whose protagonists are linked to the resistance against the Nazis.

However, one of the key characters is the priest father Pietro, who ends up being shot by the Germans and is a transcript of Luigi morosini, a cleric who aided the resistance and was tortured and killed for it.

Likewise, the role of Pina, a woman played by Ana Magnani. Along with this, the cast are Aldo Fabrizi, Marcello Pagliero, Nando Bruno, Harry Feist and Giovanna Galletti. It's such a crude tape that it even had issues with censorship. In return, it obtained the Palm of Gold at the Cannes Film Festival.

'A particular day'

Marcello Mastroianni y Sophia Loren They worked together on several movies, but this is one of the best. It is set in the XNUMXs, when fascism was in full swing, and constitutes a critical portrait of Italian society at the time.

Mastroianni plays a radio host fired for being gay and Loren plays a woman married to a government official. The two enter into a relationship when they meet by chance because neither of them has attended the parade in honor of Hitler on May 1938, XNUMX.

The director of the film was Ettore Scola, who also collaborated on the script. As a curiosity, he plays a supporting role in the film Alessandra mussolini, granddaughter of the fascist dictator. Widely awarded, it garnered two Oscar nominations: best actor and best foreign language film, although it ultimately did not win any.

'To Rome with love'

More recent is this film directed by Woody Allen, as it was released in 2012. It is a romantic comedy that tells four stories all of which have the Eternal City as the setting and are centered on the theme of personal fulfillment and fame. One of the protagonists, a music producer named Jerry, is played by Allen himself.

The others are Jack, an architecture student played by Jesse Eisenberg; Leopoldo, an anonymous man who suddenly becomes a media focus and who embodies Roberto Benigni, and Antonio, a role he plays Alessandro tiberi. Along with them, Penelope Cruz, Fabio Armilato, Antonio Albanese and Ornella Muti appear.

'The great beauty'

Contemporary with the previous one, as it was released in 2013, is this film directed by Paolo Sorrentino, who also wrote the script alongside Umberto Contarello. And it also has a point of manners.

In a Rome ravaged by the ferragosto, the frustrated journalist and writer Jep Gambardella It is related to different representative characters of the high social spheres. Prelates, politicians, white-collar criminals, actors and other individuals make up this plot that takes place in lavish palaces and stately villas.

The movie stars Toni Servillo, Carlo Verdone, Sabrina Ferilli, Galatea ranzi y Carlo Buccirosso, among other interpreters. In 2013 she was awarded the Palm of Gold Cannes and, shortly after, with the Oscar for the best foreign language film. But the most important thing is that it is an update of the plot of 'La dolce vita', which we have already told you about.

'Accatone', a portrait of the suburbs

In this list of films to see before going to Rome could not be missing one directed by Pier Paolo Pasolini, one of the intellectuals who best knew how to capture the essence of the Eternal City, it is true that he was sifted by his peculiar point of view.

We could tell you about several tapes, but we have chosen this one because it is a portrait of marginal Rome. Accatone is a pimp from the suburbs who does not stop starving, just like his group of friends. Capable of doing anything before work, he keeps on telling off and finding new women to exploit.

As you can see from the plot, it is a brutal portrait of the Roman underworld of the XNUMXs. Drink from Italian neorealism and is interpreted by Franco Citti, Silvana Corsini, Franca Passut y paola guidi among other interpreters. As a curiosity, we will tell you that Bernardo Bertolucci he worked as an assistant director on the film.

In conclusion, we have shown you some of the movies to see before going to Rome. They are a representative part of all those that have the Eternal City as a stage or even as one more protagonist. In fact, we could mention others like 'Angels and Demons'by Gregory Widen; 'The nights of Cabiria'by Federico Fellini; 'Beautifull'by Luchino Visconti or 'Eat Pray Love'by Ryan Murphy.