An American in Rome

An American in Rome (Un americano a Roma, 1954) is an Italian comedy classic you can watch online on iFILM, directed by Steno. Alberto Sordi plays Nando Mericoni, a young Roman so fixated on postwar America that he's essentially staging a one-man cultural transplant in his own neighbourhood.

The cowboy gear goes on every morning. He speaks English when the moment calls for it — and often when it doesn't. Cornflakes with ketchup instead of pasta. The problem is that Rome keeps being Rome, and Nando keeps being Nando. Sordi never winks at the camera; he plays it completely straight, which is why the comedy lands.

Released in 1954, the film caught Italy mid-obsession with American culture and turned that obsession into the best joke in the room. A young Ursula Andress appears in a small early role. Stream An American in Rome online on iFILM.