1954's The Barefoot Contessa is considered one of director Joseph L. Mankiewicz's most glamorous "Hollywood" films, and one of the most glamorous of Golden Hollywood. The irony of this statement is that the film was produced out of Cinecittà Studios in Rome with exterior scenes shot at Tivoli (the olive grove), Sanremo, and Portofino. The film's Italian production was part of the "Hollywood on the Tiber" phenomenon. This is a phrase used to describe the period in the 1950's and 1960's when the Italian capital of Rome emerged as a major location for international filmmaking, attracting many foreign productions to the Cinecittà studios.
What helped distinguish such productions from those coming from the native Italian film industry is these movies were made in English for global release. Although the primary markets for such films were American and British audiences, they enjoyed widespread popularity in other countries, including Italy. Stay tuned!
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