Il Boom

Billed as “The Unseen Film by Vittorio De Sica,” Il Boom finally receives its long overdue US theatrical release. Written by the director’s longtime collaborator Cesare Zavattini, Il Boom is a hilarious sendup that critiques Italy’s economic miracle of the early 1960s. While the Roman elite enjoy the material rewards of success, De Sica’s biting satire follows the challenges faced by loser-protagonist Giovanni, a clowning, often desperate businessman who can’t support his family’s extravagant lifestyle. Starring the great Italian actor Alberto Sordi (The White Sheik, I vitelloni, Mafioso), whose marvelous performance nails the existential dilemma he faces, Il Boom is a shining example of commedia all’italiana (comedy Italian style).