Denoting a postwar continental lifestyle of easygoing indulgence and sophisticated hedonism, the phrase "la dolce vita" entered popular usage following the enormous success of Federico Fellini's 1960 film of the same name, staring Marcello Mastroianni, Anita Ekberg and Anouk Aimee. Thanks in part to Fellini's beautifully shot portrait of sunsoaked leisure and the compulsive quest for sensual satisfaction, the phrase still has the power to conjure the mythos of nonchalant glamour that attends to the period of 1958 to 1964 in Italy. Upbeat and loose was the style of the day, and Italy served as a playground for the movies stars of Europe and America on vacation. Kirk Douglas, Clark Gable, Tony Curtis, John Wayne, Jayne Mansfield and Brigitte Bardot all found themselves candidly snapped while holidaying there: with the ascent of the paparazzi, who served as constant companions for the boldface names of the day as they sunned themselves in Positano or enjoy a trattoria luncheon in Rome. This beautifully illustrated book features more than 300 photographs (many never before published) from this remarkable era, offering a seductive panoramic photo-portrait of a vanished world of effortless cool.
