"Movies $3 Million Italian Doll": Sophia Loren at Hollywood (1957-1960)

Abstract

This article examines the less known (and less studied) section of Sophia Loren's filmography: her American period. It is an experience that definitively transforms the national maggiorata into one of the most desired and well-paid international stars. Arriving in Los Angeles in 1957, Sophia Loren seduces Hollywood with her Latin charm, naturalness, spontaneous and crafted vitality, but especially thanks to the 'controlled' exaggeration of her curves, perfectly in line with the clichés of Italian beauty. However, the roles assigned to her are not only functional to highlight her physical appearance: most of the characters she portrays are autonomous, independent, determined, and courageous women, capable of rebelling against the will of their male partners.