No Longer La Dolce Vita

First there were bread and tulips, now there are days and clouds. The couplets refer to film titles by director Silvio Soldini. His film "Pane e Tulipani," released in 1999, was a critical and commercial success. Now there's "Giorni e Nuvole," currently in limited engagement in the U.S.

According to The New York Times, in an article titled "Hard Look at Tough Times for an Italian Marriage," the Italian film: "...suggests that Italy's middle class is as much under siege as that of the United States. In both countries, it appears, job security isn’t what it used to be, and corporate downsizing is plunging affluent families into sudden financial tailspins."

No more Anita Ekberg frolicking in the Fontana di Trevi, it seems.