Hollywood on the Italian Riviera: where it all began

Back in 2009, I travelled to Liguria, the Italian Riviera on the north west coast of Italy to visit my in-laws. A keen film location geek, I mentioned to my partner how surprised I was that such an amazing corner of the world had not been used in movies. Oooooppssss. That same evening I was treated to the 1961 romantic comedy Come September (Torna a Settembre in Italian) starring Gina Lollobrigida, Rock Hudson, Sandra Dee, Bobby Darin and Walter Slezak.

On the following day, back we went to Santa Margherita Ligure to have a pick at ‘Rock’s Villa’ outside of which you can actually sit on a bench where Bobby Darin’s tent once stood, and enjoy the same stunning view over the harbour. And this is how it all started.

I decided to have a closer look at Liguria, the Italian Riviera, a region that after Rome and Venice,  is one of the most used for filming in Italy, but whose rich cinematographic heritage is hardly promoted by local authorities.