The aim of this article is to illustrate some key points that will hopefully encourage further reflection on the cinematic representations and meanings of populism in both an Italian and international context. Firstly, we attempt a definition of populism as applied to cinema, drawing on both political science and the literature on film history. Secondly, we turn to film critics and directors, discussing the views some of them hold on populism and film in relation to the Italian cinema of recent years. Thirdly, we discuss how the star system provides a useful point of convergence for our analysis of cinema and populism, looking in particular at postwar commedia all'italiana and the role of Totò in this context. Finally, we draw some conclusions and suggest what directions future research on the issue of populism and Italian cinema could take.

本文的目的是说明一些关键点，希望能鼓励人们在意大利和国际背景下进一步思考民粹主义的电影表现和意义。首先，我们尝试利用政治学和电影史文献来定义适用于电影的民粹主义。其次，我们转向影评人和导演，讨论他们中的一些人对近年来意大利电影的民粹主义和电影的看法。第三，我们讨论了明星系统如何为我们分析电影和民粹主义提供一个有用的交汇点，特别是战后的意大利喜剧。以及托托在这方面的作用。最后，我们得出一些结论，并提出未来关于民粹主义和意大利电影问题的研究可以采取的方向。