In the 1930’s, a white telephone was a luxury item and a symbol of opulence. This visual status symbol indicated great wealth and represents an era of Italian filmmaking focused on the glamorous lives of those who could afford such an ostentatious technology1. The aesthetic of these films revolved around lush settings and grand, splendid worlds in which the rich struggle with marital conflicts and other cultural attitudes. While occasionally perceived as satire of the upper class, most often these films are remembered as being “escapist” and distractions from…