Food in Film (Part One)

With vaccine uptake on the rise in several countries, restaurants and cinemas are finally reopening (or scheduled to reopen), at least at reduced capacity. One of life’s great pleasures that was too often taken for granted is the ability to sit beside a loved one, whether friend or family, and enjoy an evening out grabbing dinner and a movie.

And what about those films that featured good food, whether as part of the plot line or just a throwaway scene that stands out in memory? In making a list, I came up with so many films that I could not fit them in a single blog post.

So below is the first of several posts that is intended to remind us of some truly great food scenes in film. I have broken them down by cuisine. My list is by no means exhaustive. I know that I am not accounting for some great films featuring food and invite you to use the comments section to share those films that did not make my list.

Bon appetit and enjoy the show!

Italian cuisine

“The Godfather” (1972) — An attempt has just been made on Don Vito Corleone’s life, and the Corleone crime family are gathered at the family compound. They await word from the hospital on the Don’s health and are planning their attack against the other crime families who sanctioned the “hit.” Michael Corleone (a young Al Pacino) is speaking with his girlfriend (a young Diane Keaton) on the phone. Peter Clemenza (one of the Don’s capos) is standing before the stove preparing to feed the hungry men assembled.

Clemenza overhears Michael’s conversation and chimes in:

“Mikey, why don’t you tell that nice girl you love her? I love you with all-a my heart. If I don’t see you again soon, I’m a gonna die.”

Clemenza (also of “leave the gun, take the cannoli” fame) continues:

“Hey, come over here kid, learn something. You never know, you might have to cook for 20 guys someday. You see, you start out with a little bit of oil. Then you fry some garlic. Then you throw in some tomatoes, tomato paste, you fry it; you make sure it doesn’t stick. You get it to a boil; you shove in all your sausage and your meatballs, eh? Add a little bit a wine… and a little bit a sugar… that’s my trick.”

Impossible to watch this scene without tasting the garlic and Chianti.

“Big Night” (1996) — Any movie that pairs Tony Shalhoub (Primo) and Stanley Tucci (Secundo) as two Italian brothers running an authentic and failing 1950s Italian restaurant has to be worth watching. Throw in the enchanting Isabella Rossellini as the wife of a rival restauranteur and then cue the star of the movie, the timpano, which is made to impress the guests on the “big night” planned by the two brothers. What is timpano? Basically, you layer pasta, provolone, eggs, meatballs, salami, grated Romano cheese, and ragu in a deep dish that is covered in a thin dough to encase all of these ingredients and then bake.

The unveiling of this dish will have you desperately searching the internet for an Italian restaurant that serves it. Unless you are blessed with a nonna (or friends with someone who has one), buona fortuna! Authentic timpano is as rare as a clean white shirt without the splatter of sauce after eating a plate of spaghetti.

“Lady and the Tramp” (1955) — Speaking of spaghetti. Has there ever been a more romantic scene then the one in which the refined cocker spaniel Lady shares a strand of spaghetti with the stray mutt Tramp, ending in an inadvertent kiss? And how could Lady resist Tramp’s roguish charm as he nudges the last meatball toward her with his nose? As the owner of Tony’s restaurant plays the accordion and sings “Bella Notte,” together with an Italian chef, the candle in the bottle of Chianti and breadsticks on the table, nearly every stereotype is covered as these two dogs realize they were meant for one another. And what better reason to see a Disney film than the eventual fulfillment of the wish to live happily ever after, preferably on a full stomach.

Join me next time for memorable films featuring Chinese and Japanese cuisine. Coming soon to a blog near you.

Danilo Diazgranados is an investor, collector, and lover of fine wines and a member of the prestigious Confrérie des Chevaliers du Tastevin, a fraternity of Burgundy wine enthusiasts.