Charming but tragic, this is a good place to start for Fellini beginners. The lead actress (Giulietta Masina) reminds me of a female Stan Laurel, with her childlike innocence and expressive face.
A wonderful and very enjoyable film, but for me wouldn't be much without Giulietta Masina. I couldn't help but fall in love with her and her precious artichoke like face
I did not like the movie. "He beats me because he loves me" culture all over it. Sad and tragic but does not offer anything other than obvious representation of that kind of behavior is destructive to all.
@Brantastic16 - First off you can see this film with subtitles on the Criterion Collection release. It is available streaming on Hulu Plus and on disc through Netflix.
Secondly the reason La Strada is ranked higher than Nights of Cabiria on the Top 250 but not on the 1950s charts is that the IMDB Top 250 is a weighted score based on a specific formula, while the 1950s list (and all other lists like it) are based solely on the the highest rated films with 5,000+ votes. Therefore Nights of Cabiria has a higher raw user score, but La Strada has a higher ratio of user score over number of votes.
I started with 8 1/2, liked it the first time I watched it. Bought La Strada and watched it three times that weekend. Months later I watched La Dolce Vita and then returned to 8 1/2, and that instantly became my favorite film of all time. However the other three films I named, are all masterpieces as well.
La Strada won Fellini his first Oscar, at least in part thanks to his wife Giulietta Masina who stars in the picture as an open-hearted woman who is sold by her family to a circus strongman played by Anthony Quinn (which she introduced to Fellini, thereby securing a more international audience for "The Road"). Not only is she important to the film's inception, but she's the best thing about it, giving an expressive performance as a kind of female Chaplin character equal parts lightness and sadness. In Fellini's cruel neo-realism, life on the road for performers is far from glamorous. Post-war Italy is a devastated wasteland. The two leads sleep in the snowy gutter. And her only respite from his cold brutality is also a bit of a jerk. Both men are closed off and incapable of admitting any real feeling for her, though it can be found in the subtle acting. The question of the film, then, is whether her spirit will be broken by the strongman, or if her love for and loyalty to him with break his first. A tragedy in the making.
I really didn't expect this film to be sentimental, which is terrific of Fellini, because people instantaneously think of happy things and laughter whenever anything's associated with the circus. Giulietta Masina is adorable.
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Comments 1 - 15 of 24
MrE2Me
Charming but tragic, this is a good place to start for Fellini beginners. The lead actress (Giulietta Masina) reminds me of a female Stan Laurel, with her childlike innocence and expressive face.George Bailey
I agree with you Mre2me! If you want to watch Fellini, begin with this one! Don't begin with 8½ like I did!pqris
A wonderful and very enjoyable film, but for me wouldn't be much without Giulietta Masina. I couldn't help but fall in love with her and her precious artichoke like faceCundurs
I did not like the movie. "He beats me because he loves me" culture all over it. Sad and tragic but does not offer anything other than obvious representation of that kind of behavior is destructive to all.daisyaday
Giulietta Masina ! Wow!mi-16evil
@Brantastic16 - First off you can see this film with subtitles on the Criterion Collection release. It is available streaming on Hulu Plus and on disc through Netflix.Secondly the reason La Strada is ranked higher than Nights of Cabiria on the Top 250 but not on the 1950s charts is that the IMDB Top 250 is a weighted score based on a specific formula, while the 1950s list (and all other lists like it) are based solely on the the highest rated films with 5,000+ votes. Therefore Nights of Cabiria has a higher raw user score, but La Strada has a higher ratio of user score over number of votes.
Fellini_Fiend87
I started with 8 1/2, liked it the first time I watched it. Bought La Strada and watched it three times that weekend. Months later I watched La Dolce Vita and then returned to 8 1/2, and that instantly became my favorite film of all time. However the other three films I named, are all masterpieces as well.Scratch47
Sad and redeeming.corchap
its been said but it cannot be overstated: Giulietta has the cutest face! so animated and full of emotion.Siskoid
La Strada won Fellini his first Oscar, at least in part thanks to his wife Giulietta Masina who stars in the picture as an open-hearted woman who is sold by her family to a circus strongman played by Anthony Quinn (which she introduced to Fellini, thereby securing a more international audience for "The Road"). Not only is she important to the film's inception, but she's the best thing about it, giving an expressive performance as a kind of female Chaplin character equal parts lightness and sadness. In Fellini's cruel neo-realism, life on the road for performers is far from glamorous. Post-war Italy is a devastated wasteland. The two leads sleep in the snowy gutter. And her only respite from his cold brutality is also a bit of a jerk. Both men are closed off and incapable of admitting any real feeling for her, though it can be found in the subtle acting. The question of the film, then, is whether her spirit will be broken by the strongman, or if her love for and loyalty to him with break his first. A tragedy in the making.ReVision
I'm not quite sure why, but i was really drawn into this by Gelsomina. Her eyes and emotions were hauntingly creepy but also very innocent.Sad but satisfying story, my first experience with Fellini.
Shingwauk
When I first laid eyes on Giulietta Masina I loved her instantly. Well done to both leading actors.ClassicLady
Very good. Quinn was perfect for this role. The emotional tension between the main characters made for high quality drama.voltesque
I really didn't expect this film to be sentimental, which is terrific of Fellini, because people instantaneously think of happy things and laughter whenever anything's associated with the circus. Giulietta Masina is adorable.Nilofarish
Very good movie by an amazing director!Showing items 1 – 15 of 24