Review of La Strada (1954) by Ivan M — 03 May 2012

Such an amazing film. Federico Fellini's first true landmark film, La Strada, established him as one of cinema's great directors almost immediately upon its release. The happy-go-lucky Gelsomina (Giulietta Masina) walks along the beach, where she is dragged back home by her young sisters.

She learns that her older sister has died, and that she must take her place as assistant to the gruff, brutish Zampano (Anthony Quinn), a street performer who presents one simple trick that has gone utterly stale, but makes a living and that's all he cares about.

While on the road, Zampano treats Gelsomina like dirt, yet they grow an attachment which only becomes apparent when it is too late. I adore this film's cinematography, which possesses some sort of greatness that I can't put my finger on.

The acting is superb, Masina with her adorable facial expressions and naively optimistic manner, Quinn with his uptight, ape-like personality which is notoriously mocked by Richard Baseheart, "The Fool".

All the rest of this masterpiece's charm, accompanied by Nino Rota's score which is as always, excellent makes this one of my favourite films.