Review of La Strada (1954) by Blake P — 20 Aug 2011

"La Strada" is in Federico Fellini's top five best movies for me, as well as Giulietta Masina's best performance in his movies so far. Sweet and naive Gelsomina (Masina) is born in a poor family, and in a desperate attempt to get ten-thousand lire, her mother sells her to rough circus performer Zampanò (Quinn).

Gelsomina hates him, but she enjoys the circus life, and appreciates all that her owner has taught her. When the two are picked up by a bigger deal circus, Gelsomina meets Il Matto (The Fool) (Basehart) and after a few meetings, she falls for him.

Too bad the triangle brings doom for the three. "La Strada" is one of Fellini's masterpieces, and since I prefer his black-and-white '50's films to his strange '60's and later surrealist movies, I knew I had to see this movie considering how many few "normal" movies he has.

Truly, this is one of his most memorable movies. The message, the score, and especially the cinematography capture the essence of everything this movie is about, and Fellini does not make anything in this movie un-enjoyable or trite.

Masina has been called the female Chaplin for how she uses facial expressions and body language to show what she is trying to say, and indeed she does this and makes a very very touching performance, and outdoes the rest of the cast (even though Quinn and Basehart are superb) just by doing her role so subtly.

No matter what, you can feel the emotions that she presents, and in the meantime gives us one of the most sympathetic performances of all time. The BAFTA nod is well deserved. "La Strada" is an excellent movie that is not only dark, but is one of the most touching films I've ever seen.

Highly recommended.