Review of La Strada (1954) by Zach C — 05 Feb 2011

"La Strada" features Guilietta Masina in a truly Chaplin-esque role. Here, Fellini relies heavily on his skill to produce images that communicate without words, or require few words - making the film a particularly powerful and poignant visual work. By drawing the character of Gilsomina (Masina) as innocent, simple, and vulnerable, and placing her in contrast with Zampano (Quinn) - a brute and drunkard ruled by his appetites, the viewer cannot help but perceive that even the characters are "black and white." While most reviews focus on Gelsomina's redemptive influence over Zampano, I thought her love was wasted on the monster; indeed, I saw Zampano's misery as a nasty bout of self-pity and not genuine repentance.

The second disc in the boxed set contains a quasi-documentary on Fellini, including interviews over a period of years. I enjoyed this more than "La Strada!" It was fascinating to hear Fellini talk about how he created scenes by drawing on the fuzzy-edged 'memory of reality' and not 'reality' itself. Through his admission, I understood Fellini's child-like love for the circus, and his tenderness for the worst of his characters, like the brutish Zampano.