A travelling strong man (Anthony Quinn) pays a woman to take her simpleton daughter as his assistant. He isn’t nice.
I’m amazed how hard it is to sum up this film. A lot goes on in the story but it is all about how the relationship of the two characters (and a third) develops because of the events in their lives. I seldom have this problem with Hollywood movies. Ostensibly, he needs her for the act, but he is very mean and criticizes everything she does. Does he really need her? Does he even like her? Their relationship and expectations change over time. This is a refreshingly non-Hollywood movie.
Director Federico Fellini began shooting before securing financing. He got his wife to play the ‘waif’ and hired two distinctly non-Italians to play the other leads, then dubbed their voices. The film that nobody wanted ended up being a huge hit, winning the affection of the Motion Picture Academy and the Pope.
There seems to be a theme. Gelsomina's dead sister (and Zampano's previous assistant) was named Rosa, Zampano calls a prostitute 'red' (rosso), and a bride is said to be fresh as a rose. Interesting symbology for such a drab and unattractive film. I feel it must mean something, but I don't know what.
Drab and ugly, but captivating still. The players exist in a seedy, desperate world. It felt authentic and lived in. Maybe much like post-war Italy. La Strada is a sad, touching film, and I will see it again. AMRU 4.5.
No comments:
Post a Comment