Cebalord Very best movie i ever watch

Forumrxes Yo, there's no way for me to review this film without saying, take your *insert ethnicity + "ass" here* to see this film,like now. You have to see it in order to know what you're really messing with.

Voxitype Good films always raise compelling questions, whether the format is fiction or documentary fact.

Deanna There are moments in this movie where the great movie it could've been peek out... They're fleeting, here, but they're worth savoring, and they happen often enough to make it worth your while.

elvircorhodzic LA STRADA is a film about wandering and aimless life, the harsh truth and beautiful poetry. The film emphasizes the sadness, loneliness and need for love, purpose and understanding. The story is about an unusual friendship between strongman and mildly mentally retarded girl in the entertainment show.This film is a quite realistic and honest life's journey, in which lack of tenderness and compassion. It is fascinating that in said film does not express the tragedy nor exaggerated melodrama. Simple passions, fears and emotions is the easiest to recognize. In addition to expression and pantomime words are superfluous. Love hurts when it does not recognize.Acting is extremely touching. Anthony Quinn as Zampano in the role of a strong, simple and ruthless primitive. It is interesting to see how his characterization develops. The inherent solitude can not resist the poetry. Giulietta Masina as Gelsomina is versatile and all the story revolves around Gelsomina. Her eyes, sadness or joy on her face were enough to change human life. So much for the purpose.This is truly a beautiful film filled with sadness, humor and understanding.

avik-basu1889 'La Strada' is considered by many critics to be the first film made by Fellini which can be given the tag Felliniesque. His earlier work as a screenwriter as well as his previously directed films had a very palpable sense of neo-realism enriching them. This was the first film where Fellini started to break off from some of the norms of Italian neo-realism and make a gradual transition to a more poetic and surreal visual language. This directorial decision also made a number of Italian critics of the time negatively remark upon the film as well as Fellini for his 'betrayal' of neo-realism.Having said all that, I still think that 'La Strada' borrows the basic societal background from neo-realist films. The film opens with Gelsomina's family. We get to know about their sorry plight from a financial standpoint. The matriarch has to sell off Gelsomina to Zampano just to get some money so that the others in the family could be fed. This element of abject poverty in post WW2 Italy forcing ordinary people to compromise is something that was an integral part of Italian neo-realist cinema. But in the previous neo-realist films, this economic insufficiency served as the main driver of the plot, whereas in 'La Strada', Fellini uses this poverty as the backdrop, but the essential driver of the plot is the personal existential crisis suffered by the characters. The screenplay of the film written by Fellini, Tullio Pinelli and Ennio Flaiano is simple. The basic storyline is something which is very familiar. Two different characters get together and they hit the road and on the way they confront certain realities about themselves. But Fellini, through his direction adds a fantasy/fairy tale like element to the film that makes it unique. Gelsomina is a naive, gullible young woman who gets thrown into an unfamiliar world with a complete stranger. Zampano is the big, arrogant, rude, brute of a man who keeps treating Gelsomina in the worst ways possible which involves constant slapping and physical assaults. She keeps taking it because she loves the actual performing aspect of the work. She keeps wandering off akin to her natural wild ways. She then meets The Fool, another travelling artist. Although he is not the most perfect individual either, but even then he is the one who at least verbally communicates with Gelsomina and gives her hope and encouragement by telling her that everyone, including she has a purpose on this Earth. In a way the film can be viewed as a vehicle for the transition that takes place in Zampano's character. 'La Strada' in Italian translates to The Road. It is Zampano who travels on the road to achieving a conscience. He gradually comes to realise the wrongness of his ways and behaviour and repents. But he does so when it's too late. Although 'La Strada' doesn't have the visual flair and bravura to the extent that is present in the Fellini films from 'La Dolce Vita' onward, however even with the restrained camera work, there are still moments of typical Felliniesque surreal visuals like the sight of a single horse walking down the street, the three musicians appearing out of nowhere to cheer up Gelsomina, the shot of The Fool wearing angel wings sitting on a chair on the rope suspended in the air,etc. Nino Rota's music beautifully accentuates the moments of a change in tone. The camera movement is restrained, but still expressive. Fellini uses the beach in a thematically rich way which elevates the scenes staged there.For me the best performance in the film comes from Anthony Quinn. The character Zampano represents the cold, brooding individual who has decided to wear a thick armour of insensitivity. His character represents a cynical world view which juxtaposes the naive and gullible character of Gelsomina and also to some extent The Fool. Just like Jake LaMotta in 'Raging Bull', Zampano is a character that is easy to loathe due to his despicable demeanour. However Fellini gives Zampano the chance to start his journey at redemption through the heartbreaking last scene of the film where Quinn gives a masterclass of emoting and expressing so much without saying a single word.The only reason why, 'La Strada' doesn't get an 9 or 10 in my books is because of the way Fellini uses the character of Gelsomina. From a thematic standpoint her character makes sense. But the way in which she gets portrayed by Giulietta Masina is a little too corny. I can understand that the exaggerated mannerisms and Charlie Chaplin-esque antics goes with the fairy tale-esque feel of the storyline. She even looks adorable with the big eyes and it does break your heart when she is constantly abused by Zampano and forced to grow up. But I do think, the film could have worked slightly better with a little more understatement to her character mixed with the clown-like behaviour during the performance scenes.I don't think 'La Strada' is a perfect film, but it still has so many elements that could be admired. Fellini's command over the visual language is very apparent. This is the work of a master filmmaker who was still sharpening his skills.

Manuel Josh Rivera A whimsical and often magical story that is one of Fellini's more linear and accessible stories. Not only is the warm heart of the story apparent, but the visuals, in typical Fellini fashion, provide striking background imagery.Gelsomina (Giulietta Masina) travels with Zampanò (Anthony Quinn) to earn money. Together they journey and experience various people. Amazing performances especially from Masina coupled with an endearing score. Il Matto (The Fool) provided some laughable moments who meets his fate the last time he meets Zampanò. Simple yet striking screenplay with a sample lines: "For if its useless, everything is useless. So are the stars!" - The Fool. More of an emotional drama that have no direct or structured plot, which lets the viewer wait what happens to the leads. La Strada shows several metaphors such as the nuns (religion), The Fool (humor and realization that everything has a use), Zampanò (greed/selfish desires/loneliness/physically strong yet morally weak) and Gelsomina (a talent never given the spotlight/purity/innocence).

DegustateurDeChocolat I was curious to watch this movie because I had seen many other Fellini's works but not this one. I was also told that was one of his best and so I was even more intrigued. I must say that I was surprised by how melancholic and sad it is. It reminded me of a Neo-Realistic movie for its scenes set in the city suburbs amongst people who struggle to carry on in every day life. Of course, other Fellini's movie had also these kinds of setting, but the Italian director paints his portrait of provincial Italy with more sad and crude hues, helped also by Gelsomina's melancholic recurring trumpet music theme, written by the great Nino Rota. However you can still see the Fellinesque style in "La Strada", for example in the irony in the scenes of the argument between Zampanò and the crazy guy. The circus certainly is another typical Fellini subject, present in many of his works. Overall a good movie but definitely not one of his best.