chris_scott01
Posts: 2977
Joined: 5/1/2006
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quote:
ORIGINAL: elab49
La Strada - 2/10 - I think I have chapter and verse on this in the Hall of Fame last round. Terrible film with points only for Quinn's beastly performance
 I am surprised elab. I seemed to have missed that chapter on the HoF thread - nevermind. I understand it's a film that's easily dislikable to some, for me I fell in love with it the first time I saw it. For what it's worth, here's an old review:
La Strada (1954, Federico Fellini)
*Spoilers*
Fellini’s heartbreaking masterpiece and a paramount achievement in cinema. The story of La Strada might be neatly summed up by a line from The Motorcycle Diaries: "This isn’t a tale of heroic feats. It’s about two lives running parallel for a while". Coincidentally both films are road movies and the symbol of the road can be read in the characterisation of the protagonists, Gelsomina and Zampano, as they are fatefully, yet reluctantly, united on a journey in which these two very different personalities have lasting consequences on each other.
Having received news that her sister has died while travelling with brutish street performer Zampano, Gelsomina is bought for 10,000 lire to fill her place. Zampano is impatient and abusive and seemingly has only one thing to live off; his chain breaking circus act. Again the rich symbolism of La Strada comes through. No matter how many times Zampano performs his act he always has to do it again, this reflects the pathetic situation he is in as a man tortured by dumb expression and uncontrollability, unable to love and wholly given to aggression. Fellini invokes our sympathy towards such a creature as much as, if not more than what we feel for Gelsomina, who is constantly locked in a naïve innocence, completely dependent on her ‘captor’.
The only relief Gelsomina has is when she meets ‘The Fool’ another circus performer played by Richard Basehart. She is attracted to him like a moth to a flame as he offers her not only solace, encouragement and to a certain degree happiness, but a meaning for her impoverished life. The Fool is a Christ figure in the story as he doesn’t run away with Gelsomina to save her from her afflictions but gives her the strength to deal with her problems. Zampano on the other hand sees The Fool as a threat and interference with his fragile situation with Gelsomina.
When a coincidence occurs and Zampano accidentally kills The Fool, the repercussions prove devastating to Gelsomina. The journey becomes ever bleaker and hopeless until finally Zampano leaves Gelsomina. Years later Zampano learns of the death of Gelsomina and comes to a bitter realisation of his faults and the impact they’ve had on others. What makes the closing scene so moving is that Zampano is finally able to feel and express something other than aggression.
Nino Rota’s score oscillates between the melancholic tune that The Fool teaches Gelsomina and the heart warming melody of the road and circus. It’s beautifully composed and placed and seals itself perfectly to the story and characters.
Words simply aren’t enough to describe this film. Deeply rich with symbolism, it’s sensitively and expertly assembled. Its emotive force is searing and unforgettable and it’s painfully beautiful to watch. 5/5
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The EMPIRE FORUM Official Top 100 Movies - 
In general I have a soft spot for films set against a snowy backdrop and these two films are two of the best from that setting. 
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