219 La strada

[CSM126]

La strada



With this breakthrough film, Federico Fellini launched both himself and his wife and collaborator Giulietta Masina to international stardom, breaking with the neorealism of his early career in favor of a personal, poetic vision of life as a bittersweet carnival. The infinitely expressive Masina registers both childlike wonder and heartbreaking despair as Gelsomina, loyal companion to the traveling strongman Zampanò (Anthony Quinn, in a toweringly physical performance), whose callousness and brutality gradually wear down her gentle spirit. Winner of the very first Academy Award for Best Foreign-Language Film, La strada possesses the purity and timeless resonance of a fable and remains one of cinema's most exquisitely moving visions of humanity struggling to survive in the face of life's cruelties.

SPECIAL FEATURES

• 4K digital restoration, undertaken in collaboration with The Film Foundation and the Cineteca di Bologna, with uncompressed monaural soundtrack
• Alternate English-dubbed soundtrack, featuring the voices of Anthony Quinn and Richard Basehart
• Audio commentary from 2003 by Peter Bondanella, author of The Cinema of Federico Fellini
• Introduction from 2003 by filmmaker Martin Scorsese
• Giulietta Masina: The Power of a Smile, a documentary from 2004
• Federico Fellini's Autobiography, a documentary originally broadcast on Italian television in 2000
• Trailer
• PLUS: An essay by film critic Christina Newland

Criterionforum.org user rating averages

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[Narshty]

After 8 1/2, I have eagerly looked forward to seeing more of Fellini's work. I'm curious as to what you all think of La Strada, since I'll be seeing it soon.

I love most Fellini (including the unfairly maligned likes of Variety Lights, And The Ship Sails On and The White Sheik), but I still don't like La Strada. It's too long and slow, I can't stand Masina's performance as Gelsomina, which is the worst sort of eye-rolling, gurning, mugging at the camera crap, and I find the attitude shown early on towards sexual violence to be faintly repellant. For all his undoubted humanism, how Fellini could have Gelsomina to look so tenderly and lovingly at Zampano after he's just brutally raped her is both baffling and stomach-churning.

[jorencain]

I really enjoy La Strada, but Night of Cabiria is my favorite of Fellini's early period films. Masina plays a similarly pathetic character in both films, but the various episodes that she goes through as Cabiria are much more emotionally engaging and varied than Gelsomina and Zampano's. It brings me to tears when she's hypnotized, when she goes to the church, and, of course, at the very end of the film. It's one of the most beautiful films that I've seen.

Anyway, this thread is about La Strada...all that being said, I really do enjoy this film. I've only watched it once, so it's not that fresh in my memory, however. I look forward to hearing what others have to say about it as well.

[Dylan]

Jon, I'm not going to try to convince you of the film's greatness (though I personally think it's far beyond merely "great," as it holds a spot in my top five of all-time), but have you ever thought of the parallels between Gelsomina looking at Zampano like that and a dog, after being beaten/starved/and-or brutally mistreated, still acting loving and tender toward its master?

With that said, it's interesting that somebody could be so bothered by that scene (stomach-churning?). We are already introduced to her character as a naive presence, "not right in the head," so it shouldn't be surprising that the discovery of sex, whether it be with a handsome or a brutish/abusive man (or even a woman), would generate pretty much the same reaction from her. However, this doesn't seem to be your only problem with the film, so maybe that idea doesn't change anything (somehow, I remember you saying somewhere that you hate pretty much everything about the film). Ah well.

I think its one of the finest cinematic achievements in the history of cinema, and definately Fellini's greatest after "8 1/2" and "La Dolce Vita." My father commented after a viewing that he thought "La Strada" was Fellini's best, and the one where he felt Fellini got his point across the best. It is, as said many times before, a seuging of neo-realism and the carnivalesque. It's about a few strange characters interacting in a small environment that serves as a microcosm of the greater world where their actions take on mythical proportions (i.e. tragedy...and that final scene by the sea is so beautifully devastating). And I haven't even mentioned Nino Rota's brilliant score. It's really an amazing movie, and I'm sorry you don't like it.

Dylan

[Andre Jurieu]

Well, I don't know if I would call it mythical, but it remains an important film within the Fellini career, considering its relationship to neo-realism.

I actually had the same reaction as Jon to the implied sex scene between Zampano and Gelsomina upon my initial viewing. However, after I bought this DVD and watched the film again, it really is more apparent that the facial expression, or "mugging" crap, that Masina uses in the scene is not meant to convey an "Awe-shucks... I finally got laid by this big ol' lug of a man!", but rather is supposed to subtly convey a somewhat gloomy and miserable tone regarding her lost innocence and realization of how vicious the world can be.

As Dylan points out, Gelsomina is rather naive and dim, and Masina's facial expression, while not completely disgraced and hurt, is able to make it clear that she is distraught and, more importantly, confused about what just happened. Fellini's POV seems to be that this action was depressing, but also expected.

As much as the events are grim, I think what is harder to grapple with for viewers is that these type of actions were common and the victim does sometimes feel a bond to the aggressor afterwards, especially if they do not understand their own circumstances. Now that we've moved past the sexual revolution, I think we forget that this type of circumstance was often the way in which many women lost their virginity - whether they were unaware or unprepared for the events. Even today, sexual abuse victims are conflicted with their feelings towards their attacker, especially when the people involved share a previous bond. We assume they only feel hatred, shame, etc., but that's not always the case. While it is particularly vile when we witness it today, as outsiders to the situation, it wasn't exactly out of the ordinary, and I think the reactions of Gelsomina were presented in a realistic manner. It still makes my stomach turn, but it's not like I must be comfortable with every scene in the films I watch.

[Dylan]

Andre,

Very well stated. I suppose by "mythical," I was leaning more toward classical tragedy...and for me, "La Strada" is probably the best of all tragedies, and also a very well structured one. And like all great tragedies, it will sadly leave a bad taste in many people's mouths.

After the curtains of the wagon go down and we flash to a later time in the night when Gelsomina turns over and gives Zampano that sympathetic look, it doesn't remotely bother me. By the time I arrive at that point, I accept Gelsomina as a delightful, strange, naive clown/waif and having such a scene only adds to my intrigue toward the story and its characters.

I'll just say that I think "La Strada" is simply amazing to watch...it starts off brilliantly and quintessentially Fellini with Gelsomina attired in the cape hearing of her sister's death, a few moments later waving to her mother and the kids while the wagon departs. And there's so much more...the Fool's entrance, his discussion to her about the barking dog the the pebble, the circus adventures, the outside wedding, the outdoor religious ceremony, the 'Fellini band' randomly appearing playing a delightful Rota tune while Gelsomina follows them and spins. It's amazing to watch...however, it truly reaches cinematic perfection in the final scene, with Anthony Quinn on the beach, that final crescendo in Rota's score, and the words "FINE." I love it.

Dylan

[Gregory]

For the most part, I agree with Dylan and Andre's remarks on the film. I just wanted to add that, to me, Gelsomina is an innocent. She is the type who forgives all, even the most unforgiveable acts. This adds to her virtue and leads to her downfall. Of course, if it had been in the character's personality to fight Zampano off or try to flee back to her family, the story would have been a completely different one.
The story Fellini wanted to tell was about Gelsomina -- as she is the film, not necessarily as we think she should be, based notions we might have about self-respect, self-preservation, etc. -- and what the influence of her life and her loss has on Zampano.

[Dylan]

Gregory nailed it with Gelsomina's innocence, how she sees everything as new and exciting even if it's frightening or confusing.

An interesting note, Scorsese in his introduction made a comparison to Jake La Motta in "Raging Bull" to Zampano, and indeed their are many similarities (brutish, tough, abusive, slow-minded...and in the end, all too human, and ultimately tragic).

[Narshty]

I'm going to have to reject the repellent sentiment that mentally underdeveloped women either don't understand or don't mind rape, as unavoidably implied by Fellini. It's simply a colossal misjudgement on his part to include sexual violence as a "rite of passage" and really puts a bad taste in my mouth for the rest of the film. At that point, I'm totally cut off from Gelsomina as she's ceased to display any recognisable signs of human behaviour. She's more traumatised by Zampano telling her to go away later on.

[Andre Jurieu]

I'm going to have to reject the repellent sentiment that mentally underdeveloped women either don't understand or don't mind rape, as unavoidably implied by Fellini.

This is kind of odd to me. First, who exactly said she didn't mind the rape? She seems rather distraught afterwards, considering she's wiping away tears from her eyes. Did anyone, including Fellini, convey that she just brushed it off and went about her day as if nothing is wrong? She loses a great deal of her jovial innocence in the subsequent scenes. What seems apparent is that Zampano has forced yet another connection, or bond, between them that, while vile, is strong.

Also, how exactly could we expect a mentally underdeveloped person to understand absolutely everything around them? Even today there are many disturbing problems when a handicapped person is raped, most importantly among them, the problem of having the victim realize they have been raped. You can find that idea repellent if you want to, but it's a reality. Just to be clear, I'm not saying mentally underdeveloped people are incapable to recognizing what rape is, I'm merely saying that if they don't understand what rape is, it is understandable.

Never mind the fact that mentally developed women didn't even realize they had been raped at this point in history. Rape, wasn't exactly defined clearly at this point in time, at least not to the degree it has been clearly defined today (and it still remains a murky issue at times). It took years of effort before mentally competent women understood what rape was, and to their surprise, a great many realized they had been raped according to the "new" definition. It's one thing for us, as present-day viewers, to watch the scene and pass judgement as to the actions and the participants, but it would have been quite confusing to the victim at the time. Entire marriages involved forced sexual intercourse - it wasn't uncommon for a bride to be unprepared for her wedding night since no one spoke about sex as openly as they do now.

You can hold contempt for the victim's lack of understanding and for the filmmaker's choice to present the notion that the victim and attacker form an emotional and physical bond through these actions, but think about children who are victims of sexual-abuse who will not testify against their attackers, not out of fear, but because they feel they don't want to hurt their attackers because they still share a relationship, or worse, actually believe they are in love. Remember when no one had any clue what date-rape was? That's probably because no knew that it was wrong. We're dealing with a film from 1954 with a plot prior to that time-frame, so I'm willing to give the filmmakers some flexibility if their morality on this topic don't reflect the present day, and forgive the fact that they don't take a severe stance on the issue that reflects our ideals. It not as if Fellini tells us to sympathize with Zampano, or tells us it's Gelsomina's own fault. It might be a cut-and-dry issue to us, but its not always the case to victims.

It's simply a colossal misjudgement on his part to include sexual violence as a "rite of passage"

I don't know if it's framed as a "rite of passage" that is meant to be celebrated by the viewer/audience. I believe it's framed as a "trauma of passage" that was the unfortunate reality for some women at the time - hell, for some women today. I don't think he wants us to cheer or smile, but to have some sense of empathy for Gelsomina's situation.

I'm totally cut off from Gelsomina as she's ceased to display any recognisable signs of human behaviour.

Though it's kind of a gaudy performance, it seems pretty human and truthful to me. We cannot expect our own, present-day, conceptions of human behavior to be applied to the time-period displayed.

She's more traumatised by Zampano telling her to go away later on.

... mainly due to the fact that she does have an emotional connection to this brute, whether we like it or not. He is vital to her existence and survival, and she forms a bond to him. Now whether he forced that connection or not is another topic.

The issue of rape is complicated because of the act itself. It's just as complicated when depicted on film. Just think of how complicated the rape sequence is in Straw Dogs, and compare it to the "love" scene between the married couple in Celebration.

[Gregory]

I just read a blurb for a Nino Rota CD that claims that when La Strada was released the soundtrack sold 2 million copies in Italy alone. That would be about one copy for every 25 people in the country. If that figure is anywhere close to accurate, it's astonishing.

[HerrSchreck]

Does anyone know definitively whether or not this is truly Basehart's voice in the English dub of this film. I'm a huge fan of this guy-- and listening to this dub (obviously the Italian dub is not him), the voice is so high and quirky it's unlike anything the man (who had one of the deeper, more masculine voices in the cinema) has ever done before. As usual, a magnificent performance from him (and everyone of course, although Masina is more miming than acting.. you either get down with it or you don't).

[hearthesilence]

Watched this again for only the second time ever. This was my first exposure to Fellini, and I did like it quite a bit in high school, but watching it now, it seems terribly overrated. Both Fellini and Masina were much better in The Nights of Cabiria. Masina's performance definitely is an acquired taste (or maybe just polarizing), but beyond that the film itself is problematic. The allegorical story is a little simplistic and some of the heavier reversals feel a little crude. There are some fine moments, but few, if any, that leave a really strong impression. Even the ending feels more schematic and predictable rather than tragic and memorable. I read what the film's trying to do, and they're not bad ideas - to show his point-of-view, they drop out the sound of the beach and the waves, leaving only a vacuum followed by Quinn's own breath. He's thrown away the one person who loved him and now he's completely alone, probably forever. And having him look up to the night sky even reminds one of Matto's words, how if a pebble had no purpose, neither would anything else, not even the stars (and it even feels like a "starless" night). But again, it feels a little too schematic rather than genuinely moving - almost an hour before the end, you knew he was going to throw away this woman and she was going to be doomed as a result, even moreso when she committed herself to him, and sure enough, A leads to B leads to C, etc. What else was going to happen?

It's interesting to hear Scorsese lavish so much praise over this film and credit its influence on Raging Bull and (to a lesser extent) Taxi Driver, but I don't think La Strada gets under the skin nearly as much as those films, nor does it seem nearly as accomplished.

[domino harvey]

Blu-ray only solo release coming November 2

[hearthesilence]

Interesting it's Blu-ray only when a 4K restoration was done for the box set...kind of a bad sign that 8 1/2 and the rest won't be getting a UHD from Criterion either, or at least anytime soon.

[swo17]

Is Federico Fellini’s Autobiography unique to this standalone release?

[dwk]

No it is in the boxset

[cdnchris]

Interesting it's Blu-ray only when a 4K restoration was done for the box set...kind of a bad sign that 8 1/2 and the rest won't be getting a UHD from Criterion either, or at least anytime soon.

Honestly, despite all of the films in set receiving 4K restorations (except Roma), I would think 8 1/2 would be the only likely candidate to receive a UHD release from them, at least in the near-term.

[L.A.]

CineSavant.