This early Fellini film (1954) tells a classically stark and simple tale, with none of the surreality of his later work. It's a highly romantic story without any lovemaking or physical tenderness. Zampano (Quinn) is a performing strong man with a small traveling fair in Italy. The climax of his act involves wrapping a quarter-inch chain around his chest and bursting it by expanding his lungs. Gelsomina (Masina), a gentle and innocent soul, is sold to Zampano for a handful of coins and goes to work helping him in his act, responding to his physical and verbal abuse with unstinting kindness and forgiveness though she often dreams of running away, perhaps joining a nunnery. She meets "the Fool" (Basehart), a tightrope walker and clown who is sympathetic and wise, but with just enough of a malicious streak to precipitate the final tragedy. This movie won the Oscar for Best Foreign Language Film.
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The review of this Movie prepared by David Loftus
