La Strada

Directed by Federico Fellini

Rating 8.3/10

Federico Fellenis's captivating, late Italian neorealism tale features an unforgettable study of the human condition while studying the outcome of examining the relationship between staggeringly different characters in postwar Italian society.

The story follows Strongman Zampano (Anthony Quinn), who purchases Gelsomina (Giulietta Masina) from her mother after her other daughter dies at the services of Zampanos traveling circus assistant on the road. This opening displays the societal crumble that is represented in many Italian neorealist films. Families found themselves in troubled economic situations, desperate for money at any cost. The naive, caring Gelsomina who joins Zampano provides a sympathetic, imaginative performance reminiscent of Chaplin's most emotional work. Her use of bodywork and facial expressions balances out Zampano's freakish atmosphere and bravado.

As Gelsomina is introduced to the society of Italy she's never known, Zampano treats her harshly and ridicules her, even instructing her to act as a jester alongside his strongman act. We witness Zampano abandon her in the streets alone, and in these moments of silence, we see Gelsomina explore the society she's eager to see. Her wondrous optimism speaks volumes to those inflicted by the hardship of a post world war ll society and the individuals who can find the positive links to hold on to. Gelsomina represents the corrupted innocence at the begging of the film, who is quickly exposed to a new world. Her kindness and affection towards Zampano is betrayed as he spends nights with other women and only returns for the morning as they embark on their next tour destination.

Even with his cruelty towards her from Zampano, she grows feelings for him, and the central theme is revealed not until they both join a traveling circus. Il Manto, a performer alongside Zampano who enjoys tormenting him, tells Gelsomina honestly that everyone and everything in life has a purpose, even something as simple as a pebble. He hopes his words will inspire her to take control of her own life. While Il Manto can't explain why he enjoys tormenting Zampano, it speaks to the nature of competition between men, especially the primitive nature of dominating another when one assumes the role of a beast to society. Il Manto treats Zampano as his circus act, pushing Zampano to a breaking point where he attacks Manto, getting everyone fired from the circus group. Yet, what we gain most from this sequence in the river road trip is the first feelings of pity for Zampano. The treatment he receives from Il Manto elicits a human response in us, knowing that while Zampano is a cruel, barbaric man, he is human like the rest of the characters we see. The possibility of bettering himself and the damage he can cause to Gelsomina rotate as he struggles with his identity.

The innocence of Gelsomina is ripped away by the brutality and savagery of Zampano, who is a composite of what society has molded him into. When Zampano and Manto collide again, Zampano, out of rage, kills Manto, and Gelsomina witnesses this action in horror. She cannot move on from seeing Zampano commit such an act. Zampano sees her as a liability and not a human, deciding that he needs to replace her now that she is despondent from the loss of innocence and trauma she has endured alongside him.

The strength of La Strada lies in the contrast and exploration of having these two exciting characters collide. Gelsomnia's timid yet kindness, mixes with Zampano's masculinity, has imprisoned him into being seen as an animal by society and not even a man. Essentially his masculinity has been twisted into an animalistic entertainer. This situation has created a self-prison that has caused a cycle of self-inflicted wounds, a lifestyle he has accepted.

Fellini hopes to guide us into an understanding of how a monster such as Zampano has the sympathy we never thought possible while living a tortured lifestyle as a circus entertainer who is treated almost like an animal.

La Strada was on the end of the cusp of Italian neorealism, and Fellini's fantastical and imaginative elements clash with the fundamental principles of neorealism. Still, his tale can progress the movement forward while uncovering newfound understandings of the human condition. The film is filled with pathos as we witness the progression of a perceived beast of a man who can become in touch with his humanity at the point where it's too late to save the one he cares about the most.

The film ends on a beach, a familiar location for a Fellini conclusion. In this instance, the ocean represents possibility and a lasting memory. The adverse effects of Zampano's actions will haunt him continuously, just as the sea continues to exist, appearing as a never-ending stream of water. The pain of knowing how he could've handled his relationship with Gelsomina causes him to break down and collapse for the first time, finally showing his emotional vulnerability and provoking humanism. It wasn't until he suffered the loss of someone he truly cared about that he understood the power of connection. Their connection was only possible due to the pity, kindness, and forgiveness Gelsomina possessed.

La Strada depicts a convincing portrait of pathos, humanism, and kindness that warrants a sympathetic viewing. Gelsomina's innocence and control of her scenes demonstrate a master at the craft of body humor, while Anthony Quinn delivers a heartbreaking, complex character study. Starr’s powerful performance begs intriguing questions. How did this poverty-stricken Italian society mold a man such as Zampano? How did his treatment from the community lead to his collapse while damaging others around him? The desperate conditions of Italian citizens in post world war ll films such as Bicycle Thieves depict the horrid conditions people must suffer through, and Fellini took that concept a step further by exploring the journey of a man tortured by that very society who inherits the help from a woman who is only just experiencing the cruel, outside world.

Gelsomina's mimicry and aping towards Zampano is playful yet lead to much of the conflict between the two. It is sorrowful to swallow the idea that Fellini's message about everything having a purpose applies to Gelsomina in such a cruel result. She spent her life with Zampano open to new experiences without fearing what lay ahead. Yet, her impact on Zampano becomes her contribution to the story and is also her demise. Both characters' outcomes are grounded in painful realism that depicts the pitiful, unfair cards dealt to citizens in the aftermath of a country in the rubble of war. Just like in war, causalities are expected, and their influence will live on through those who survive the horror.

Fellini has created a unique, fascinating contrast between Gelsomina and Zampano while providing a poetic story that has a lingering impact. Fellini wants audiences to sympathize with Zampano while understanding the damage he has done while absorbing Gelsomina's spirit in a world that overcame her. The verve of Italian cinema may never be as powerfully represented as it is in Fellini's prodigious neorealist tale of the diverse characters he brings to life.