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Nov 02, 2021 Web Exclusive By Joey Arnone

Stemming from a series of vague ideas imagined by legendary Italian director Federico Fellini, the plot and characters of his 1954 masterpiece La Strada blur the proletarian everyday-ness of neorealism with dashes of dreamy surrealism, the latter being something that Fellini would become synonymous with from later masterworks such as 8 ½.

Winner of the Academy Award for Best Foreign Language Film, La Strada stars a doe-eyed Giulietta Masina as Gelsomina, a quiet and eclectic young woman who becomes swept up by strongman circus performer Zampanò (Anthony Quinn). As they travel the titular road, moving from gig to gig and town to town, a strange dependency and relationship grows between the two—matters become complicated, however, when a third circus performer, tightrope artist Il Matto (Richard Basehart), budges his way into their lives.

A cinematically effective portrait of a nation still in the process of rebuilding itself after World War II, La Strada is a celebration of the lives of everyday Italian citizens doing what they can to make ends meet. Rather than going for straightforward drama in depicting their trials and tribulations, Fellini counterweights the film with an eccentric and almost childlike sense of wonder, mainly through the character of Gelsomina, who manages to find small moments of joy through adversity, even if they are fleeting.

Masina, Fellini’s wife of five years at the time of filming, possesses a truly one-of-a-kind screen presence, with her round face and expressive eyes conveying all the innocence and pain encapsulated within Gelsomina—it’s one of those iconic performances where it’s quite impossible to imagine anyone else playing the part. Equally as impressive is Quinn as the tough and brooding Zampanò, who, despite his rugged exterior and aggressive demeanor, hides just as much pain and brokenness as Gelsomina. The way in which Quinn subtly illustrates this through his weathered and endlessly interesting face is nothing short of captivating. The final scene of the film is one of cinema’s greats, and Quinn’s performance makes it truly unforgettable.

Though his films would later become more visually and thematically ornate as his career progressed, with La Strada, Fellini already proved his mastery of the cinematic language in what was only the third film solely directed by him. Nino Rota’s score is nothing short of iconic, enhancing the film’s mystical, enchanting qualities. A truly enduring and endearing working-class fairytale, La Strada is a perfect film that is as heartwarming as it is heartbreaking.

The new Criterion Collection 4K restoration of this masterpiece is nothing short of spectacular, bringing to life Otello Martelli’s painterly, exquisite cinematography. The exterior landscape shots in particular are mesmerizing to watch. The special features from the original Criterion release are still intact, namely an introduction from Martin Scorsese and an hour-long documentary on Fellini. New to this edition is the inclusion of a 2004 documentary, Giulietta Masina: The Power of a Smile, which compiles a plethora of interviews and TV appearances from the titular star. For those who don’t already own Criterion’s expansive Essential Fellini box set, this new edition of La Strada is certainly worth owning, not only for Fellini fans, but also for lovers of cinema.

(www.criterion.com/films/185-la-strada)