La Strada (dir. Federico Fellini, 1954)

One thing I noticed about this film is the use of recurring motifs and scenes. Gelsomina riding in the back of the wagon looking out, Matto's theme played on both the violin and trumpet, Zampano's chain routine, etc. Even the ending bookends with the beginning, taking place at the beach where we start with Gelsomina with her simple innocence to the end with Zampano's wretched realization that it's all his fault for the way she ended up. There are so many moments where Gelsomina has the chance to escape from Zampano, yet she still ends up staying with him because she wants to find a reason WHY he chose to pay that much money to take her with him. In that sense the story becomes so tragic, especially with how Fellini captures her simple naivety. Masina's face and acting for her role really adds a lot to this film, Gelsomina really feels like her own character with her expressive mouth and huge eyes. It feels like Fellini made the whole movie just around this one actor with how distinct her performance is. Because of that, we really feel that pity seeing someone who desperately wants to be loved and accepted abused by someone as selfish as Zampano.

Zampano's arc throughout the film is noteworthy as well, it was an interesting choice to have the film start with Gelsomina but end with Zampano. Fellini puts us within Zampano's POV of the story at the end only when he decides to leave Gelsomina because he realizes the damage he's doing to her. However, the tragedy in that is that it's too late, and because of the shock he gave to her by killing Matto she is forever scarred eventually leading to her own death long after Zampano leaves her.

There are some scenes that really stood out to me. One in particular is the last conversation between Matto and Gelsomina before she decides to stay with Zampano after his time in jail. I really loved the poetic lines Matto states as he encourages Gelsomina, the romance within it feels so charged with melancholy but also hope. The music as well swelling up adds so much to this scene, and it makes such a powerful statement as it reflects on that aforementioned hope, as if there is always something on the horizon to look forward too no matter how hard or desolate it may seem. The scene of him walking away after dropping off Gelsomina sticks in my head too, bringing in that same feeling of her looking through the back of the wagon like in the beginning when she leaves her home town. It's as if she's simply being strung along, moving further away from one possible decision to the next.

Overall I enjoyed this film, maybe not as much as 8'1/2 in terms of camerawork or photography but the characters still felt really compelling and the music along with clever visual motifs and storytelling made it worth the watch.