Fellini’s Roma-1972

Director Federico Fellini

Starring Peter Gonzales

Top 250 Films #122

Scott’s Review #649

Reviewed June 5, 2017

Grade: A-

Fellini’s Roma (1973) is a trippy experience set in Rome across two different periods.

As with all Fellini films, the film is meant to be experienced rather than analyzed.

One must nestle into the life that Fellini offers on-screen- in this instance, the fabulous city of Rome, Italy, in both positives and negatives.

The experience was very good for me, as a world of odd characters and ancient Rome oozed from the screen, appealingly and absurdly.

In terms of a plot, there is a not one. Arguably, the only character portrayed is Rome herself. The film takes place in both the 1930s and the 1970s and is said to be an autobiographical tale of director Fellini’s childhood in Rome.

We see a young Fellini experiencing the vast city for the first time, and a teenager living in the city. Interestingly, the film moves back and forth between the two periods with no rhyme or reason.

Throughout the film, we see both the beauty and the ugliness of Rome- the majestic Colosseum and the dirty entrails of the gloomy city.

Scenes of seedy brothels, mainly in the 1930s, and a myriad of strange and scantily clad females prance before the cameras, looking for a lucky score amid the droves of men lusting after them.

Another depicts a fashion show, of sorts, at the Vatican, featuring nuns and priests in bizarre costumes.

The 1930’s setting is my personal favorite. Gritty, cold, and harsh, Rome’s bleakness is depicted. Unsurprisingly, this ties into the historical period: with Mussolini in power and World War II on the horizon, the darkness was apparent.

In a frightening scene, bomb sirens wail while a woman shrieks in panic. The brothel scenes are downright creepy, and the subsequent theatre scenes involving drunken, rowdy, young men leering and cursing at the entertainment are a particular slice-of-life sequence.

In contrast, the 1970s sequences feature more beautiful depictions of the city.

Brighter colors predominate, and scientists or explorers appear to dig into ancient ruins, finding gorgeous art that is later damaged by the wind. We also see hippy types basking in the sunlight.

Again, much of this film is largely open to interpretation.

I adore Fellini’s Roma in terms of an expression of the city of Rome as an art form, but the film is highly unconventional- another plus for me.

Sure, I may have wanted to learn more about the bevy of creepy and potentially interesting characters. Still, I finished the film with an appreciation for Rome unlike any I have ever known.

A startling final scene, in which legendary Italian film star Anna Magnani appears scantily clad, implied to be a prostitute, was filmed shortly before her untimely death at the age of sixty-five.

As a film, Fellini’s Roma (1972) is a wonderful history lesson, but also a lesson in interpretation and film appreciation. Most filmgoers are accustomed to a beginning, middle, and end, as well as some semblance of a plot.

Roma contains none of that; instead, it remains mind-opening and fresh many years after its release, which is a true testament.

Golden Globe Nominations: Best Foreign Film (Foreign Language)