This is a very enjoyable film for fans of Italian cinema, as two great actors who made reputations for themselves in earlier Fellini films return late in their careers for a very nostalgic romp. Giulietta Masina (wife of Federico Fellini) and Marcello Mastroianni play Ginger and Fred--a dance team that made a name for themselves imitating the dancing style of Ginger Rogers and Fred Astaire. The act had broken up more than three decades earlier, but they both agreed to be reunited for a TV program. Now, much older and not having seen each other for many years, they meet and renew old acquaintances.
All the dialog and scenes between the two leads were very sweet and charming. Despite her age, Ms. Masina in particular looked great and was amazingly light on her feet, while her partner was obviously too old and rusty but he felt compelled to be there. Unfortunately, while their scenes together were great, it took until almost the middle of the film until they were reunited. In the meantime, tons of Felliniesque touches were dumped onto the screen and served to either delight Fellini's die-hard fans who want this or alienate people like me who felt they totally obscured the story. For example, on this variety show are a troop of dancing midgets (VERY Fellini-like), a transsexual, a kidnap victim with missing digits, an againg admiral, countless bad celebrity impersonators and lots of garish little touches that made it obvious that Fellini was NOT a fan of television--like a film made by kids who have severe ADHD since it has practically EVERYTHING. Additionally, throughout the film, lots of bizarre touches were inserted such as an irrelevant biker scene and a short clip at the beginning of the film of a billboard on which a sausage is penetrating a woman (look quickly--it's there).
I guess I am just much more of a romantic. I really wanted to see more Masina and Mastroianni. Their interplay was excellent and charming and the dance routine was amazingly sweet and touching. I guess never having been a huge fan of Fellini's more surreal and indulgent films, the excesses and distractions of this film made it tough to rate it any higher.
All the dialog and scenes between the two leads were very sweet and charming. Despite her age, Ms. Masina in particular looked great and was amazingly light on her feet, while her partner was obviously too old and rusty but he felt compelled to be there. Unfortunately, while their scenes together were great, it took until almost the middle of the film until they were reunited. In the meantime, tons of Felliniesque touches were dumped onto the screen and served to either delight Fellini's die-hard fans who want this or alienate people like me who felt they totally obscured the story. For example, on this variety show are a troop of dancing midgets (VERY Fellini-like), a transsexual, a kidnap victim with missing digits, an againg admiral, countless bad celebrity impersonators and lots of garish little touches that made it obvious that Fellini was NOT a fan of television--like a film made by kids who have severe ADHD since it has practically EVERYTHING. Additionally, throughout the film, lots of bizarre touches were inserted such as an irrelevant biker scene and a short clip at the beginning of the film of a billboard on which a sausage is penetrating a woman (look quickly--it's there).
I guess I am just much more of a romantic. I really wanted to see more Masina and Mastroianni. Their interplay was excellent and charming and the dance routine was amazingly sweet and touching. I guess never having been a huge fan of Fellini's more surreal and indulgent films, the excesses and distractions of this film made it tough to rate it any higher.