I love the famed scene in the sleazy theatre where Cabiria, at the hands of an unscrupulous hypnotist, relives a tender and poignant scene from her youth in front of a crowd of louts. The intensity of the build-up, the virtuosic camera work, the faces of the pious, are all breathtaking. I love the many nocturnal scenes around the Passeggiata Archeologica in Rome where the gargoylish prostitutes, like angelic gargoyle Cabiria herself, are selected by their customers approaching in cars, and the wild and saucy humor that accompanies those scenes, particularly when they deal with one elephantine hooker named "Bomba Atomica." I love the scene at the religious shrine of Divina Amore, where everyone comes to vociferate their desired favors, and Cabiria pleads to be released from her life as a streetwalker, and the old lame man falls at the foot of the altar, unhealed. What do I love most about Federico Fellini's wondrous THE NIGHTS OF CABIRIA? I love the opening scenes when Cabiria (Giulietta Masina) is robbed and dumped in the Tiber River, and the bikinied Roman boys jump in to save her, but she is annoyed that they have saved her life because she wants to know what happened to Giorgio, who she thinks ran away because "he was scared." He's the one who had robbed and nearly drowned her. Fellini's masterpiece is a film that satisfies any time one sees it thanks to his vision and the presence of Giulietta Masina. This was one of his best appearances in a distinguished career in the Italian cinema. Amadeo Nazzari is perfect portraying the matinée idol, Alberto Lazzari. Franca Marzi, who plays Cabiria's best friend, is also excellent. Together with all her other creations in other Fellini's films, this is perhaps her own triumph as an actress. Masina's face reveals all that is going on within Cabiria. She makes us believe she is Cabiria, and that's that, which in itself it's something other actresses try harder, without the same results. Of course, Fellini had the incomparable Giulietta Masina playing the leading role. If only her friends could see her then! Nobody would believe it! There is not a moment out of place in the film. Unfortunately, nothing happens between them because Alberto's lover, the gorgeous Jessy, arrives at Alberto's apartment to claim what's hers, leaving Cabiria shut up in a bathroom. Alberto is about the only one in the movie that treats Cabiria with any semblance of warmth. One of the best realized sequences of the film involves Cabiria being picked up by a handsome and popular actor, Alberto Lazzari. Cabiria is never resentful, or bitter at the hand life throws her way. We are shown a prostitute with a heart of gold who is always cheated by most of the men who comes in contact with her. The film takes us back to another, more innocent era. In fact, Cabiria, despite of her profession, is a woman with a highly moral character. Essentialy, this is a timeless tale of a woman that despite adversity, bad times, and all that is wrong around her, keeps her chin up and never begrudges a thing. Pier Paolo Passolini contributed to some of the dialog. Fellini was the man whose idea was translated for the screen with his usual collaborators, Tulio Pinelli and Ennio Flaiano. "Le Notti di Cabiria" stands as one of his best because of the character of that invincible woman at the center of the story: Cabiria! Having recently seen the excellent copy that was shown at NY's Film Forum, this is a film that like good wine gets better with age. Federico Fellini, the genius of the Italian cinema left his imprint in all the films he directed for all of us to enjoy forever.
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