WasAnnon Slow pace in the most part of the movie.

Moustroll Good movie but grossly overrated

Humaira Grant It’s not bad or unwatchable but despite the amplitude of the spectacle, the end result is underwhelming.

Janae Milner Easily the biggest piece of Right wing non sense propaganda I ever saw.

cinemajesty Film Review: "La Strada" (1954)The story of a universal love between two human beings, coming together under most unlikely circumstances, when a mother sells her daughter Gelsomina to a traveling muscle entertainer Zampanó. Together they grow as notorious artist couple of the street to nowhere. Gelsomina & Zampano have only themselves to prevail in this world, meeting many characters along their way, among them violin-playing clown at a circus company. The fool, performed by Richard Basehart (1914-1984), who like no other test the beating-stick proofed relationship of Gelsomina & Zampano, when she realizes that there will be no other man as Zampano in her life, who is able to take care of her without diminishing her free spirit.Director Frederico Fellini (1920-1993) meets his future wife actress Giulietta Masina (1921-1994) in casting with this mainly on-location shot gem of an independent film, when method actor Anthony Quinn (1915-2001) joins the scene as the unforgettable character of Zampanó, originally written by Federico Fellino and Tullio Penilli, who realizes too late that he had everything a man can wish for in favor of self-indulging life of artist of life itself.© 2017 Felix Alexander Dausend (Cinemajesty Entertainments LLC)

Anssi Vartiainen La Strada, or The Road if you prefer, tells about young woman named Gelsomina (Giulietta Masina), who gets taken in by a travelling strongman performer named Zampanó (Anthony Quinn). Well, to be more accurate, she gets sold to him by her family. The movie follows them along as they travel the countryside, gathering money by doing various shows, the most prevalent being Zampanó busting a chain tied around his chest by flexing his muscles. You know... high art.The movie has its ups and downs. The characters themselves are easily the best part. The two main characters meet all kinds of people along their journey, including some other circus performers, the most interesting being The Fool, played by Richard Basehart. But it's the two of them that hold the central focus for the majority of the runtime and they are quite fascinating. Zampanó, a gruff dog beaten by the world and ready to beat it back, yet not an evil man per se. And Gelsomina, a sad and lonely child trapped in the body of an adult. What makes them even more interesting is that they don't really change all that much throughout the film. Sure Gelsomina moves from depression to having some form of affection towards Zampanó, but yet she still remains exactly the same character she was in the beginning. Likewise with him. It's simply that we get pulled deeper and deeper into them as the movie progresses. They don't change, we simply learn more about them.As far as the story goes, it's not overly complicated, which is fine at first, but in the end leaves you wanting a bit more. It's a character study movie, certainly, but in the end all they do is wander around and have arguments with one another. I liked it, but these two great characters could have told a bigger story without any problems.Still, it's a nice movie to check out and a really strong early work from director Federico Fellini.

ma-cortes Sad story of a waif , shy woman , Gelsomina (Giulietta Massina , Federico's real-life wife) , who is sold by her mother to Zampano for 10,000 lire and a few kilos of food . Brute Zampano (Anthony Quinn) is a cruel , coarse , strong-man who shows his vigour by breaking a chain wrapped around his chest . They tour on the road ("la Strada") , along the countryside where they perform in village squares and she helps him as a drummer during his shows and passing the hat for whatever the regularly small crowd is prepared to give . They join a small traveling circus where eventually meet up with a gentle acrobat (Richard Basehart) and the unexpected happenings go wrong .Sensitive and agreeable film film packs intense drama , emotion , good feeling and tragedy . The picture is , by turns , strong and amusing . Here Fellini demonstrates a real sensibility to the underprivileged of the world and his belief in spiritual redemption . Fellini's fantasy ostensibly elucidates the inner life of a poor and normally mistreated woman . The flick contains a highly symbolic internal logic , enjoyable imagery and bizarre , abstract plot peppered with risqué humor . Here Fellini uses the unfortunate story of a distressed woman delivering over her life to create a good and often wild film . The film relies heavily on the peculiar relationship between Gelsomina and Zampano , but it doesn't make boring but interesting ; as he doesn't treat her well and when she tries to run away , he beats her . Magnificent interpretations all around . Trio protagonist is frankly awesome . Nice performance by Giulietta Massina as the waif sold by her very poor mother and she feels like going with him , but he puts confusion in her mind and finally falls in love with him despite his abuse . Excellent Anthony Quinn as the traveling , itinerant showman , Zampano exhibits feats of strength and meanwhile he ill-treats her . Anthony Quinn was working on a film with Giulietta Masina when she introduced him to her husband , Federico who was immediately convinced that the Mexican actor would make the perfect Zampano the strongman in his new film , which was to become La Strada (1954), and implored him to accept the character . And sympathetic acting by Richard Basehart as a tight-rope walker "The Fool", a funambulist who convinces Gelsomina to question her choices . Well produced by two greatest Italian producers , Dino De Laurentiis and Carlo Ponti , who originally wanted Silvana Mangano , Dino's wife , and Burt Lancaster as the leads . However , at the beginning Federico Fellini had an extraordinarily difficult time finding producers who were willing to back the film and he began shooting the film before any financial backers had officially signed on .The motion picture was masterfully directed by Federico Fellini , he admitted that he each of the principal characters in the film represented the elements . Zampano represented the Earth , Gelsomina represented water, and the Fool represented air . It won the first ever Academy Award for Best Foreign Language Film (1956) and N.Y Critics Award to Foreign Film (56) . Fellini who inspired the word "Felliniesque" was one of the best Italian filmmakers/writers . He frequently cast Marcello Mastroianni and Giulietta Masina and Score by Nino Rota . His best works include dreams like imagery and nostalgia . He made Italian classics , such as : ¨8 and 1/2¨, ¨Roma¨, ¨Satyricon¨, ¨I Vitellone¨ , ¨La Dolce Vita¨ , ¨The clowns¨, ¨Casanova¨, ¨And the ship sails on¨, "City of Women" , "Orchestra Rehearsal" and directed his spouse Giulietta in various films such as : ¨The white sheik¨ , ¨Il Bidone¨, ¨Juliet of the Spirits¨, "The Nights of Cabiria" ¨Ginger and Fred¨ and including some auto-biographic elements , especially in ¨Amarcord¨ (1973) , though he denied his film is autobiographical , but agreed that there are similarities with his own childhood .

Manuel Josh Rivera A whimsical and often magical story that is one of Fellini's more linear and accessible stories. Not only is the warm heart of the story apparent, but the visuals, in typical Fellini fashion, provide striking background imagery.Gelsomina (Giulietta Masina) travels with Zampanò (Anthony Quinn) to earn money. Together they journey and experience various people. Amazing performances especially from Masina coupled with an endearing score. Il Matto (The Fool) provided some laughable moments who meets his fate the last time he meets Zampanò. Simple yet striking screenplay with a sample lines: "For if its useless, everything is useless. So are the stars!" - The Fool. More of an emotional drama that have no direct or structured plot, which lets the viewer wait what happens to the leads. La Strada shows several metaphors such as the nuns (religion), The Fool (humor and realization that everything has a use), Zampanò (greed/selfish desires/loneliness/physically strong yet morally weak) and Gelsomina (a talent never given the spotlight/purity/innocence).