City of Women [La Città Delle Donne] *** (1980, Marcello Mastroianni, Anna Prucnal, Bernice Stegers) – Classic Movie Review 4287

Later, lesser, still significant Fellini, and still with Mastroianni.

Marcello Mastroianni stars as the businessman Snàporaz, who finds himself trapped in a large hotel and dreams that he is menaced by feminists in a city of women, as Italian master director Federico Fellini serves up a large dose of his famous and familiar obsessions and visual style in City of Women [La Città Delle Donne] in 1980.

Fellini fans will be in heaven, though some might find it over-familiar and others might find it uneven and over-stretched, maybe even think that Fellini is repeating himself.

Federico Fellini, Brunello Rondi and Bernardino Zapponi’s undernourished  screenplay suggests that perhaps there is not really enough material to fill a 139-minute movie. But it is always imaginative and welcome, Mastroianni is his usual suave pleasure to watch, and Giuseppe Rotunno’s cinematography makes it look gorgeous.

Bernice Stegers

Also in the cast are Anna Prucnal, Bernice Stegers, Ettore Manni, Donatella Damiani, Iole Silvani, Carla Terlizzi and Dominique Labourier.

City of Women [La Città Delle Donne] is directed by Federico Fellini, runs 139 minutes, is made by Opera Film and Gaumont, is released by Gaumont, is written by Federico Fellini, Bernardino Zapponi and Brunello Rondi, from a story by Federico Fellini and Bernardino Zapponi, is shot by Giuseppe Rotunno, is produced by Renzo Rossellini, is scored by Luis Bacalov and designed by Dante Ferretti.

© Derek Winnert 2016 Classic Movie Review 4287

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Marcello Mastroianni stars in City of Women [La Città Delle Donne](1980).