Fellini’s Roma **** (1972, dir Federico Fellini) – Classic Movie Review 1318

Rome wasn’t built in a day – for Fellini’s Roma it took forever to recreate a huge section of it in Cinecittà’s studios in Rome. But it was worth it. Roma looks a brilliant treat.

Writer-director Federico Fellini’s lovingly made, warts-and-all 1972 personal portrait of his adopted city is amazing, entertaining and quite thrilling to behold. It’s a plotless, impressionistic insider’s view, blending autobiography with scenes from 1972 Roman life. In the past, the young Fellini arrives in Rome during the Mussolini years and visits a brothel and a music-hall. In the present, there’s a massive traffic jam on the autostrada, a night-time journey through Rome, an archaeological visit to the depths and an ecclesiastical fashion show.

It’s very, very Fellini: a great show from a great showman.

Peter Gonzales plays Fellini at the age of 18.  Stefano Majore, Britta Barnes, Pia de Doses, Fiona Florence, Marne Maitland, Renato Giavannoli all co-star. Federico Fellini, Gore Vidal and Anna Magnani all appear as themselves. Nino Rota provides the score and Giuseppe Rotunno the cinematography.

(C) Derek Winnert 2014 Classic Movie Review 1318

Link to Derek Winnert’s home page for more film reviews: http://derekwinnert.com/