La Dolce Vita

Cinema Series: 5 films which take place in Italy

Happy Sunday and welcome to Giselle daydreams! I hope you enjoyed reading about Roman Holiday as part of my cinema series where I write about five films which take place in Italy. Today, I’m writing about la Dolce Vita, a classic and must-see for any cinema lovers and enthusiasts. Enjoy!

I feel inspired to write about older films lately, as I think they are still relevant today and full of nostalgia. With this cinema series, I decided to write mainly on films from the 1950s and 1960s as they still perpetuate the grandeur of what cinema is all about, from the cinematography to the decor, from the plot to the cast, and the fashion of the time still being a source of inspiration nowadays.

La Dolce Vita is a classic Italian film directed by Federico Fellini and released in 1960. It is widely regarded as one of the greatest films in the history of cinema. It is considered a landmark in world cinema and is notable for its stylistic innovation and deep exploration of contemporary societal issues. The film explores themes of modernity, decadence, and the pursuit of happiness through the lens of post-war Italian society.  The film's episodic structure and rich symbolism offer multiple layers of meaning through interwoven themes.

The story follows Marcello Rubini, a disillusioned and jaded journalist played by Marcello Mastroianni, through a series of vignettes over seven days and nights in Rome. These episodes are not linear but rather thematic, each exploring different facets of Marcello's life and the society he inhabits. The film's narrative is episodic, with each segment highlighting different facets of Marcello's life and the people he meets. Marcello navigates the city's nightlife and high society, encountering various characters who embody the hedonistic and superficial lifestyle of the time. This fragmented narrative reflects the chaos and disintegration of post-war Italian society.

The film is a critique of the moral and social decay as well as the superficiality of contemporary society, present in post-war Italian society. Through its portrayal of Rome's high society, Fellini illustrates the emptiness and excesses of a culture obsessed with pleasure, wealth, and fame. This is exemplified in scenes like the aristocratic orgy, where revelry masks a deeper moral and spiritual void. Characters engage in hedonistic pursuits, highlighting the superficiality and fleeting nature of their happiness.

Marcello's journey is a quintessentially existential one, filled with moments of introspection and alienation. His interactions often leave him more isolated, highlighting the human condition’s search for meaning in an indifferent world. His journey through various social circles and encounters with different characters underscore his inner turmoil and disillusionment. The emptiness of his life is accentuated by the constant presence of crowds and parties, creating a poignant contrast. Despite his success as a journalist, Marcello feels unfulfilled and is constantly seeking something more profound and lasting.

Marcello's interactions with various characters represent his struggle to find an authentic way of living amidst the artificiality of the world around him. He oscillates between different lifestyles and philosophies, seeking a sense of authenticity that remains elusive. Marcello's character is marked by a lack of moral direction. He is both a participant in and a critic of the decadent lifestyle he leads. His relationship with Emma, his fiancée, symbolises his conflict between conforming to traditional values and seeking individual freedom. Marcello is caught between his professional ambitions and personal dissatisfaction. His encounters with different characters highlight his existential quest for purpose and fulfilment.

Marcello's shifting identities throughout the film reflect the fluidity of self and the impact of external influences on personal transformation. His journey is a quest for self-discovery, complicated by the various roles he plays in society. The film suggests that identity is not fixed but constantly evolving, shaped by experiences and choices.

Sylvia, played by Anita Ekberg, is a glamorous Swedish-American actress who symbolises the allure and emptiness of celebrity culture. Her iconic scene in the Trevi Fountain symbolises the intoxicating yet superficial nature of celebrity. Emma, Marcello's fiancée, played by Yvonne Furneaux, embodies traditional values and the promise of a stable, domestic life. Her relationship with Marcello is strained by his infidelity and existential angst.

The female protagonists in La Dolce Vita serve as both objects of desire and symbols of different aspects of life and love. Characters like Sylvia, Maddalena, and Emma represent various ideals and realities of femininity, from unattainable beauty to domestic stability. Their interactions with Marcello reveal his conflicting attitudes toward love, commitment, and freedom. These themes collectively paint a rich and nuanced portrait of a society grappling with modernity and existential concerns.

Steiner, Marcello's intellectual friend, portrayed by Alain Cuny, embodies the moral and existential dilemmas of the intellectual elite. He seems to have found balance but ultimately reveals the dark side of existential despair. His tragic end underscores the film’s themes of spiritual emptiness and the inadequacy of intellectual pursuits alone.

Fellini offers a critical perspective on the media's influence on society. The character Paparazzo, from whom the term paparazzi originates, symbolises the invasive and often destructive nature of tabloid journalism. The media's relentless pursuit of scandal and sensation.

Religious imagery and themes of spiritual desolation are pervasive throughout the film. The opening scene, where a statue of Christ is flown over Rome, juxtaposes sacred imagery with a modern, secular city. This and other scenes reflect the tension between spirituality and the materialism dominating contemporary life. Characters like Steiner, who outwardly seem content but are deeply troubled, embody this spiritual crisis.

Fellini explores the disparity between appearances and reality. Many characters in the film seem to lead glamorous lives, yet they are often deeply unhappy and disconnected. This theme is most poignantly illustrated by Sylvia, the glamorous actress whose life is shown to be as empty as it is enviable.

The film's episodic structure and the various parties, gatherings, and fleeting encounters highlight the transient nature of life and relationships. Marcello's journey is marked by a sense of impermanence, with each episode revealing the ephemeral quality of the pleasures and connections he experiences.

Fellini employs a variety of stylistic techniques to convey the film's themes. The black-and-white cinematography by Otello Martelli enhances the contrast between the glamour and decay of Rome. The stark visual style enhances the contrast between the opulence of Rome's nightlife and the underlying despair. The film's structure, divided into loosely connected episodes, reflects the fragmented nature of Marcello’s life and the broader social disintegration.

Fellini uses powerful symbols throughout the film. From the iconic opening scene of the statue of Christ being flown over Rome to the final image of the sea creature, the film is rich with symbolic moments that invite multiple interpretations. The various religious motifs all serve to deepen the thematic content.

Some of the key scenes include the opening scene where a helicopter transports a statue of Christ over Rome, juxtaposing ancient spirituality with modernity and setting the tone for the film’s exploration of religious and moral decay. Furthermore, Sylvia’s dance in the Trevi Fountain is one of cinema’s most iconic scenes, representing the seductive yet ephemeral nature of beauty and fame. Ultimately, the final sequence, where Marcello encounters a sea creature on the beach, serves as a metaphor for the monstrous nature of the life he has been leading. It’s a moment of clarity and resignation, highlighting the overarching theme of lost innocence.

La Dolce Vita received the Palme d'Or at the 1960 Cannes Film Festival and is often regarded as one of the greatest films ever made. La Dolce Vita has since been celebrated for its artistic innovation and profound social commentary. It has influenced countless directors and filmmakers and remains a seminal work for its artistic innovation and profound social commentary, as well as a timeless exploration of human nature and the complexities of contemporary life.

La Dolce Vita is a rich and complex film that offers a critical look at the search for meaning in a world dominated by superficial pleasures. Fellini's masterful direction, combined with Mastroianni's nuanced performance, creates a timeless exploration of human nature and societal flaws.  La Dolce Vita captures the complexities of the human condition and the perpetual quest for a more meaningful existence. The film’s lasting impact lies in its ability to provoke thought and elicit varied interpretations, making it a cornerstone of cinematic history.

I hope you enjoyed the second film from this cinema series. I’ll publish the third film in two weeks.

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Giselle xx