Rating: 
Summary: Ah, Fellini, Masina!
Review: A prostitute whose life is a veritable study in the resilience of the human spirit is the subject of "Nights of Cabiria," directed by Federico Fellini. Giulietta Masina stars as Cabiria, a gentle soul at heart who manages to maintain a positive outlook even in the face of adversity. Experiences that would leave those of lesser mettle jaded she is seemingly able to ward off and emerge from intact, with a guarded optimism that nevertheless leaves her open to whatever ills life may have in store for her next. But it is just that optimism and her sense of joy in the simple things that makes her so endearing. She is proud, for example, of the fact that she owns her own house, hovel though it may be. Though not one to be easily duped, she is vulnerable to sincere persistence, which has in the past rendered her victim to those who would take advantage of her, which is succinctly established in the opening scene of the film. Fellini's film is a study of how good may succumb to evil, and yet still triumph in the end (though open to subjective interpretation). It's something of an examination of endurance; how many times can one be knocked down before finally being unable to stand back up again. At the same time, however, it's an example of how purity can prevail against even the utmost cruelty. There is a humanity manifested in Cabiria that somehow gives absolution, not only to her lifestyle, but to those who would willingly do her harm. And it is in that very same absolution that we find a message of hope and redemption. As Cabiria, the diminutive Masina gives a performance that is nothing less than superlative, filled with nuance and expression. She has a face and a manner that convey an unbelievable depth of emotion, and Fellini captures every bit of it with his camera to perfection. It sometimes seems that she is a sprite merely masquerading as a woman; she has a light, almost ethereal presence, though at the same time she exhibits an earthy quality that gives her character such complexity, which removes any semblance of stereotype one may assign to her character as a "lady of the evening." It is a heartfelt, memorable portrayal that quite simply should have earned her an Oscar for Best Actress. Turning in a noteworthy performance, also, is Francois Perier, as Oscar D'Onofrio, the stranger who comes into Cabiria's life with an offer that ultimately seems too good to be true. The supporting cast includes Amedeo Nazzari (Alberto Lazzari), Aldo Silvani (The Hypnotist), Franca Marzi (Wanda), Dorian Gray (Jessy), Mario Passante (Cripple in the "Miracle" sequence), Pina Gualandri (Matilda), Leo Cattozzo (Man with the sack) and Polidor (The Monk). "Nights of Cabiria" is a film of extraordinary depth that is beautiful as well in it's humanity; Fellini has created images, both visually and emotionally, that are stunning and indelibly realized. Highlighted by the performance of Giulietta Masina, this is a film that begs to be embraced, one that will stay with you long after the last shadow has passed from the screen into darkness. In Cabiria, Fellini somehow touches something eternal, for there is a lasting sense of innate goodness about her that simply cannot be forgotten. For seekers after wisdom and truth, this is definitely a film that must not be missed.
Rating:
Summary: Fellini's finest.
Review: More of a showcase for the talents of his wife than an actual film, 'Nights of Cabiria' - one of Fellini's earlier triumphs is a series of sketches and has a real sense of transition - between Fellini's early narrative based films, and his later films., that were more concerned with ideas and the dissection of themes than actually following a rigid narrative structure. For this reason it is a very interesting film, but somewhat difficult to treat as entertainment - more instead a functional stage in the career of a cinematic visionary.Giulietta Masina is a good-hearted, but ultimately down-trodden, but still wholly optimistic street walker - Cabiria. Her doomed existence is plagued with flashes of joy and despair - most evident when the man of her dreams walks into her life (François Périer as Oscar) and gives her a way out of her world, only to pull the rug out from under her. The 'nights of Cabiria' are a series of experiences - including an interlude with a movie-star, and brief encounter with a charitable stranger, an embarrassing hypnosis on stage in front of a group of hooligans, and a visit to pray and beg in front of the Madonna - a religious symbol of hope and compassion. Masina has excellent comic timing, giving a wonderfully endearing and memorable performance. She provides its structure, charm and overall sweetness. The acting is in general excellent. The score is beautiful and ambient. And the film's relaxed, comforting style matches the themes and characters perfectly. Sadly the film's final twist doesn't ring true, but its a minor flaw. The film's overall message is clear - life will always get you down, but you can only carry on, and make the best of it. Luscious.
Rating:
Summary: fellini's unheralded masterpiece
Review: i hesitate to call giuletta masina's performance one of the best comedic displays i've ever seen: no, not because it isn't good enough, but because i fear it's too limiting. she's certainly very funny, but the role of cabiria, the "night walker" who's looking for true love, demands a performance that is both hilarious and poignant, one that makes you laugh until you cry and then makes you cry until you can't anymore. masina reminds me of an italian lucille ball, except good ol' lucy never lit up the big screen quite the same way. like her character in la strada, masina seems to be always attracted to loutish figures, beginning with giorgio, a beau who steals her purse and then pushes her into a lake. he's followed by alberto lazzati, a fading star, who picks her up for the night and seems genuine in his interest until his girlfriend pays him a visit and cabiria spends the night locked in the bathroom. cabiria strikes you as someone who never really wanted to get into the "business," but ended up falling into it anyway. she desperately seems to want out of it, to find a good man to lead her out of it, to give herself over to religion, but both of these avenues fail. one fateful night at a hypnotist's show changes all of that, though. a fling with a man she meets after the show seems like it could be real love...but is it? the ending is incredibly emotional and the final two minutes of the film serve as a haunting conclusion to masina's masterful performance. the film is very much what we'd expect from fellini, even though it is from his early period. many of his trademarks on are on parade here: the spectacle, the religious imagery, and the whole ethos of life as one big carnival. his direction is fluid and artful: the images he captures are quite amazing and the restoration process lets you see all of them in their full glory; rome remains, as ever, an incredible place to film. what does set this apart from his later works is the naivity of it: whereas his later films give off a cosmopolitan air, there is something just downright provincial about nights of cabiria. cabiria, i believe, is an underrated film: it certainly deserves to be right up there in fellini's canon and it's definitely a better film than the overlong la dolce vita. cabiria is about faith and hope in the face of all odds, it's a tribute to the human spirit. above all, though, i believe it's a tribute to the director's wife, masina. he captures her with the eye of a loving husband and, thankfully, he also captured her for the whole world to see.
Rating:
Summary: A Story About Human Cruelty And Courage
Review: This is probably a film which many can relate to. I know I can. I think I've been duped just as many times as she (the protagonist) has. It is basically a film about innocence and hope versus the world of men, lies, and filth (sorry, didn't mean to include all three together). I saw it when it was re-released in theatres in 1998. Never forgot it. The scenes of utmost cruelty perpetrated on the protagonist are unforgettable and what's scary is that these were things which were once probably very shocking to see on the big screen and now happen to almost anyone in today's world gone sour.
Rating:
Summary: The Divine Miss M
Review: Giulietta Masina delivers one of the great acting performances in movie history. I love this movie so much I bought the poster and hung it above my computer. If you're on this page, odds are you've already seen the movie, so it might be helpful to note that the DVD version is quite good. Fellini's ability to convey emotion through camera movement is remarkable, and the beauty of his compositions is more apparent in this restored version. The bonus lost footage is fun to look at, and, of course, the sound quality is far better than on video. Masina's face is a miracle-- she has more passion in her chin than most actors have in their whole bodies. A splendid movie, and an excellent DVD.
Rating:
Summary: A must see!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Review: Nights of Cabiria is probably one of the most touching movies you'll ever see. Giulietta Masina is absolutly fantastic. Why her husband ( Federico Fellini / The director) didn't put her in more of his movies is a shame. She is truely a shining star who makes me warm all over whenever she appears on the screen. This movie and Felleni's 8 1/2 are true magic. Not many directors even enter this realm this kind of brillance!!!!
Rating:
Summary: Perfection!
Review: After see this masterpiece of the italian cinema, my personal list of favorites movies have change dramatically. I must to say too, the Criterion edition is a pleasure! Don't miss so important movie.
Rating:
Summary: Inspiration for "Sweet Charity" -- Inspirational!
Review: Federico Fellini gives us another masterpiece with this "original" on which the 1969 Shirley McLaine musical "Sweet Charity" was based. Giulietta Masina is wonderful as the prostitute with a heart of gold, who dreams about a more respectable life, settling down with a good man. A rich movie star takes her for a joy ride, only to return her to her miserable life of filth and poverty. A con artist proposes marriage, then relieves the fate struck woman of her life savings. Almost resigning, she is "miraculously" lifted up to go on... a sweet commentary on people destined to live a perilous life of toil. A great film!
Rating:
Summary: A MOST BEAUTIFUL FILM THAT WILL REMAIN WITH YOU FOREVER!
Review: This masterpiece grabs you from the get-go and doesn't let up! Watch carefully, for the first two minutes of the opening scene represent the unfortunate recurring pattern of Cabiria's life: sheer happiness followed by tearful sorrow. Fellini's masterful approach to the story of Cabiria, a plain-Jane older prostitute in 1950's Rome, is not only artful but insightful. Surprisingly, you love this character from the moment you meet her and you can't help but wish her the best. You personally share in her disappointments, some greater than others, and Cabiria displays a remarkable level of resilience in the face of it all. Just when you start thinking that things may be going well for her, BOOM!, Fellini drops the bomb that blows everything to bits. The ending is one of such heartbreaking sadness that, I guarantee, will stay with you forever. Even weeks after first seeing this film, dear Cabiria is still on my mind and I wonder every so often what happened to her after the movie ended. From a technical aspect, the Criterion release is outstanding. The visual restoration of this film is unbelievable. There is a feature that shows how the film was restored, and it's fascinating to see how the print went from dark and almost impossible to see to clear and bright. The subtitles have been newly translated to a more modern English. There is an optional English-dubbed soundtrack which is helpful for some scenes where there is lots of quick-fire dialog in which the subtitles have been pared down for clarity. There is also a video interview with Fellini's assistant Dominique Delouche, as well as an audio interview with Dino de Laurentiis. This newly-mastered print has a formerly missing segment titled "man with a sack" which, depending on which interviewee you believe, was deleted due to pressure from the Roman Catholic Church (Delouche) or for the sake of timing and continuity (de Laurentiis). My only problem with the restoration is that the sound, remastered from the original 1957 negative, is sometimes harsh and tinny. But, that's minor and easily forgiveable when compared to the beautiful visual restoration. A classic that's well worth owning and that shows Fellini at his best.
Rating:
Summary: Bittersweet Fellini Masterpiece!
Review: In the center of this touching film is Giuletta Masina's wonderful performance as Cabiria, a kind-hearted prostitute who can't help but look up at things but every time she ends up with sorrow. The film is lacking the otherworldliness and surreal touches of other Fellini films, but has an aching realism that is sadly missing in Fellini's later films. Masina bases her character on Chaplin's 'Tramp', you can see that in the way she walks and with her body language, also the ending is derivative of Chaplin's 'Modern Times'. An unforgettable film which is tender, touching and heartbreaking. Memorable music from Nino Rota. From a scale of 1-10 I give this film a 9!
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