Bad Acting and worse Bad Screenplay

Instead, you get a movie that's enjoyable enough, but leaves you feeling like it could have been much, much more.

The movie turns out to be a little better than the average. Starting from a romantic formula often seen in the cinema, it ends in the most predictable (and somewhat bland) way.

This movie feels like it was made purely to piss off people who want good shows

If this isn't the saddest movie that I have ever seen, it is very close to the top of the list. Even more significant are the stellar performances of the three leads, the skill and sensitivity of Fellini's direction, the stark black and white cinematography of Martelli and Carlini, and the haunting theme song by Noni Rota, which must never be underestimated in its overall contribution to the prevailing sadness from beginning to end.Although the film occurs nearly a decade after World War II ravaged much of Italy, the bleakness and impoverishment of the Italian countryside serve as a perpetual backdrop to the disastrous events that befall the three central characters. Although I initially believed that the road covered much more of Italy, most of the movie was filmed in only three central Italian locations, including the towns of Viterbo and L'Aquila and the seaside at Fiumcino, not far from Rome.The first time I viewed "La Strada" was as a very young boy when it appeared on "Million Dollar Movie" for an entire week at a time. Although I could not have possessed a clue as to what was transpiring in front of me, I was nevertheless very impressed by the actors, the music, and the unique atmosphere even as a child. Needless to say, the film has immensely improved in time as I watch it as, more or less, an adult.How could the casting of Giulietta Masina have been as controversial as it was? I can't imagine anyone else on the screen as the simple and very expressive Gelsomina. She was outstanding and so were Anthony Quinn and Richard Basehart in three interacting roles that have been sharply defined and unforgettable for more than six decades. In Shakespearian tradition, it was the fool, played by Basehart, who ironically exposed the foolishness of those around him. In spite of the limitations of all, especially the unimaginative brute Zampano (Quinn), the story reveals the true humanity of us all. Along the road of "La Strada", life is often unkind, and we are only human, not gods. Forgive us all.

This movie came across as simple to view which is its strength. The story is down to earth and easy to track and another dynamic takes place that I so enjoy in certain movies. We get to capture for all time the streets, cities, background of these on-location shoots for all time. I like seeing how people dressed, what they ate, how they acted etc. and this film has plenty of that too. I have always enjoyed Anthony Quinn and this movie is no exception. The concept his character acts out is one of regret but not until he pushes what he can get a way with to the limit in this film as his character portrays. The ending is satisfying and one is allowed another dynamic that I look for in movies i.e. to ponder what happened after the film ended. Nicely done. Stay with this as in don't be in a hurry and you won't be disappointed for doing so. Why? Because .....

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.

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 .