City of Women

Play trailer

City of Women

R

Released Mar 28, 1980

2h 20m

Comedy

Drama

Fantasy

Play Trailer

Watchlist

Watchlist

Tomatometer

Popcornmeter

68%

Tomatometer

19 Reviews

75%

Popcornmeter

2,500+ Ratings

This surreal exploration of male and female sexuality follows Snaporaz (Marcello Mastroianni), an Italian train passenger who pursues a beautiful woman. Trailing the lovely lady through a forest, Snaporaz ends up at a hotel populated by women gathered for a feminist conference. He soon realizes that he is an unwelcome presence and must evade hostile women, with some aid provided by the seemingly kind Donatella (Donatella Damiani). Can Snaporaz escape this strange ultra-feminine reality?

Bruce McCabe

Boston Globe

Some viewers, mindful of Fellini's reputation, will be impatient with the film. Its restlessness and turbulence will unnerve them. But there is genius at work here.

Apr 27, 2018

Full Review

Gary Arnold

Washington Post

In a flash Fellini establishes a humorous dream state that is then sustained with remarkable zest and ingenuity for the duration of the ride.

May 7, 2017

Full Review

Dave Kehr

Chicago Reader

Federico Fellini covers his bets in this hallucinatory survey of the women's movement -- it isn't reactionary enough to offend or progressive enough to matter.

Mar 16, 2015

Full Review

Nicholas Bell

IONCINEMA.com

Arguably, this isn't a bad film by any means, but perhaps a familiar scenario a bit too broad, a bit too demeaning, and a bit too monotonous to register as one of the esteemed auteur's more notable achievements.

Rated: 2.5/5

Oct 8, 2020

Full Review

Victoria Brownworth

Philadelphia Gay News

Whether or not it all works is moot -- Fellini is no longer making the statements about life he once made in films like La Strada, but he is still Fellini and he still holds our attention.

May 26, 2020

Full Review

Peter Ackroyd

The Spectator

Stylists are only interesting when they consciously choose to forego substance. Fellini can't make that choice. And, when he tries to be serious, he succeeds only in becoming meretricious.

Mar 29, 2018

Full Review

Read all reviews

Josh G

A fever dream, a political commentary, a visual marvel. A one of a kind film that has to be experienced in a contemplative state. Commenting on women, men and everything in-between not even the leads childhood is a marvel of film making. Masterfully directed and written woah what a film.

Rated 4 out of 5 stars

03/31/23

Full Review

Audience Member

Such a groundbreaking film to me, I believe everyone should see this at least once. It's a great study of Fellini as a film maker. this film runs counter to his other works, and the roles that men and women play in his films. It also examines the line between fear and infatuation. Fellini's use of colors and movement are at any point in the movie beautiful while simultaneously grotesque.

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

02/21/23

Full Review

Audience Member

I love Fellini's honesty and his ability to both indulge and laugh at himself- it's rarer than you might think. There's so many indulgently sexist parts to this movie but it's just always balanced out by absurdity and self awareness. This movie is really a more over the top 8 1/2 but with the focus on loving every woman ever-a general appreciation for women in all shapes, ages, and sizes. Sure, all told through the lens of the old 60s male gaze, but st least it never pretends to be anything but. Fellini really makes movies the way I dream, I can't get enough of it.

Rated 4 out of 5 stars

02/06/23

Full Review

Audience Member

I liked the feminist parts, but at the end, I don't think there was a lesson learned by any of the men

Rated 2 out of 5 stars

02/23/23

Full Review

Audience Member

another bizarre yet engaging fantasy from the Italian master.

Rated 4 out of 5 stars

01/21/23

Full Review

Audience Member

Interesting, but one of Fellini's weakest films.

Rated 3 out of 5 stars

01/25/23

Full Review

Read all reviews

Read More

Read Less

POST RATING

WRITE A REVIEW

EDIT REVIEW

Federico Fellini

Director

Marcello Mastroianni

Snàporaz

Anna Prucnal

Elena

Bernice Stegers

Woman on train

Jole Silvani

Motorcyclist (as Iole Silvani)

Donatella Damiani

Donatella (Woman on roller skates)

Chaos

100%

91%

Chaos

Watchlist

Wifemistress

40%

%

Wifemistress

Watchlist

Return of the Secaucus 7

81%

74%

Return of the Secaucus 7

Watchlist

Manhattan

93%

92%

Manhattan

Watchlist

Discover more movies and TV shows.

View More

View more photos

Synopsis

This surreal exploration of male and female sexuality follows Snaporaz (Marcello Mastroianni), an Italian train passenger who pursues a beautiful woman. Trailing the lovely lady through a forest, Snaporaz ends up at a hotel populated by women gathered for a feminist conference. He soon realizes that he is an unwelcome presence and must evade hostile women, with some aid provided by the seemingly kind Donatella (Donatella Damiani). Can Snaporaz escape this strange ultra-feminine reality?

Director: Federico Fellini
Producer: Franco Rossellini, Daniel Toscan du Plantier
Screenwriter: Federico Fellini, Brunello Rondi, Bernardino Zapponi
Distributor: New Yorker Films
Rating: R
Genre: Comedy, Drama, Fantasy
Original Language: Italian
Release Date (Theaters): Mar 28, 1980, Original
Rerelease Date (Theaters): Feb 19, 2016
Release Date (Streaming): Mar 8, 2017
Box Office (Gross USA): $6.2K
Runtime: 2h 20m
Sound Mix: Mono
Aspect Ratio: 35mm, Flat (1.85:1)

Most Popular at Home Now