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La Strada

Play trailer Poster for La Strada Released Jul 16, 1956 1h 55m Drama Play Trailer Watchlist
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98% Tomatometer 80 Reviews 93% Popcornmeter 10,000+ Ratings
When Gelsomina (Giulietta Masina), a naïve young woman, is purchased from her impoverished mother by brutish circus strongman Zampanò (Anthony Quinn) to be his wife and partner, she loyally endures her husband's coldness and abuse as they travel the Italian countryside performing together. Soon Zampanò must deal with his jealousy and conflicted feelings about Gelsomina when she finds a kindred spirit in Il Matto (Richard Basehart), the carefree circus fool, and contemplates leaving Zampanò.
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La Strada

La Strada

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Critics Consensus

Giulietta Masina and Anthony Quinn's pitiable pair of outsiders provide a poignant contrast between gentleness and might in Federico Fellini's unforgettable parable.

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Critics Reviews

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Pauline Kael The New Yorker Even if one rejects the concepts of this movie, its mood and the details of scenes stay with one; a year or two later, a gesture or a situation suddenly brings it all back. Sep 14, 2022 Full Review Newsweek Staff Newsweek Anthony Quinn as the strong man and Richard Basehart as a derisive rival are excellent. As the girl, Giulietta Masina is extraordinarily touching and gives a performance hard to forget. Sep 14, 2022 Full Review Variety Staff Variety Acting by Quinn and Basehart is tops, but Giulietta Masina, one of Italy's best performers, easily steals show with her clownish mimicry, a job which should finally earn her more consistent work in local pix. Sep 14, 2022 Full Review Bianca Garner InSession Film If there’s one thing we can take away from the story of La Strada and the character of Gelsomina, it’s that behind every great showman there’s a great woman. Jul 31, 2024 Full Review Vernon Young The Hudson Review Like any deeply felt and realized symbol, La Strada is at once nuclear and radiating; within its deceptively simple span, an eternal pattern and a prophecy are established. Jan 30, 2024 Full Review Yasser Medina Cinefilia It carries with it, in a sublime and sad way, Fellini's neorealist spirit. [Full review in Spanish] Rated: 8/10 Dec 13, 2023 Full Review Read all reviews

Audience Reviews

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Thomas S Giulietta Masina, avec ses mimiques de clown triste, incarne à la perfection la candeur et la douleur mêlées de Gelsomina. Pour moi, La Strada parle avant tout de la manière dont un seul acte peut marquer une vie entière — jusqu’au dernier souffle — même lorsqu’on l’a accompli en toute conscience. Impossible de ne pas penser à la dernière scène de la saison 3 de The White Lotus : ce moment terrible où l’on sacrifie la seule personne qui vous a offert de l’amour. Un film bouleversant sur la culpabilité, l’irréversibilité des choix et la solitude intérieure. Rated 4 out of 5 stars 08/07/25 Full Review Isaiah Y One of Fellini's best films. Giulietta Masina was amazing, but this had to be Anthony Quinn's greatest performance of his career. Rated 4 out of 5 stars 07/24/25 Full Review Stephen C Success in 1 hour and 55 minutes!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Rated 5 out of 5 stars 06/07/25 Full Review William B Fellini never disappointed. What a great movie! Rated 5 out of 5 stars 04/29/25 Full Review Will G A great Italian film. Fellini is an awesome director. The movie is about circus performers and mainly focuses on a strongman and a female clown. It was nice to see Italy in the film. Rated 5 out of 5 stars 03/23/25 Full Review Luca D Watch sawdust and tinsel instead, came out a year prior and has a similar theme just with better writing and acting. Zampano and the fool were the only interesting characters in the movie. Calling it Fellini's masterpiece is an insult to him. Rated 3 out of 5 stars 12/27/24 Full Review Read all reviews
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Cast & Crew

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Federico Fellini

Director

Anthony Quinn

Zampanò

Giulietta Masina

Gelsomina

Richard Basehart

Il 'Matto'-The 'Fool'

Aldo Silvani

Il Signor Giraffa-Mr Giraffe

Marcella Rovere

La Vedova-The Widow

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La Strada

La Strada (1954) View more photos

Movie Info

Synopsis When Gelsomina (Giulietta Masina), a naïve young woman, is purchased from her impoverished mother by brutish circus strongman Zampanò (Anthony Quinn) to be his wife and partner, she loyally endures her husband's coldness and abuse as they travel the Italian countryside performing together. Soon Zampanò must deal with his jealousy and conflicted feelings about Gelsomina when she finds a kindred spirit in Il Matto (Richard Basehart), the carefree circus fool, and contemplates leaving Zampanò.
Director
Federico Fellini
Producer
Dino De Laurentiis
Screenwriter
Federico Fellini, Ennio Flaiano, Tullio Pinelli, Carlo Ponti
Distributor
Trans Lux
Production Co
Ponti-De Laurentiis Cinematografica
Genre
Drama
Original Language
English
Release Date (Theaters)
Jul 16, 1956, Original
Release Date (Streaming)
Oct 15, 2020
Runtime
1h 55m
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