La Dolce Vita

This is a film directed by Fellini, one of the greatest italian directors of all time. We can recognise his most famous characteristics in this film, as it is shows a poetic and metaphysical style. He always combines surreal carnival with incisive social critique, which make his style unique.

His hero is a gossip columnist, Marcello, who chronicles “the sweet life” of fading aristocrats, second-rate movie stars, ageing playboys and women of commerce. The role was played by Marcello Mastroianni, and now that his life has ended we can see that it was his most representative. The two Marcellos (character and actor) flowed together into a handsome, weary, desperate man, who dreams of someday doing something good, but is trapped in a life of empty nights and lonely dawns.

La Dolce Vita was revolutionary for its time, because it placed the female figure in the center of the spectator’s and the male protagonist’s focus. It portrayed the importance of women through the centralisation of love affairs, relationships, and the illustration of the female body as an erotic image. in fact, it included many low angle shots of Sylvia, which made her seem like like a goddess to the audience.

I find the title “La dolce vita” quite interesting, as it is not really clear what is happiness within the film’s world. Marcello’s dalliances with a variety of women all end in disappointment or betrayal, largely emanating from Marcello himself. In my opinion, the good life remains but a dream.