In Fellini's first big film, there's little in the way of plot. The focus is on the relationships between the characters as they travel about performing their road-side shows. The problem is that little is revealed about the characters and they are not particularly interesting. Quinn's strongman is gruff and self-centered. Massina is basically playing Harpo Marx. She mostly comes across as someone who is at the mental level of a child. This is supposed to make her endearing but she has no personality. As a giggling circus performer, Basehart is mostly annoying. The acting is theatrical, not cinematic. The cinematography is decent and the score by Rota is wonderful.
