A couple of dancers who were Italian knockoffs of Ginger Rogers and Fred Astaire during WWII reunite for an appearance on some low-brow variety show in the 80s.
Marcello Mastroianni and Giuletta Masini - their own brilliant careers in twilight - play the leads. Their performances are flawless. They recall their past lives and love wistfully, but honestly. And without the sickening schmaltz you'd usually see in a similar Hollywood movie.
It all takes place within the framework of the variety show, which included soothsayers, m1dgets, animal acts, and various weirdos.
Fellini's movies are full of sideshow freaks at the best of time. Often in incongruous, fantastical settings. So is he really ripping Italian television here? Or celebrating the same circus freaks he always did, but merely framing them within a television variety show?
Maybe it worked for Italian audiences at the time. I can't see it landing with American audiences.
If you want bona fide satire of television, Mankiewicz did it a decade early in Network. If you want the best affectionate satire of television, watch SCTV. Those writers drew their inspiration from real performers, real shows, real advertising. And the performers infused them with an affection that's missing in today's cynical world, where cruelty is mistaken for cleverness.
Anyway, it was great to see two fine performers late in their careers, if nothing else. One could make a very good case that Mastroianni was the greatest actor of all time. Masini didn't take second place to too many actresses, either.
Marcello Mastroianni and Giuletta Masini - their own brilliant careers in twilight - play the leads. Their performances are flawless. They recall their past lives and love wistfully, but honestly. And without the sickening schmaltz you'd usually see in a similar Hollywood movie.
It all takes place within the framework of the variety show, which included soothsayers, m1dgets, animal acts, and various weirdos.
Fellini's movies are full of sideshow freaks at the best of time. Often in incongruous, fantastical settings. So is he really ripping Italian television here? Or celebrating the same circus freaks he always did, but merely framing them within a television variety show?
Maybe it worked for Italian audiences at the time. I can't see it landing with American audiences.
If you want bona fide satire of television, Mankiewicz did it a decade early in Network. If you want the best affectionate satire of television, watch SCTV. Those writers drew their inspiration from real performers, real shows, real advertising. And the performers infused them with an affection that's missing in today's cynical world, where cruelty is mistaken for cleverness.
Anyway, it was great to see two fine performers late in their careers, if nothing else. One could make a very good case that Mastroianni was the greatest actor of all time. Masini didn't take second place to too many actresses, either.