Favourite scene - Le notti di Cabiria (1957) Discussion

[–] gaelicguy 18 years ago

Oh, yes, I quite agree about the magic show and everything that follows.

I do like the procession scene -- so authentic, down to the hymn ( 'Mira Il Popolo' ) -- if you've ever lived in the Italian section of an urban area (i.e, Greenwich Village of the 1980s), that scene is remarkable.

It also, I think, is the start of Cabiria taking stock and rethinking her life and Masina is sublime, as she is throughout this masterpiece.

That's all. Great thread, tburrowes -- I'd be very interested to read favorites of others here.

Give thanks for a little and you will find a lot.

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[–] BludRedHedOnFire 18 years ago

This may be cliched, but the last scene...from the time when her new husband leads her into the woods on, although it's not really one scene. It could practically stand alone, it's so perfect and beautiful.

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[–] c7c7c7r 15 years ago

Yes--the hypnotist with the horns--and during his show, you can see the other performers back stage, acting bored, while Cabiria, being "under', just breaks your heart. The hypnotist sees this, by a slight movement of his eyes, and knows he should bring her out, that it was getting a little cruel to expose Cabiria's emotion. (Spoilers) (I couldn't believe the REAL Oscar--I mean I believe it, but the scum level was extraordinary.)

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[–] rubelindale 17 years ago

When she dances in that Mambo club, her dancing is so awkwardly graceful.

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[–] gamera99 17 years ago

Ha that's a great scene; some of those other women watching her in the nightclub look like panthers, sleek and unsympathetic.

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[–] gamera99 17 years ago

When she is in Alberto's room talking about her house, and when she is sitting next to him on the bed drinking champagne. Her eyes look as big as dinner plates and she has that huge grin. She had teh best face in the business for emoting; also, I like her dialogue with Wanda; her wild hand gestures. Well i was looking for a favorite scene but I covered 30% of the film.

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[–] 17 years ago

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[–] kubzz 17 years ago

I love when she is outside the club where she will soon bump into Alberto, listening to the music. The scene seems, for a moment, to be very conventional.

We see her from behind, we know she is a prostitute and she begins to move her hips to the music. With any other character, in any other film, by any other director, it would have ended up being a sexy or seductive little dance... but when Cabiria turns around she dances in her own quirky, charming and child-like style, but is clearly not meant to be sexually alluring.

I love the way Fellini tells us exactly who Cabiria is on the inside, no matter how tough and worldly-wise she may act or at least try to be. I love that the convention of the sexualize woman is thrown out the window. You just have to look at her shoes and socks to know we are not dealing with the expected prostitution stereotypes. She's wearing patten-leather shoes with ruffled socks. Like most things about Cabiria that moment was rather unexpected.

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[–] UCHoodman 17 years ago

Her dance or the hypnotist, I just need to see this again

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[–] bluestocking-7 12 years ago

I second kubzz on the dance outside of the club.

I also love the mambo dance she started when she was hanging out with the other streetwalkers around the car of the boyfriend/pimp of one of them, Marisa.

I can't believe how adorable she is and the way she was costumed was part of the characterization.

Sometimes, the costume design in black and white movies tend to be under-appreciated. I don't mean in regards to costumes like Bette Davis' "Fasten your seat belt... " dress in All About Eve (1950) and Audrey Hepburn's evening gown in Sabrina (1954) that were meant to stand out because of the scenes.

But in this movie, I really appreciated how Cabiria was costumed starting from her first appearance - the broad stripes in the sleeveless dress with a shoulder bow.

And then her striped blouse, long skirt with the thick pleated hemline, the thick elastic belt, faux fur, the socks and sandals on the night she met Alberto Lazzari.

And the Navy-style white sleeveless and black skirt on one of her dates with Oscar.

And her last outfit when she ditched the faux fur for a conservative checkered coat and she splurged on a new hat.

Billy Wilder Page, Play the Movie Smiley Game
www.screenwritingdialogue.com

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[–] rogue_gene 16 years ago

the last ten minutes was the best... heartbreak in movies was never this bad for me b4... it was acting and direction both at its best..... guiletta masina is gr8... i am goin to watch la strada soon... :)

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[–] 16 years ago

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[–] coflaky 16 years ago

I agree with the most. The magic scene was the best. The real beauty of her became so obvious that she was the most loveable woman I've ever seen. Even the magician suprised what he just saw and stopped immediately. I think no one -including me- wasn't expecting such a gentle soul.

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[–] 16 years ago

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[–] ObstinateAnnette 15 years ago

"Ché mambo!"

Loved that scene! Especially when Alberto just stands on the dance floor as Cabiria really starts cuttin' a rug! And the difference in their sizes just made it all the more entertaining...

Giulietta Masina was an absolute marvel to watch onscreen...

Si Hoc Legere Scis Nimium Eruditionis Habes

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[–] bobbydallas (8061) 6 years ago

Mambo scene for me as well.

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[–] jamesabutler44 15 years ago

There are many scenes in this movie that I loved. Aside from the closing scene which I think ranks right up there with the ending scene of Breakfast at Tiffany's for emotional impact, I like the scene where Cabiria is leaving Roberto Lazzari's bedroom after spending the night locked in the bathroom while he had make up sex with Jesse. She glances over at Jesse laying in the bed asleep. Her expression spoke volumes. It was as if she knew that her brief fantasy evening with a big movie star was coming to an end and that this was a world she would probably never get to glimpse again. I also liked the scene where the stranger with the sack is giving food and gifts to the homeless people who live in the caves. Cabiria witnesses this act of charity for a forgotten group of people and you can sense that she realizes her life circumstances could leave her vunerable to such a fate.

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[–] mamanoooooooo 15 years ago

Yes very nice scene. love the horns and that the magician realizes that he has gone too far and takes her out

I laugh every time I see that scene where the police comes and the woman screams at them as the scurry away..her cute little face, like a pixie, hiding behind that bush lol!

And I love the scene where she runs across the yard, excitedly tells Wanda that he wants to marry her and that he loves her...her body language during that scene is so powerful, breaks my heart every time.

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