The ending is so sad...
Poor Cabiria...
shareI felt the ending was triumphant. That this poor little waif could survive all the crap the world was throwing at her and still manage a smile was an empowering image.
shareFor sure. One of the most startling, life-affirming and profoundly moving scenes in the whole of filmdom.
Don't be sad for Cabiria. I think she's learned not to make the same mistake and her life could improve. Be hopeful for her.
Give thanks for a little and you will find a lot.
SPOILERS
I agree. Up until the catholic scene with the Virgin Mary procession into the church, which I guess was originally banned by the Catholic church, I didn't care much about the movie but that part was the turning point where we understand just how vulnerable and hopeful she was. I found myself thinking that Oscar was decent the entire time until Cabiria said that she was selling her house to buy a store then we know it's an elaborate scam - much better than Georgio's. I figured that the guy was a con with the name Oscar but hoped like Cabiria that he wasn't - and since he always paid for everything then maybe he's legit.
The scene at the cliff was almost certainly the saddest scene I've ever seen on film - or really in literature. I really was surprised by the power of it - I almost thought Oscar would leave her the money and beg her forgiveness (even though I didn't think he'd want her love) or maybe before it had gone so far he'd say something like, "I did want to rob you but now I love you." However, Cabiria's hopeful world is not the world we live in and she is taken yet again. She walks with the people on the street and you see her old self creeping out - she wants to dance and she smiles.
I originally thought the smile meant that she'd go to her friend's and she'd scrape along as a prostitute again. But my wife had an even more hopeful thought that she needed the experience with Oscar to make a clean break and that she would completely rebuild herself - maybe according to the way Oscar made her feel - she'd be that sales girl she told him she was and she'd make sure that she didn't end up like the old prostitute living in the caves - and eventually she'd find move.
One way or another she was not defeated. The slime of the world fell off of her and she somehow remained pure and Oscar and Georgio just dirtied themselves further. In the end she rose above them though they tricked her - proving trick me once shame on you - trick me twice, shame on you all the more. Being naive is not good - being eternally hopeful is. Of course, there are strong religious implications that the movie only hinted at.
the fact that the ending is triumphant is a testament to cabiria's strength, because i know i wouldn't be able to deal with what she does. I spent about 3 hours crying over this movie it's so sad.
shareBeats me why they call it a tragedy. I was expecting it to end a whole lot worse.
share I see it completely differently. I don't see it as triumphant or hopefull at all. Throughout the film Cabiria has had the worst experiences with men, naively believing in the power of love to take her away from her miserable life. The saddest part of this movie is that Cabiria puts sooooooo much hope into each new man and eventually puts complete faith in them, but every single time she is heartbroken and completely destroyed. It's really tragic. As a viewer, you really really want Cabiria to finally find happines and love, but in the film it never happens no matter how much you or Cabiria hope it will.
The ending to me is just a start to another cycle of naive hope and hearbreak. At the end of the film I found myself looking into Cabiria's eyes as she looked directly at the camera and smiled and thinking, "Why are you smiling? You're stuck in this hopeless cycle and you're just setting yourself up for another crushing betrayal. The ending was very sad for me because I knew what would inevitably happen next to poor Cabiria.
Yeah, that's what's great about movies - the ability to see them in different lights - that's a good thing about this movie - you can be hopeful or cynical. Ultimately, Cabria needs to become a Christian who looks to her God to be perfect rather than any man who will let her down if she expects too much - but there's no reason someday she couldn't find a nice guy - but she shouldn't put ALL her hope in him.
What hump?
If you are a see the glass as half empty type of individual, then you can't possibly see that the message transmitted at the end of the film is "I may be down, but I'm not out!" Cabiria has lost everything in the way of material things, but she gas gained something priceless - the ability the realize that despite her circumstances, she has the will and the ability to overcome them.
shareI agree with your comments on Cabiria's character and her inspirational qualities that are apparent despite her misfortunes. However, I disagree with your description of the movie as having strong religious implications stemming from her eternally hopeful character.
In reality, the movie takes a dim view of the faith of the religious pilgrims in the church scene. As you recall, Cabiria goes through the motions of praying to the Virgin Mary with the crowd, but in the end seems detached from what she is doing and uncommitted to the rituals she is going through. Even more to the point is the scene wherein her friend's father who needs crutches to walk is encouraged to stand before the Virgin Mary without the crutches by his son and friends. What happens as a result? He falls to the floor. That scene speaks volumes on Felinni's view about the effectiveness of religious faith in solving practical, earthly problems.
My real name is Jeff
I can see your point about the religious - I don't remember the movie that well now but I do remember the religious interpretation was a stretch.
What hump?
Gaelicguy's words bear repeating:
One of the most startling, life-affirming and profoundly moving scenes in the whole of filmdom.
Hats off to you!
Enrique Sanchez