MovieChat Forums > Ginger e Fred (1986) Discussion > Why is this rated so low????

Why is this rated so low????

posted 20 years ago by i-r-habets
19 replies | jump to latest

How on earth is it possible that this film is rated so low? Of course, it's not Fellini's best, but hey, a better than average Fellini is still much more agreable to watch than 99,8% of all films. I liked it a lot. For once, Fellini's usual parade of absurd characters has a very clear meaning. It's purely functional, putting down television (anyone ever watched Rai-tv? as a non-Italian, you just don't believe what you're watching; this show COULD have been real; and remember, that is just public tv...) as a completely hollow, stupid and mind-****ing-up medium, which it is as a matter of fact. Moreover, modern society - and Italy in articular - is pinned down as being stupid and empty. I'm not sure if I agree with that, as I cannot compare it with Fellini's times, although I do know that films etc used to be much better in the sixties and seventies than afterwards. If Fellini's nostalgia in this film doesn't touch you, you probably aren't the sensitive type. It's not Mastroianni's best performance, but he's still a pleasure to watch. Masina is very much on her place here.
I loved it. Makes me longing to see La Dolce Vita, Otto e mezzo, Roma, Amarcord and all the others once again.

[–] jocheml 20 years ago

I loved it too!

I even liked it more than Dolce Vita & Otto e Mezzo.
While trying to see some 'old Italian stuff' this really was
MUUUCH better than Pasolini's Medea.

[–] squelcho 19 years ago

This was also Fellini's tribute to two great actors who appeared in many of his finest films.
Marcello lifted La Dolce Vita into the realms of greatnness, and 25 years later he brought the same charming insouciance to the part of Fred.
Guiletta Massina was Anthony Quinn's punchbag in La Strada way back when, and was never less than a great actress. Here, she matches Marcello every step of the way.
Most pertinently, they look like they're truly enjoying every moment together.

The two of them seem to be aware of their own mortality, and the way the film pokes fun at the trite disposable nature of showbiz and, more particularly, Italian network tv, is secondary to the story of their reconciliation and wistful reminiscence. Italian tv has got a lot worse since then, believe it or not.

This is one of the best bittersweet musical comedy love stories ever filmed, brought to the screen by a director with a total command of his art, and a great deal of respect for his cast and crew.
That might be why there's so much joy spilling out of what is ostensibly a sad film about minor vaudevillean has-beens
Having seen Ginger Rogers on stage in her slightly ravaged dotage, I thought the parallels with the real Fred and Ginger were sharp and subtly observed. But that's another story.

[–] 19 years ago

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[–] jjpeachum 18 years ago

I love this movie, too. I rented it a lot (on VHS) when I was in sixth and seventh grade (believe it or not), because I had just been introduced to the musical NINE and wanted to know more of Fellini. This film even struck me then as masterfully bittersweet comedic gem and I was generally heartbroken at ages 12 and 13 at the fact that these two couldn't admit their love for each other at such a late stage in life.

Please, Criterion or somebody, release this film on DVD. It really is a crime that the entirety of the Fellini canon isn't available on DVD at this point.

[–] 18 years ago

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[–] sjaytaylor 18 years ago

Quite the IMdb is so far behind the times I don't know, but - despite the film's listing here that shows no availabilty on DVD anywhere, including the UK - it most emphatically IS available here, in a fabulous 2-disc set with nearly three hours of extras emanating from RAI called "La Felliniana" on the Infinity Arthouse label [ which also has the four-hour uncut Visconti "Ludwig", I may add ]. Just search Amazon.co.uk, or Play.com

[–] 18 years ago

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[–] mason22 17 years ago

For me, watching a Fellini film for the first time is like opening a present. Today I just watched GINGER & FRED, and was totally captivated an impressed, as I am with most of his films. So many of the familiar and endearing elements were there; sentimentality and regret, the oddball secondary characters, the circus elements, the wistful score (not Rota, but in his style), and the general dreamlike quality of the whole film.

Also, I truly believe that this film is more relevant today than it was in 1986. 80's TV and advertising was tame, tasteful and restrained compared with the obnoxiousness of today's. (Case in point: I recently found some football game broadcasts which I video-taped circa 1985. It is ABSOLUTELY clear that the ads (and shameless commercial plugs) were half in number and intensity on the 80's broadcasts, and the whole approach was much less "in your face".)

[–] 17 years ago

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[–] gioconda 13 years ago

Thanks so much for posting this! I've been dying to see the Ludwig director's cut for years.

[–] sr_wolfrider 17 years ago

I agree, it's such a good little film, it's a shame no one mentions it. Fellini work in the 60's and 70's usually gets all the attention, but he has at least 2 masterpieces in every decade IMO.

Last film seen: Robert Bresson's Pickpocket - Brilliant!

http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0053168/

[–] Kinematico 16 years ago

IMO "Ginger e Fred" is one of the minor works by Fellini. I've already seen almost every movie from Fellini and I can tell you that perhaps only "Prova d'orchestra" "La voce della luna" and "Intervista" are weaker than "Ginger e Fred".

so that's why is ranked so "low".

PS: actually "Satyricon", which IMHO opinion is much better than this movie, is rated even lower!

[–] BlueGreen 16 years ago

I don't think that's the reason, Equinoccio - it being a "minor" Fellini's film.
(Which, of course, is a purely subjective appraisal, anyway.)

I think the rating simply reflects the unfortunate mixture of ignorance and cynicism that is rather typical of IMDB boards (and others elsewhere, I am sure).

[–] 16 years ago

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[–] BlueGreen 16 years ago

To me, it's one of Fellini's three best films, the other two being "Le Notti di Cabiria" and "La Dolce Vita" (although I also like "Amarcord").

I think it's a total delight, very poignant and amusing at the same time.

[–] 16 years ago

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[–] Tex_Willer1987 12 years ago

One of the best Fellini's films, and that's saying something. A great criticism of how television operates.

[–] 13 years ago

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[–] logan03 12 years ago

I rented the DVD from Netflix. I was very tired when first watching it, nodding off occasionally and not being drawn in. I suppose I would have given it a 6 had I stopped there, but decided that I needed to watch this one more time as I likely missed something.
The second viewing brought out many things I missed the first time around and I ended up thoroughly enjoying this wonderful film. I gave it an 8. As others have noted, not up there with his very best, but a treasure that stands on its own.

You've done some bad things, sweetie.